Enter a Rotten Tomatoes movie slug to inspect the stored movie, batches, snapshots, and reviews.
Movie ID: 1165
RT slug: arctic_2019
RT URL: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/arctic_2019
Release year: 2019
Runtime: 97 mins
Wide release date: —
Limited release date: 2019-02-01
Festival premiere date: —
Streaming release date: 2019-04-23
Tomatometer final: 91%
Audience score final: 78%
Genres: Adventure, Drama
Directors: Joe Penna
Writers: —
Producers: Christopher Lemole, Noah C. Haeussner, Tim Zajaros
MPAA rating: PG-13
Executive Producers: —
Created: 2026-08-15 12:42:43
Updated: 2026-08-15 12:42:43
A man stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive.
Arctic proves that a good survival thriller doesn't need much in the way of dialogue to get by -- especially when Mads Mikkelsen is the one doing the surviving.
Canonical reviews: 150
Canonical fresh: 137
Canonical rotten: 13
Canonical calculated Tomatometer: 91%
Latest snapshot UTC: 2026-08-15 12:23:26
Snapshot Tomatometer: 91%
Snapshot review count: 150
Snapshot fresh count: 137
Snapshot rotten count: 13
Source note: Imported from manual review paste batch #2800 (full_snapshot)
| Company | Role |
|---|---|
| Bleecker Street Media | distributor |
| Armory Films | production |
| Joker Films | production |
| Pegasus Pictures | production |
| XYZ Films | production |
| Billing | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mads Mikkelsen | Overgård |
| 2 | Maria Thelma Smáradóttir | Young Woman |
| 3 | Tintrinai Thikhasuk | Helicopter Pilot |
| 4 | Ryan Morrison | Film Editing |
| 5 | Tim Zajaros | Producer |
| Batch ID | Status | Mode | Created | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1181 | processed | — | 2026-08-15 12:42:43 | Processed successfully into movie_id=1165 using update_mode=merge_non_empty. |
| Batch ID | Local Snapshot | UTC Snapshot | Entered % | Entered Count | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2800 | 2026-08-15 07:23:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-15 12:23:26 | 91% | 150 | processed | Mode=full_snapshot. Processed 150 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=150, fresh=137, rotten=13, tomatometer=91%. Net new reviews added=150, fresh=137, rotten=13. Current canonical totals=150 reviews, 137 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=91% (91.333%). Entered review count matched parsed batch count (150). Entered tomatometer matched parsed batch value (91%). |
| ID | Critic | Outlet | Fresh? | Score | RT Time Raw | Approx Published UTC | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 243438 | Calum Cooper | Source (Scotland) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2024-07-14T18:52:20.000Z | 2024-07-14 18:52:20 | Nifty direction results in imagery that’s as breath-taking as it is haunting, an intensity that rocks you to the core, and yet another phenomenal act from Mikkelsen serving as the soul of the film. |
| 243439 | Dolores Quintana | Dolores Quintana | Fresh | — | 2022-12-28T22:06:56.000Z | 2022-12-28 22:06:56 | ARCTIC is a survival horror movie with a surprisingly warm human heart and understanding of the human soul. It is gripping while not really having an excess of violence or action sequences to fall back on. It is a gem that should not be missed. |
| 243440 | Keith Garlington | Keith & the Movies | Fresh | 4.5/5 | 2022-08-19T17:44:04.000Z | 2022-08-19 17:44:04 | It’s hard to think of anyone better equipped to lead this movie than Mads Mikkelsen. His tough exterior and rugged disposition is only outdone by his innate ability to speak volumes with so few words. |
| 243441 | Tori Brazier | Flickering Myth | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2021-03-25T22:12:17.000Z | 2021-03-25 22:12:17 | As the linchpin of the film, Overgård requires an actor of Mikkelsen's calibre in order for an audience to fully identify and sympathise with his struggle - as well as marvel at his ingenuity and integrity. |
| 243442 | Alex Bentley | CultureMap | Fresh | — | 2021-02-18T20:21:52.000Z | 2021-02-18 20:21:52 | The best movies transport their audiences to places they may never experience or even want to go. The makers of Arctic go to flabbergasting lengths to tell their harrowing story, giving its audience a massive reward in the process. |
