Polaris

9/10

I went into this movie knowing nothing about what it was about. In the beginning I was confused but weirdly intrigued, like I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. A big lesson I learned from this movie is the power it has to change my perspective with no words. Words are the main source of understanding, so when that's taken away you're forced to use your imagination. What are the characters trying to say but instead with their words showing it with their actions?

If I could talk to myself before watching this movie I wouldn't say anything. I'm glad I experienced exactly how I did with no background information.

I am not writting reviews very often (ok maybe it's my first one), but because the movie has such a bad one, I had to jump on my keyboard and give it the respect it deserves.

I am part of these people saying "nowadays all movies are the same, just a copy of a copy of a copy" yet I can still enjoy blockbusters, but not having my mind blew, if you follow me.

But that movie is the most original I have seen in long long time, one that is not affraid to go out of the paved roads and that's what give it that refreshing taste.

Taking place in a futuristic polar wastelands, Sumi (the main character) is babling some unknown languages and interract only occasionally with other characters and except for a very short narrative at the beginning, at the middle and finally at the end of the movie, there is no understandable speech, sounds like a strange realisator's choice right?

Yet you manage to understand what's up and feel it all, thanks to a good casting, it makes the whole atmosphere almost tangible.

Even if the plot itself is quite thin (Sumi is following a purple star in the sky, like the 3 wise kings going after Jesus), it's mystical enough to pick your curiosity just right and keep you entertained without being able to guess the end (even if you torture me I won't reveal it).

Finally I want to talk about the last unusual element that I really enjoyed, at the very beginning the narrative sounds very childish, almost candide like a soft fairy tale, but no longer after you realise that it's a violent world we are evolving in, these two aspects will continue to oppose each other until the end and somehow create a consistent balance like a yin/yang.

Up to this point you probably understood how much I enjoyed that experience and that I highly recommend it, if I picked your curiosity with the above lines, please make yourself a favor, switch your phone off and watch that movie.

This is a really well made movie with beautiful scenery and skilled direction. However, if you like movies to do all the thinking for you, it's probably not for you.

The story blends sci-fi, folklore spirituality and metaphor which will challenge a lot of people, but reminds me of the old 70's style mind benders like Zardoz and THX 1138. A lot of Mad Max vibes as well.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where survivors have regressed socially, but are still surrounded with remnants of past advanced civilisation. The heroine has spiritual powers connected to nature and follows a path to her destiny which brings her into contact with good and bad survivors.

Approach it as a tribal folk tale and you will probably enjoy it. But if you expect a modern paint-by-numbers Hollywood movie, you will be disappointed.

First scene, we meet Sumi and Mama Polar Bear. The narrator fills in the details of Sumi's young life thus far. She was raised by the bear on the frozen lands of the arctic/Canadian? Area. I was most impressed that evidently either Mama is magical or Sumi was able to kill some furred animal and make not only pants, shirt, coat, and mittens, but also mukluks! She also has magic hair. If we assume she is 14 or 15ish and was raised from babyhood by the bear, and unless she also forged a knife or scissors and cut her own hair, it should be dragging on the ground. I grew my hair from pixie to mid back in less than 3 years and I have the hair of a 65 year old! I saw this movie won awards and wondered how. The girl did, she is quite talented. I'm 29 minutes into an 89 minute movie. I need a stiff drink.

The movie itself deserves a big ole raspberry. Very little dialogue, which is not a bad thing. But those few lines uttered all sounded like they were just the same words, over and over, no matter the situation. I guess in 2144 (how they came up with that particular year is a mystery) one word has a lot of different meanings; kind of like how the Inuits have a bunch of different words for snow.

Sound track: whale recordings for trees, Star Wars scooter things sounds for modified snow mobiles.

Made it to the end. It made no sense. Gory, stark and arty. No backstory on Sumi and how she ended up alone in Canada with a Polar Bear for a mom, no clue where ice girl in her futuristic outfit came from. Are there no more men? Nary a one in this movie.

Skip this flick unless it's absolutely the only thing aired. My biggest regret is not the waste of time, but not getting hammered first. If I did ganja that might have helped, too.

Set in a distant postapocalyptic future, Polaris (2022) follows a young girl named Sumi who moves away from her life with a polar bear that raised her. The frozen land that surrounds her is occupied by violent gangs in repurposed rusted steel armour, reminescent of the survivors in Mad Max and Waterworld.

As a fan of both of these works, I went into this movie wanting to like it given the comparisons it has received in the press, in addition to it being a Canadian production. However, this movie felt like the filmmakers had all of these interesting ideas they wanted to put on the screen, except for a compelling story with interesting characters that the audience can feel invested in. What I experienced in this film was a hollow story with some mildly interesting gore in between.

The characters in the film speak an unrecognizable language (and Sumi who makes animal noises). The audience is invited to pay attention to the non-verbal performances of the actors, which is a refreshing and bold move by the filmmakers that fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the film... until there is a complete, tone-shattering voiceover in plain English somewhere in the middle of the movie and once more at the end.

The relationships that the protagonist Sumi builds with different characters seemed rushed and forced. I didn't feel that there was any character development over the course of the film. Also, there were elements of environmentalism that I hoped the film could have explored more deeply, instead of simply through superficial reactions by the protagonist. The production design is what you would expect from a low-budget film and does not detract too much from the immersiveness.

The movie does shine in some aspects. The cinematogrpahy is excellent in showing both the desolate and hopeful sides of the Yukon landscape. Muriel Dutil gives a powerful and emotional performance as Dee, an old woman Sumi meets in her journey and the only interesting character in the film.