Polar

Polar is a graphic novel adaptation that provides a little bit of everything. Action set pieces, gun fights, graphic torture, sex, over the top characters, interesting casting and some hilarious moments.

Mads Mikkelsen stars and excels in a highly entertaining action movie centering around an aging hitman in the final weeks before retirement. If he reaches retirement age he is due a pension payment of 8 million dollars and his employer is adamant that will not happen.

The obvious comparison of this movie is John Wick, but Polar has a very different style and over the course of three movie theres a lot more depth to the Wick movies in terms of the world they live in. I find the best way to compare this movie is a combination of a Liam Neeson action movie (the protagonist and core story), Guy Ritchie's gansgter movies (direction and editing style) and your typical superhero movie (for the lacklustre minions and over the top super villain).

The most questionable element of the movie is the casting of comedy actor Matt Lucas in the villain role. In my opinion he provides an entertaining and over the top performance to the character., which sits well with the overall movie, that being said it does feel fairly cartooney but it does work. I can imagine a different casting, would have provided a fairly drastic tonal shift of the whole film which may not have been an improvement.

Ultimately Polar is a highly enjoyable movie that looks and and sounds great with action of all kinds.

This isn't high art, it's certainly not Oscar bait or even trying to be tongue in cheek...this is a blatantly bloody and violent thrill ride with little exposition and a single purpose: gratuitous violence with no deeper meaning.

If you watch this for any other reason, be prepared for copious disappointment. No nuance or subtlety, just a murder ballet for the masses.

I predict that as is the current trend, that the audience will love/like it while the critics lambast it...shows the growing irrelevance of the professional critic as their disconnect with the audience grows.

//Short and simple//

If you love Mads Mikkelsen and action, this movie is not going to disappoint you. Over the top action? ✔ Overdramatic main villain? ✔ Replaceable side villains? ✔ Listen guys.. don't compare this movie with john wick and ruin the popcorn time, afterall this is comic book adaptation. Yes, this movie is not perfect (hint: lame villains) but you won't regret watching MM in action.

Quite a poor critical reception, but having just watched it myself I can't help that many of the reviews have missed the point of this violent slice of entertainment. While for the most part what they say IS true (clunky dialogue, silly, poorly paced), they could also add slick, humourous and stylish to that list. The corridor scene - a highlight in the trailer misses the mark and would have benefitted with better choreography but was enjoyable all the same. The Female characters, empowered one minute, gratuitously undressed the next, don't make sense other than to advance the plot and pleasure the men. It did feel a lot like the graphic novel in parts though and contrary to what I've read elsewhere Mads Mikkelsen's understated, world weary portrayal is brilliant, even if Hudgens is underused (as are are most of the supporting cast). Style over substance? Maybe. But as a ultra violent comic book popcorn flick I think it works pretty well, and whether it happens or not I'd love to see the sequel it sets up in the closing scenes. I'd say watch it yourself and form your own opinion.

Somehow Mikkelsen and Hudgens are brilliant in this. I would've liked it if the movie focused more on their characters relationship. Because the script, and in particular the dialogue, is just awful. I understand that this movie is based on a webcomic, which I haven't seen, and it's painfully obvious. The characters, except for Mikkelsen and Hudgens, are cartoonish and completely over the top, and not in a good way like Kick-Ass.

Even if Hudgens deserved a lot more screen time, she made the most of what she got. And Mikkelsen is a solid 9 in a dedicated performance. Everything else is at best a 3 out of 10, which makes this movie a 6/10.