| 243443 | Kelechi Ehenulo | Confessions From A Geek Mind | Fresh | 4/5 | 2020-08-27T12:50:28.000Z | 2020-08-27 12:50:28 | It wouldn't surprise me if you need a moment to catch your breath after watching Arctic. Joe Penna's beautifully absorbing film is the ultimate journey of survival. |
| 243444 | Tom Beasley | VultureHound | Fresh | 3/5 | 2020-08-15T19:31:08.000Z | 2020-08-15 19:31:08 | Mikkelsen's performance is a triumph of physicality, portraying a man who carries all of his suffering and hardship in his increasingly snowy beard. |
| 243445 | Matt Cipolla | Film Monthly | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2020-07-27T08:44:38.000Z | 2020-07-27 08:44:38 | [The filmmakers] shoot their horizons with a disoriented field of direction that never telegraphs itself while the sound . . . is more teasing in its momentum. |
| 243446 | Yasser Medina | Cinefilia | Fresh | 7/10 | 2020-07-21T18:30:09.000Z | 2020-07-21 18:30:09 | It's intimate, distressing, moving. A solid human survival movie. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 243447 | Steven Prokopy | Third Coast Review | Fresh | 3/4 | 2020-07-16T23:11:51.000Z | 2020-07-16 23:11:51 | I'll fully admit being a sucker for survival movies like this, but the beautifully, starkly photographed Arctic goes beyond your typical "roughing-it" films to give us a raw tale of determination. |
| 243448 | David Lamble | Bay Area Reporter | Fresh | — | 2020-05-29T23:12:30.000Z | 2020-05-29 23:12:30 | A moving tale of survival against all odds. |
| 243449 | Pamela Hutchinson | Silent London | Fresh | — | 2020-04-21T21:10:49.000Z | 2020-04-21 21:10:49 | Arctic is an engrossing movie and sometimes almost unbearably tense film, shot smartly by debut director Joe Penna. |
| 243450 | Andrea Gronvall | Chicago Reader | Fresh | — | 2020-03-25T00:30:36.000Z | 2020-03-25 00:30:36 | First-time feature director Joe Penna and his cowriter and editor Ryan Morrison skillfully exploit genre conventions, but suspense arises mostly from what fresh hells they devise for the hero to conquer, for conquer he must. |
| 243451 | Mina Takla | AwardsWatch | Fresh | — | 2020-01-19T20:00:28.000Z | 2020-01-19 20:00:28 | Mads Mikkelsen shines in this uneven tale of survival that could have used more time in the editing room. |
| 243452 | Louisa Moore | Screen Zealots | Fresh | 3/5 | 2020-01-18T00:43:24.000Z | 2020-01-18 00:43:24 | Cerebral in its own way, with a purposely vague story that rewards the thoughtful viewer. |
| 243453 | Robert Roten | Laramie Movie Scope | Fresh | B | 2020-01-06T20:21:03.000Z | 2020-01-06 20:21:03 | For the most part, this is a typical story of survival in harsh conditions, but there are some plot twists, and it is a well-made film. Mikkelsen shines as the rugged, capable pilot of a downed plane somewhere in the Arctic Circle. |
| 243454 | Tom Shone | Sunday Times (UK) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-12-19T23:31:07.000Z | 2019-12-19 23:31:07 | What keeps you watching is Mikkelsen. The actor is at his best in the open air, and here he gives the tundra a run for its money in the competition to see who can seem the most rugged and elemental. |
| 243455 | Jennie Kermode | Eye for Film | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-12-10T16:00:19.000Z | 2019-12-10 16:00:19 | With just a little more invention and originality, this film might have been something truly special. As it stands, it's a fantastic showcase for its star and, though slow in places, still highly watchable. |
| 243456 | Isaac Feldberg | Fortune | Fresh | — | 2019-11-23T00:02:16.000Z | 2019-11-23 00:02:16 | There's an existential quality to Arctic, a tremendously moving meditation on how we persevere through near-insurmountable hardships, what it takes to keep the light from going out. |
| 243457 | Mary Ann Brussat | Spirituality & Practice | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-11-22T22:31:55.000Z | 2019-11-22 22:31:55 | A survival story that shifts gears into a spiritual parable about kindness and compassion. |
