--- title: "Arctic" year: 2018 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/arctic" fi1m_id: "arctic" imdb_id: "tt6820256" tmdb_id: 453755 wikidata_id: "Q51954909" fi1m_score: 75 critics_score: 69 critics_reviews: 18 published: "2026-10-03T08:00:19.731745+00:00" updated: "2026-10-03T08:00:20.353414+00:00" region: "NL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Arctic (2018) Directed by Joe Penna · 1h 38m · Kijkwijzer 12 · Drama, Adventure ## Identity Arctic - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/arctic - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** arctic - **IMDb ID:** tt6820256 - **TMDB ID:** 453755 - **Wikidata ID:** Q51954909 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6820256/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/453755, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51954909 **Fi1m score: 75** · Critics 69 from 18 reviews *In a sentence:* Mads Mikkelsen makes fishing in the snow look like a perfectly reasonable way to spend our evening > Mads Mikkelsen makes *Arctic* a gripping, quietly humane survival drama. Joe Penna’s patience sometimes becomes repetition, and the score presses too hard, but the practical detail makes the struggle worth following. ## Synopsis Stranded in the Arctic tundra, downed airman H. Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) works to keep himself alive. A fishing rig helps him secure food, and daily tasks establish a routine amid the snow. He wants to survive, but the conditions leave little room for error, and that routine cannot answer every difficulty. The few other figures in the story include a Young Woman (Maria Thelma Smáradóttir) and a Helicopter Pilot (Tintrinai Thikhasuk). With little dialogue, the film follows the physical work of endurance as H. Overgård faces pressure to move beyond the habits that have sustained him. ## Review *Arctic* is a gripping survival film with a performance strong enough to carry its slower stretches. Joe Penna keeps the story close to the practical business of staying alive, with little dialogue to interrupt it. That suits a lead who can hold our attention without asking for sympathy. The film needs patience, though not quite as much as it sometimes demands. Its strongest passages give us a job to understand and a reason to care whether it gets done. The fishing rig is a useful example. Atli Geir Grétarsson’s production design gives us something more interesting to inspect than another expanse of snow: a piece of equipment on which a life might depend. We were surprised by how anxious the fishing made us. The task is so plain, and the need for food so immediate, that the scene needs no extra explanation. Joe Penna lets such practical details carry the tension, trusting us to understand what failure would mean. Mads Mikkelsen makes H. Overgård’s competence believable without making him seem beyond exhaustion. There is warmth in the performance, too, which matters in a film that gives its central figure so little to say. We do not need a lengthy account of his past to care about the man doing this work. The spare screenplay by Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison does, however, leave the actor responsible for supplying much of the character’s inner life. Tómas Örn Tómasson’s cinematography keeps the Arctic landscape clear and stark, and the snow never looks inviting. The crisp images make the place convincing even when the drama starts to feel familiar. There is pleasure in looking at these expanses, but the photography does not make the struggle seem comfortable. That helps the film hold our attention through stretches when little changes, although attractive photography cannot indefinitely compensate for a story that has slowed down. Ryan Morrison’s editing is less reliable at giving that struggle momentum. There are stretches when repeated effort adds little to our understanding of the danger, and the pace begins to drag. The film becomes more absorbing when H. Overgård is pushed beyond his routine; before then, the slow passages sometimes feel overextended. At 98 minutes, it has room for patience without quite justifying every stretch of waiting. Joseph Trapanese’s music also presses too hard. The score can make the hardship feel heavily underlined, drawing attention away from the plain physical work that is more persuasive. Nothing in Mads Mikkelsen’s performance needs that much encouragement from the soundtrack. The film is moving because a person continues to make an effort in punishing conditions, and its restraint elsewhere makes the musical insistence harder to excuse. Within the survival genre, *Arctic* offers a familiar predicament and a welcome interest in practical behaviour. Its attention to the responsibility of helping someone else gives the struggle greater emotional weight, without requiring much speech about it. That is enough to make its slow patches worth tolerating, though anyone hoping for a succession of thrills should temper that expectation. Give it an evening if watching someone work through a problem can hold you; the performance rewards the attention. *Fi1m score 75, published 3 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find Arctic a gripping, stripped-down survival drama, with praise centred on Mads Mikkelsen’s nearly wordless performance. His physical commitment, expressive restraint and warmth keep the stranded man’s ordeal involving even for reviewers who find the story familiar. The favourable reviews also value the practical detail of survival, the harsh Arctic settings and a largely unsentimental approach. Several find genuine feeling in the film’s treatment of endurance and care for another person. The disagreement concerns how long that minimalism sustains interest. Slow patches, repetition and predictable challenges recur among the reservations, while some otherwise positive reviews find the film excessively bleak or restrained. The spread is wide despite the positive majority: The Hollywood Reporter finds a repetitive grind with insufficient suspense, though it admires Mikkelsen and the cinematography. The New Yorker is less persuaded still, finding the genre treatment stale and the survival challenges increasingly absurd. ## Straight answers **Is Arctic worth watching?