Konvoi

My father was an engineer on a Norwegian Merchant Marine ship during WWII (although not in the arctic region that I know of). His ships were wrecked three times, yet he managed to survive. He didn't talk too much about what he went through, yet it was evident that he was deeply troubled by what he saw and went through. After the war, he moved to the US. Decades later, the Norwegian government sent him medals for his service. He through them into a drawer, forgotten until after his death. Seeing this movie gave insight into what he may have experienced. It was beautifully filmed, and well acted. Glad I watched it, yet depressing too.

A film with which one can build a kind of emotional bond, additionally depicting true events at sea. The topic of the Battle of the Atlantic might seem simple to execute-showing, for example, the fate of a surface or submarine crew-but in reality, it isn't. To date, we can distinguish only two films that accurately depict the realities of the Battle of the Atlantic or similar naval battles: Das Boot from 1981, which lets us smell the damp cloth on the deck of a U-boat, feeling moments of joy with the crew and sharing in their defeats; and the film U-571 from 2000, which, although it depicts a fictional mission to capture the Enigma, conveys the drama of combat well. Someone might ask why I don't consider the film Greyhound from 2020, despite ever-improving technology that allows for computer-generated film production and a budget 319% larger than Das Boot. The sight of all those generated ships is almost painful to look at and almost begs to be placed only in a game. The narrative and scenes are so heavily filled with American bravado.

How does this compare to the film under discussion? We are given a production that, with a well-chosen soundtrack adding tension and drama, holds us in suspense even through small events. Grayish, muted images spread across the screen, enhancing the atmosphere of the moments being experienced. The crew is starving, exhausted, and unlucky; time spent at sea breaks their spirits, and the accompanying thought that the ship could become a floating coffin only deepens this feeling. Meanwhile, a tense atmosphere builds nearby in the cabin, where the captains cannot reach mutual agreement on the actions to take. All this unfolds within the mission to deliver battle supplies to the Soviet Union.

In summary, I must admit that I was quite positively surprised watching this film, despite my earlier doubts. I would even say that if the film had been stretched out a bit longer, presenting real events, it would still be enjoyable to watch.

Piloting boats and being seaman in WW2 was an extremely dangerous job. This film encapsulates entirely how dangerous this job is. To the most extreme horrors of merchant shipping life.

The only annoyance in the movie is the sheer lack of cargo in the hold. It is not accurate and otherwise the movie is great with loads of authentic props and a great storyline.

Acting is superb. It really creates emotion and tensions and you can feel that you are a member of the crew. The camerawork is great. You can almost feel the vibrating engine and the deck shaking in your room.

It's got a little CGI but it is done properly and well. I don't know the budget of this movie but I guess it is not a gret deal. It is done well and executed well. The Director is definitely one-to-watch!

A strong effort!

Watched the movie on bluray (upscaled to 4k), the movie was ok, abit overhyped in Norwegian media, they portray it as the best war movie ever made. The vfx/special effects looks very high quality, there are some scenes that have that fake look from cgi, but most people likely won't see it. The movie should have been longer, the story was cut short at the end of the movie and other scenes. Maybe it was a budget decision, many Norwegian movies always end the movie to early and we don't to see the ending and only get the ending in text. Also wish they would release this movie in 4k bluray, but there's little to none Nordic movies released in 4k format sadly.

If you liked Das Boot, you'll love The Arctic Convoy!

This film was riveting from beginning to end and had me on the edge of my seat.

Casting and performances were first rate, as was the cinematography, and timing.

Based on a true story- 23 out of 35 merchant ships were sunk during Convoy PQ 17!

While he did not take part in any of the WW2 convoys, my father served in the merchant marine in the 1930s sailing through Arctic waters and often told me about the bitter cold and fear of ice.

Combine that with the threat from German planes and U-boats, and the real world voyage must have been very traumatic!

Highly recommended!