| 243458 | Lael Loewenstein | FilmWeek (LAist) | Fresh | — | 2019-09-18T00:01:05.000Z | 2019-09-18 00:01:05 | If you like survival epics -- and I happen to love them -- this is one of the very, very best. |
| 243459 | Mattie Lucas | In Review Online | Fresh | — | 2019-08-16T17:11:03.000Z | 2019-08-16 17:11:03 | This is survivalism stripped down to its bare essence, free of sentimentality, thematic pretensions, and unnecessary narrative devices. Arctic delivers man-versus-nature conflict at its most elemental. |
| 243460 | Zoe Rose Smith | JumpCut Online | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-08-10T10:50:08.000Z | 2019-08-10 10:50:08 | Arctic is a slow-moving film that focuses on humanity and one man's continuous ambition, hope and perseverance against all of the odds to save himself and another life. Mikkelsen drives this film with another outstanding performance. |
| 243461 | Rachel West | That Shelf | Fresh | — | 2019-07-24T02:20:20.000Z | 2019-07-24 02:20:20 | It's a tale we've seen before but Mikkelsen imbues it with something entirely new. |
| 243462 | Chloe Leeson | Screen Queens | Fresh | — | 2019-07-19T20:31:17.000Z | 2019-07-19 20:31:17 | By taking the naturalistic approach, Penna manages to do what most first-time directors cannot: show restraint. |
| 243463 | Diego Batlle | La Nación (Argentina) | Fresh | — | 2019-06-14T15:20:15.000Z | 2019-06-14 15:20:15 | The Arctic is an overwhelming, anguishing and at the same time fascinating survival story. [Full Review in Spanish] |
| 243464 | Pablo O. Scholz | Clarín | Fresh | — | 2019-06-13T19:30:58.000Z | 2019-06-13 19:30:58 | [Mads Mikkelsen] supports the whole weight of the film. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 243465 | Jeff Mitchell | Phoenix Film Festival | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2019-06-08T22:05:16.000Z | 2019-06-08 22:05:16 | Bring a down jacket, a hat, snowmobile pants, and a scarf too...and be awed at Mikkelsen's performance. |
| 243466 | Daniel Goodwin | HeyUGuys | Fresh | 5/5 | 2019-06-05T10:30:48.000Z | 2019-06-05 10:30:48 | An invigorating, brave and bracing survival thriller that stuns by way of its breathtaking direction/ cinematography and raw heart at its core. |
| 243467 | Javier Ocaña | El Pais (Spain) | Fresh | — | 2019-06-03T06:15:21.000Z | 2019-06-03 06:15:21 | An admirable film. [Full Review in Spanish] |
| 243468 | Jaime Fa de Lucas | Culturamas | Fresh | — | 2019-05-31T18:26:12.000Z | 2019-05-31 18:26:12 | A good example of the famous [phrase] "less is more"... with a good performance from Mads Mikkelsen. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 243469 | Daniel de Partearroyo | Cinemanía (Spain) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-05-28T21:06:02.000Z | 2019-05-28 21:06:02 | It doesn't cost [Mads Mikkelsen] anything to carry almost all of the film's weight while he manages not to die below zero. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 243470 | Alison Rowat | The Herald (Scotland) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-25T00:51:18.000Z | 2019-05-25 00:51:18 | Arctic is a tightly scripted, surprisingly moving picture that knows when to be quiet, and when to scare the snowballs out of an audience. |
| 243471 | Blake Howard | Graffiti With Punctuation | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-05-21T10:40:15.000Z | 2019-05-21 10:40:15 | Arctic is an enthralling, matter of fact tale of survival told with a kind of straight-faced defiance. Mikkelsen is a rare performer with the physical and emotional durability to carry the film. |
| 243472 | Grant Watson | Fiction Machine | Fresh | 9/10 | 2019-05-20T00:10:29.000Z | 2019-05-20 00:10:29 | The film is so sparsely populated and so eerily simple that the emotions stand out in vivid fashion. |
| 243473 | Joshua Rothkopf | Time Out | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-14T05:00:13.000Z | 2019-05-14 05:00:13 | Brazilian director Joe Penna, a former viral YouTube star, seems to relish the chance to stretch out and slow down, training the focus of his almost John Carpenter-esque feature debut (shot in gorgeous Icelandic locations) on small acts of process. |