** *Arctic* is worth watching if patient, practical survival drama appeals to you; we score it 75 out of 100. Mads Mikkelsen makes the work of staying alive gripping and quietly moving, though repeated tasks sometimes slow the film down and the music presses harder than his performance needs. **How long is Arctic, and what is it rated?** *Arctic* runs 1h 38m and is rated 12 by the Kijkwijzer in the Netherlands. It is a drama and adventure film. **Where can I watch Arctic in the Netherlands?** *Arctic* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the Netherlands, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Arctic, and is it suitable for children?** *Arctic* carries a UK 12 certificate, making it a choice for viewers aged 12 and over rather than younger children. Its survival predicament creates anxiety through exhaustion, punishing conditions and the need to secure food; we find even the fishing tense because failure matters. Expect sustained concern for someone’s safety rather than a succession of thrills. **How does Arctic compare to All Is Lost?** *Arctic* and [*All Is Lost*](https://film.one/film/all-is-lost) both make a resourceful survivor’s practical work absorbing, but *Arctic* gives more weight to the responsibility of helping someone else. We favour it for that human connection, and recommend *All Is Lost* for a more solitary struggle. Both rely on compelling lead performances, and both have music we find too insistent. **What should I watch after Arctic?** After *Arctic*, try [*All Is Lost*](https://film.one/film/all-is-lost) (2013, Fi1m 82): Another resourceful survivor makes practical work absorbing, with even less company. Then [*The Red Turtle*](https://film.one/film/the-red-turtle) (2016, Fi1m 84): For patient, nearly wordless survival storytelling with room for tenderness; and [*The Ascent*](https://film.one/film/the-ascent) (1977, Fi1m 88): Snowbound endurance becomes a harsher examination of what people owe each other. ### Reviews we read (18) - **Los Angeles Times**, Gary Goldstein (85/100, inferred): Goldstein finds the survival drama stirring and masterful, with its minimal approach drawing viewers into the protagonist’s ordeal. He particularly praises Mads Mikkelsen’s warm, tenacious performance and the film’s quietly enveloping direction. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-arctic-review-20190130-story.html) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B+): Ehrlich praises the film as a compelling, humane survival story that makes endurance feel distinct from survival. He singles out Mads Mikkelsen’s nearly wordless, career-best performance and the film’s grounded, logically constructed drama. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/arctic-review-mads-mikkelsen-cannes-2018-1201963066/) - **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (Critic's Pick): Gleiberman finds the film compelling and moving, praising its unsentimental, nuts-and-bolts approach to survival. He particularly singles out Mads Mikkelsen’s restrained, absorbing performance. [Read](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/arctic-review-mads-mikkelsen-1202806708/) - **Radio Times**, Jeremy Aspinall (4/5): Aspinall describes the survival adventure as gruelling but gripping. He praises its minimalist approach and the tension of its harsh Arctic ordeal. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-oiokrq/arctic/) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (4/5): Rothkopf finds the survival film dramatically compelling, praising Mads Mikkelsen’s performance. He singles out Mikkelsen’s charisma as the backbone of the snowbound story. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/arctic) - **The Guardian**, Gwilym Mumford (75/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a gripping, assured survival thriller, though it only becomes absorbing once its lead is pushed out of his routine. Mads Mikkelsen’s intensely committed performance is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/11/arctic-review-mads-mikkelsen-cannes-2018) - **Total Film**, Jordan Farley (75/100, inferred): Farley finds the film familiar and at times overly despairing, but says it is well worth seeking out. He singles out Mads Mikkelsen’s intensely committed performance and the film’s stark, visually ambitious depiction of the Arctic. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/cannes-2018-mads-mikkelsen-stuns-in-snowbound-survival-movie-arctic/) - **Screen Daily**, Lee Marshall (70/100, inferred): The available text presents the film as a gripping survival drama. It singles out Mads Mikkelsen’s downed-airman struggle in the tundra, but the full review is inaccessible. