Love on Iceland

Very meh.

'Love on Iceland' is mostly what you'd expect from a television film, though does manage to mix things up ever so slightly by taking events over to Iceland - kudos for actually filming there, by the way.

The premise is plain and entirely predictable, though a lot of the camera work is solid - including a decent amount of drone footage - even if a few shots did amusingly feel like Eurovision postcards.

Cast-wise it's basic. Kaitlin Doubleday (Chloe) and Colin Donnell (Charlie) are average, neither terrible nor great. I actually think they missed a trick, Preston Sadleir (Kenneth) and Kate Easton (Erin) seemingly had way more chemistry together - of course difficult to tell if they are lead worthy, but I had more interest in their romance than Chloe and Charlie's.

The Icelandic surroundings help raise the film up, but it's still a draggy watch. 2½*.

It is very, very rare to write I like it ! About a Hallmark film. But this film deserves that. Not for ingredients , basic ones, but for...the spices. First, the location. Second - the dialogues about love stories as contain of the podcasts. Not the last, the love story between Icelandic guide and the shy American lady. And the cover/ illustrations of Norse legends and Myths. Sure, the predictability is the basic trait. But it is a charming film and that just matters.

I was hoping for more from this new Hallmark. The story was ok as was the acting. That's it. What I was focused in on was the shots of Iceland which I expected to be much darker and more stark in its appearance. So I would recommend this film just to view this island country in the North Atlantic with its small population, cool climate, and high standard of living. The story was pleasant enough but visually there was a lot to look at.

The story is nothing special and the chemistry between the leads is weak. But the locations are beautiful, rescuing what would otherwise be a well below-average Hallmark movie.

One elephant in the closet is never mentioned, the shortness of winter days in Iceland. If it's supposed to be January (it's winter but the actual month is never mentioned) in southern Iceland (where all the locations are), there would only be 4.5 hours of daylight at the beginning of the month and 7 at the end. (The days would be even shorter in northern Iceland.) They spend far too much time doing daytime activities outdoors for the time of year.

There is not an awful lot else to add to what has been said already and very well, though unfortunately it was very difficult to be so generous towards 'Love on Iceland'. Love Christmas, love Christmas films but there are numerous humbugs amongst the numerous crackers. While my festive film quest was interesting, there were some surprising crackers (not enough though) but a fair share of humbugs or at least ones that came close.

'Love on Iceland' is closer to being one of the humbugs. Not one of the worst festive films seen ever or of the ones seen recently as part of the quest, but it's closer to that distinction than being one of the best or the surprisingly good efforts. It takes me absolutely no pleasure being critical of 'Love on Iceland', being such a fan of Christmas and being somebody who has always tried to be encouraging and honest without being brutal when reviewing, but there are just too many problems that stopped me from enjoying it.

Absolutely agree about the scenery being stunning and at its best magical. Actually think of the films from the recent festive film quest, 'Love on Iceland' is easily one of the best looking, with the photography complementing it beautifully. The music evokes the spirit of the holiday affectionately and it didn't have a "bombarded constantly" feel, or to me it didn't.

While the acting on the whole was not good at all, Colin Dunnell and Patti Murin try their best and their efforts are game.

Everybody else flounders. Most of the acting is stiff, but on the other side of the spectrum there is the very affected acting of Kaitlin Doubleday as one of the most irritating female leads seen in quite some time for any film. Sparks certainly do not fly in the chemistry between her and Dunnell, didn't detect any and actually the chemistry between the whole cast seemed disconnected. None of the characters are that interesting or worth rooting for properly.

Moreover, the script lacks any flow or life. Much of it is pretty pedestrian and there is a lot of cheese. Worst of all is the near-non existent (when there is any it's very predictable), barely coherent and very dully paced story.

In summation, lacklustre but the scenery saves it from being worse. 4/10