| 243474 | Sarah Cartland | Caution Spoilers | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-13T08:55:11.000Z | 2019-05-13 08:55:11 | A film so stark and spare requires an exceptional performance to carry it. Trudge forward a riveting Mads Mikkelsen, whose increasingly weatherbeaten face conveys every all-too-believable response to his life or death dilemmas. |
| 243475 | Marcos Gandía | Sensacine | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-05-10T23:15:47.000Z | 2019-05-10 23:15:47 | The film is unfriendly as it is empathetic. [Full Review in Spanish] |
| 243476 | Jeremy Aspinall | Radio Times | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-10T21:20:58.000Z | 2019-05-10 21:20:58 | Mikkelsen has little dialogue and exudes stoic determination in the face of excruciating dilemmas, yet there's vulnerability beneath that inscrutable facade, too. |
| 243477 | Jamie East | The Sun (UK) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-10T01:45:45.000Z | 2019-05-10 01:45:45 | The plot is far more well trodden than the ground it films, but this very stoic Nordic tale of resilience, and endurance is a treat. |
| 243478 | Alistair Harkness | Scotsman | Rotten | 3/5 | 2019-05-09T22:11:19.000Z | 2019-05-09 22:11:19 | Unfortunately, a script largely uninterested in the interior life of its main character proves the biggest obstacle to this transcending its status as just another man-vs-nature endurance test. |
| 243479 | Adam Sweeting | The Arts Desk | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-05-08T17:10:33.000Z | 2019-05-08 17:10:33 | Despite the absence of dialogue, it's a remarkably eloquent performance from Mikkelsen. |
| 243480 | Kat Hughes | THN | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-05-07T19:25:57.000Z | 2019-05-07 19:25:57 | A beautifully shot, study of the resilience of man in the face of exceptional odds. |
| 243481 | Rob Aldam | Backseat Mafia | Fresh | — | 2019-05-06T17:20:20.000Z | 2019-05-06 17:20:20 | The backdrop is beautiful and Penna uses the location to his benefit. Cleverly throwing dangers and pitfalls in Overgård's path without it ever feeling forced or contrived |
| 243482 | Dustin Chase | Galveston Daily News | Fresh | B- | 2019-04-30T19:01:06.000Z | 2019-04-30 19:01:06 | The immersive structure of this film becomes its salvation. |
| 243483 | Cate Marquis | We Are Movie Geeks | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-04-18T00:20:38.000Z | 2019-04-18 00:20:38 | ARCTIC is a well-done, spare survival film graced with haunting Icelandic vistas and stunning location photography but mostly worth seeing for Mads Mikkelsen's outstanding performance. |
| 243484 | Barry Paris | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-04-04T23:06:05.000Z | 2019-04-04 23:06:05 | No frills, moderate thrills. Nordic stoicism on display. Much agony, little ecstasy. But all in all, a worthy endurance test for Mads Mikkelsen and ourselves. |
| 243485 | James Croot | The Post NZ | Fresh | — | 2019-03-19T20:10:45.000Z | 2019-03-19 20:10:45 | Worth a big-screen visit just for the frozen vistas. |
| 243486 | Tim Brayton | Alternate Ending | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-03-14T05:30:15.000Z | 2019-03-14 05:30:15 | By the standards of the survival genre, it's certain not at all bad, and the confidence of execution arguably makes it much better than average. |
| 243487 | John Lui | The Straits Times (Singapore) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-03-13T17:15:43.000Z | 2019-03-13 17:15:43 | While the film is not quite a nail-biter, there is enough of an engine driving interest in the story... |
| 243488 | Linda Cook | Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2019-03-13T03:30:34.000Z | 2019-03-13 03:30:34 | Mads Mikkelsen turns in a great performance in riveting 'Arctic.' |
| 243489 | Gianni Marini | The Skinny | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-03-07T17:25:35.000Z | 2019-03-07 17:25:35 | Mikkelsen gives Overgård a kind and occasionally faltering humanity - his pain, frustration and the freezing conditions are conveyed with captivating committal. |
| 243490 | Evan Dossey | Midwest Film Journal | Fresh | — | 2019-03-01T21:01:18.000Z | 2019-03-01 21:01:18 | A well-realized but standard survival tale. |