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/arctic-cannes-review/5129199.article) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (70/100, inferred): Edelstein finds Arctic grim and excruciating but ultimately enjoyable, saying he liked it a lot. He praises the stunning Arctic settings and Mads Mikkelsen’s compelling screen presence. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/movie-review-arctic.html) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the available text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/movies/arctic-review.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith (2.5/4): The review finds the film effective and spare, though occasionally repetitive and weighed down by its score. It praises the stark realism and raw immediacy created by the film’s stripped-down approach. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-arctic-is-an-effectively-spare-survival-drama/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the survival drama a slow, repetitive grind that struggles to sustain suspense. He praises Mads Mikkelsen’s compelling performance and the film’s crisp, persuasive cinematography. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/arctic-cannes-2018-1111021/) - **The New Yorker** (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a stale and overly earnest entry in the lone-survivor genre. They single out the inventive fishing rig as more engaging than the increasingly absurd survival challenges. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/arctic) - **The Skinny**, Gianni Marini (★★★★): Marini finds the film an accomplished, moving survival story, though its straight-ahead approach can feel overly restrained. He particularly praises Mads Mikkelsen’s expressive performance, which conveys the character’s pain and humanity with almost no dialogue. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/arctic-mads-mikkelsen) - **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the survival thriller familiar in concept but bracingly executed, and praises Joe Penna’s thoughtful, visceral craft. Mads Mikkelsen’s physically demanding performance and the film’s quietly moving portrayal of altruism stand out. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/arctic-film-review-mads-mikkelsen/) - **Collider**, Gregory Ellwood (B-): Ellwood finds the film compelling but flawed, with its journey feeling more arduous than its ending justifies. He praises Mads Mikkelsen’s layered performance, which carries the sparsely characterized story. [Read](https://collider.com/arctic-review-mads-mikkelsen/) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (70/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film highly watchable, despite slow patches and predictable story beats. She singles out Mads Mikkelsen’s performance for keeping the audience invested in the stranded man’s struggle. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/arctic-2017-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) - **The Playlist**, Jordan Ruimy (C+): Ruimy finds the film admirable but stagnant, with its minimalism failing to distinguish it from stronger survival dramas. He praises Mads Mikkelsen’s expressive silent performance, while faulting the film’s slow pacing and late-arriving thrills. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/mads-mikkelsen-artic-cannes-review-20180517/) ## Details - **Director:** Joe Penna - **Director:** Joe Penna - **Screenplay:** Joe Penna, Ryan Morrison - **Cinematography:** Tómas Örn Tómasson - **Editor:** Ryan Morrison - **Music:** Joseph Trapanese - **Production design:** Atli Geir Grétarsson - **Costume design:** Margrét Einarsdóttir - **Producer:** Noah C. Haeussner, Christopher Lemole, Tim Zajaros - **Cast:** Mads Mikkelsen as H. Overgård; Maria Thelma Smáradóttir as Young Woman; Tintrinai Thikhasuk as Helicopter Pilot - **Runtime:** 1h 38m - **Certificate (Kijkwijzer):** 12 - **Release (the Netherlands):** 14 March 2019 - **Genres:** Drama, Adventure - **Budget:** $2 million - **Box office:** $4 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5aD9ppoQIo ## Where to watch in the Netherlands - Amazon Prime Video: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd - Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy €7.99, sd - Apple TV: buy €7.99, sd *Checked 2026-10-03.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, IE, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *All Is Lost* (2013), Fi1m 82: Another resourceful survivor makes practical work absorbing, with even less company. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/all-is-lost.md) - *The Red Turtle* (2016), Fi1m 84: For patient, nearly wordless survival storytelling with room for tenderness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-turtle.md) - *The Ascent* (1977), Fi1m 88: Snowbound endurance becomes a harsher examination of what people owe each other. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ascent.md) - *Walkabout* (1971), Fi1m 85: A different landscape makes survival skills matter more than familiar social rules. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/walkabout.md) - *Touching the Void* (2003), Fi1m 87: A factual mountaineering ordeal where each practical decision carries frightening weight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/touching-the-void.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/arctic