I didn't realise they still made movies like this anymore. A genuine film for the family with a spaced out narrative that requires an adult to completely suspend disbelief, though kid viewers will undoubtedly not care about the story's contrivances and just identify with and root for our three stranded heroes.
The prologue which in tone seems almost divorced from what follows, sees Kristofer Hivju from Game of Thrones, playing an unnamed humane trapper, who is injured by a distressed polar bear mother, on the otherwise uninhabited Norwegian Half Moon Island. This results in a rescue helicopter arriving from an unnamed northern town, on which unbeknowns to the clueless crew of 6, a trio of siblings has stowed away, in quite honestly, the most ridiculous of circumstances.
What follows is mainly about how the kids ( a young adolescent girl and her quite a deal younger twin brother and sister, survive in the harsh Arctic environment, (often through dumb luck more than anything else) and a mild kind of coming of age story centred on the older Julia. It's really not spoiling to say, she overcomes her initial wimpiness we see almost annoyingly overtly, early in the film, to mature as the twin's much depended - on guardian.
Operation Arctic features spectacular aerial and land visuals, as well as integrating some quite realistic CGI, into proceedings. Unfortunately, as alluded to earlier, realism is not really the term one would use to describe the narrative. Adults with even half a brain will cringe at the extreme naughty little brother factor utilised to get the kids hidden on the chopper. Once stranded on their new island home, writer-director Grethe Boe-Waal, quite unashamedly focuses the story on the children. There is virtually no cross - cutting back to civilisation. Thus there is no parallel story of a search for the missing trio. So the viewer is almost left with the inescapable feeling that the adults couldn't care, made even more strange by the fact that the siblings appear to be stranded on the island for quite a long time.
Other inconsistencies in plot see an earlier-seen sled team of dogs, just conveniently disappear from the story, bar one very cute canine. who helpfully returns to the trapper's ramshackle hut, to assist the kids with their many ongoing challenges. Such plot holes, whilst likely not concerning most young viewers, will frustrate older more discerning punters.
The three young leads though are undeniably appealing and together with the arctic landscapes and wild life, will certainly ensure Operation Arctic satisfies its intended audience.