| 243491 | M. Faust | The Public (Buffalo) | Rotten | — | 2019-02-28T23:55:47.000Z | 2019-02-28 23:55:47 | The ending is a disappointment, so arbitrary that it seems to come simply because the film has gone on for as long as [director Joe] Penna cared for it to last. |
| 243492 | Chris Feil | Filmmixtape | Fresh | B | 2019-02-28T15:15:10.000Z | 2019-02-28 15:15:10 | On top of the film's impressive craft, Penna keeps the film brief and relentless... |
| 243493 | Rick Kisonak | Seven Days (VT) | Fresh | 5/5 | 2019-02-27T19:10:48.000Z | 2019-02-27 19:10:48 | You owe it to yourself to see this. |
| 243494 | Susan Granger | SSG Syndicate | Fresh | 7/10 | 2019-02-25T19:30:32.000Z | 2019-02-25 19:30:32 | Stark, shivering survival story, set in an icy wilderness. |
| 243495 | Matt Rodriguez | Shakefire | Fresh | A | 2019-02-24T16:45:14.000Z | 2019-02-24 16:45:14 | Arctic is perhaps Mads Mikkelsen's most challenging yet rewarding film that puts the actor front and center in an unrelenting story of survival. |
| 243496 | Jim Schembri | 3AW | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-02-24T00:05:20.000Z | 2019-02-24 00:05:20 | The film does bear more than a passing resemblance to other recent survival films, perhaps reflecting the universal truth that when it comes to surviving in the wild, the elements can be as harsh as they are indifferent to the suffering of lost humans. |
| 243497 | Tara Thorne | The Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | Fresh | — | 2019-02-22T23:36:28.000Z | 2019-02-22 23:36:28 | You're on board with this sort of thing or you're not-in this case Arctic is incredibly captivating, made with care and wholly entertaining, plus it's got an ending that leaves you with a discussion. |
| 243498 | Kiko Martinez | San Antonio Current | Fresh | B | 2019-02-22T20:02:10.000Z | 2019-02-22 20:02:10 | Director/co-writer Joe Penna draws out an honest performance from actor Mads Mikkelsen and uses the quietest moments to allow moviegoers to feel the pain and exhaustion the film's protagonist is experiencing. |
| 243499 | Rob Thomas | Capital Times (Madison, WI) | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-22T16:50:32.000Z | 2019-02-22 16:50:32 | The film doesn't start one second earlier than it needs to, and doesn't end one second later than it should. Austere and exciting, "Arctic" behaves like its protagonist, who can't afford to make a mistake or waste time. |
| 243500 | Sean P. Means | The Movie Cricket | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-21T21:00:35.000Z | 2019-02-21 21:00:35 | The snowbound drama "Arctic" is a grim and unadorned tale of survival, and a full dose of the acting mastery of Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen. |
| 243501 | Ruben Peralta Rigaud | Cocalecas | Rotten | — | 2019-02-21T18:40:30.000Z | 2019-02-21 18:40:30 | The film will not revolutionize the genre. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 243502 | Jared Mobarak | Jaredmobarak.com | Fresh | 7/10 | 2019-02-20T20:45:56.000Z | 2019-02-20 20:45:56 | That's all you can ask from a survival film such as this: honesty. It's not therefore about life or death, but humanity's perseverance. |
| 243503 | Frank Swietek | One Guy's Opinion | Fresh | B- | 2019-02-17T22:10:16.000Z | 2019-02-17 22:10:16 | The slow, repetitive quality of 'Arctic' can test a viewer's patience, but Mikkelsen's doggedness and the crystal-clear visuals make for a compelling, if daunting, journey. |
| 243504 | Peg Aloi | Arts Fuse | Fresh | — | 2019-02-16T01:50:48.000Z | 2019-02-16 01:50:48 | Arctic avoids existential symbolism for the sake of expressing authentic emotions, most of them thanks to Mads Mikkelsen's performance, a quiet tour de force. |
| 243505 | Beth Accomando | KPBS.org | Fresh | — | 2019-02-16T01:20:55.000Z | 2019-02-16 01:20:55 | The film has actor Mikkelson as its lead and he is a force of nature and we cannot resist watching him at work. Arctic serves up a grueling tale of survival |
| 243506 | Robert Denerstein | Denerstein Unleashed | Fresh | — | 2019-02-16T01:20:54.000Z | 2019-02-16 01:20:54 | Arctic makes for a harrowing slice of life-or-death adventure. |
| 243507 | David Stratton | The Australian | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-02-15T23:50:59.000Z | 2019-02-15 23:50:59 | It's an austere approach, but Brazilian-born Joe Penna, directing his first film after making a splash with his videos on YouTube, is to be commended for the rigorousness with which he is operating. |
| 243508 | Sara Michelle Fetters | MovieFreak.com | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-15T23:20:52.000Z | 2019-02-15 23:20:52 | [Mikkelsen] brings a level of intense physicality that is coupled with a level of emotive sensitivity that's superb. |
| 243509 | Robert Horton | Seattle Weekly | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2019-02-15T06:10:13.000Z | 2019-02-15 06:10:13 | The simplicity of writer/director Joe Penna's approach and the magnificence of Mads Mikkelsen's acting is more than enough to make this survival tale a gripping experience. |
| 243510 | Leigh Paatsch | Herald Sun (Australia) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2019-02-14T22:15:56.000Z | 2019-02-14 22:15:56 | Though a decidedly minimalist action picture, Arctic achieves maximum impact thanks to Mikkelsen's rugged, yet tender portrayal of a man whose only choice is to chill, or be chilled. |
| 243511 | Richard Whittaker | Austin Chronicle | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-02-14T20:00:47.000Z | 2019-02-14 20:00:47 | Arctic, a chilly and straightforward story of survival. |
| 243512 | Joe Friar | The Victoria Advocate | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2019-02-13T22:40:42.000Z | 2019-02-13 22:40:42 | The spellbound thriller about a downed pilot trying to survive in the frozen tundra keeps the audience captivated the way Tom Hanks did in Cast Away and Robert Redford in All Is Lost. Mads Mikkelsen is first rate. |
| 243513 | Paul Byrnes | Sydney Morning Herald | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-02-13T21:10:50.000Z | 2019-02-13 21:10:50 | Mikkelsen gives a strong performance, of course. He has to carry the movie on his shoulders, but that's probably why he did it. |
| 243514 | Peter Canavese | Groucho Reviews | Fresh | 2.5/4 | 2019-02-13T18:10:23.000Z | 2019-02-13 18:10:23 | While Penna shoots and edits the material well enough, its familiar paces probably wouldn't be tolerable were it not for Mikkelsen, whose grim visage crucially gives the film a racing mind and a beating heart. |
| 243515 | Andrew Todd | Birth.Movies.Death. | Fresh | — | 2019-02-12T21:16:33.000Z | 2019-02-12 21:16:33 | A survival movie that isn't a reinvention of the genre - just a really strong example of it. |
| 243516 | Allyson Johnson | Cambridge Day | Rotten | 2/4 | 2019-02-12T20:01:12.000Z | 2019-02-12 20:01:12 | Even with his dancer's physicality and emotive face [Mads Mikkelsen] struggles to make 90 minutes of stomping through snow in Arctic thrilling - or even watchable. |
| 243517 | Jack Blackwell | One Room With A View | Fresh | 3/5 | 2019-02-12T18:55:57.000Z | 2019-02-12 18:55:57 | Penna shows great potential as a filmmaker with Arctic, and Mikkelsen proves more than capable of anchoring a 90 minute film pretty much on his own, but some clumsy mistakes hold it back. |
| 243518 | Anne Brodie | What She Said | Fresh | — | 2019-02-11T22:20:49.000Z | 2019-02-11 22:20:49 | Director Joe Penna's attention to minute detail, his unerring gift for the dramatic build and Mikkelsen's quiet, stoic heroism make for a screen experience so specific and intimate that you simply can't look away. |
| 243519 | Moira MacDonald | Seattle Times | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-11T19:50:41.000Z | 2019-02-11 19:50:41 | This film makes for a compelling hour and a half; you know where it's going, but you never quite believe it'll actually get there. |
| 243520 | Craig Mathieson | The Sunday Age | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-02-11T06:45:10.000Z | 2019-02-11 06:45:10 | In an immersive environment, Mikkelsen's performance begins with his body's actions but obtains a reverence through his gaze - he shows us what it's like to look out and see nothing but your own oblivion. |
| 243521 | Robin Clifford | Reeling Reviews | Fresh | B+ | 2019-02-09T18:35:12.000Z | 2019-02-09 18:35:12 | It is a tale of survival against all odds and Mads Mikkelsen embodies the determination of the man to try and try to his last breathe. |
| 243522 | Barbara VanDenburgh | Arizona Republic | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2019-02-08T23:51:22.000Z | 2019-02-08 23:51:22 | Though the journey is well executed and the tension sustained, the obstacles are so familiar to the genre - inclement weather, tricky rock formations, grumpy bears - they can feel ordinary. |
| 243523 | Peter Sobczynski | eFilmCritic.com | Fresh | — | 2019-02-08T22:11:46.000Z | 2019-02-08 22:11:46 | A smart, spare and convincing tale of one man going up against the elements that will leave most viewers with the desire to bunker down in their homes and not step outside again until at least mid-May. |
| 243524 | Barry Hertz | Globe and Mail | Rotten | 2.5/4 | 2019-02-08T20:51:47.000Z | 2019-02-08 20:51:47 | The actor offers an incredibly committed and determined performance, but by the film's end, you wish he'd be able to get back to doing what he does best: eating. |
| 243525 | Roxana Hadadi | Pajiba | Fresh | — | 2019-02-08T20:41:41.000Z | 2019-02-08 20:41:41 | Arctic is a one-man showcase for the acting that we know Mads Mikkelsen is capable of. The film's power comes from his performance. |
| 243526 | Jim Judy | Screen It! | Fresh | — | 2019-02-08T19:41:25.000Z | 2019-02-08 19:41:25 | Mads Mikkelsen makes for a commanding presence on the screen. (Full Content Review for Parents - Profanity, etc. - also Available) |
| 243527 | James Verniere | Boston Herald | Fresh | A- | 2019-02-08T19:21:06.000Z | 2019-02-08 19:21:06 | Mads Mikkelsen is terrific in taut survivalist drama from Brazilian sensation Joe Penna aka #MysteryGuitarMan. |
| 243528 | David Nusair | Reel Film Reviews | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-08T13:26:49.000Z | 2019-02-08 13:26:49 | ...benefits substantially from Mikkelsen's gripping, masterful performance... |
| 243529 | Sonny Bunch | Washington Free Beacon | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-08T11:40:20.000Z | 2019-02-08 11:40:20 | Arctic is fascinating as a study of the creation of society on a micro level, of the things we do for each other for no reason other than our shared humanity. |
| 243530 | Dennis Schwartz | Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews | Fresh | B+ | 2019-02-08T09:05:35.000Z | 2019-02-08 09:05:35 | A pleasing survival tale with minimal dialogue. |
| 243531 | Mark Dujsik | Mark Reviews Movies | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-07T21:06:48.000Z | 2019-02-07 21:06:48 | [The film is] less about the particulars of survival and more about the ethics of it. |
| 243532 | Peter Howell | Toronto Star | Fresh | 3/4 | 2019-02-07T19:36:20.000Z | 2019-02-07 19:36:20 | It would be easier to count the words spoken in Joe Penna's survival thriller Arctic than the number of beats your heart skips while watching it. |
| 243534 | Anita Katz | San Francisco Examiner | Fresh | — | 2019-02-07T18:01:13.000Z | 2019-02-07 18:01:13 | As survival thrillers go, the movie is compelling. It's also a poignant story of decency and hope. It also demonstrates the power of minimalist storytelling. |
| 243533 | Sherilyn Connelly | SF Weekly | Fresh | — | 2019-02-07T18:01:13.000Z | 2019-02-07 18:01:13 | That they're on the bottom of Maslow's pyramid and desperately trying not to fall off is all the dramatic tension necessary... Arctic doesn't break new ground, but it charts its own path quite well. |
| 243535 | Laura Clifford | Reeling Reviews | Fresh | B+ | 2019-02-06T21:15:50.000Z | 2019-02-06 21:15:50 | Joe Penna makes his feature debut with a gripping survival thriller that is all the more satisfying for not spelling everything out for us. |
| 243536 | Pat Padua | Washington Post | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2019-02-06T20:21:02.000Z | 2019-02-06 20:21:02 | "Arctic" is a film for all seasons. |
| 243537 | Kelly Vance | East Bay Express | Fresh | — | 2019-02-06T18:00:53.000Z | 2019-02-06 18:00:53 | Arctic, a superior example of its challenging brand, adds to its impact by subtracting every non-essential ingredient. |
Showing the latest 100 canonical reviews for this movie.