Polaris

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.

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.

Overall summary: This movie takes on more the role of a fantasy folk tale than post apocalyptic sci fi. Be warned ahead of time the plot will make no sense whatsoever.

This film consists of excellent cinematography in what was likely one of the most uncomfortably cold film "sets" ever devised: solid snow, all the time. One has to wonder how the actors survived, much less the fictional characters.

The actors do a good job, considering what little "plot" they had to work with. The cinematography was good... but that does not of itself make a good movie.

What this movie completely lacks is any semblance of comprehensible story whatsoever, and throws in a considerable amount of blood and gore as topping. Agreed it is a movie about survival: kill or be killed. But the cause and need for such is completely invalidated by a ton of questions unanswered, and an ending that makes absolutely. No. Sense. Whatsoever. Why trudge through that excessive gore for no purpose or any semblance of resolution?

Non-spoiler questions: How was the girl raised by a polar bear? Where did she get her tailor-made fur clothing? (Is the polar bear a master seamstress?) Why was an old woman supplying diesel fuel out of a barrel in the middle of nowhere... and where did she get it to start with? Why in the world did the old woman... never mind. The list goes on and on.

The main question, which goes completely unanswered, is "What / why / where / whattheblazes is Polaris and how does it figure into all this nonsense?" If you believe you will be able to watch this film and figure out the answer to that question, you will be sorely disappointed.

If you decide to give this one a skip, you may be confident you won't miss anything special. I have a feeling the majority of positive reviews are plants from staff and family. While the main actress and her two friends do an admirable job of portraying their parts, those parts go nowhere.

I have to consider the few 9 and 10 star ratings a sham. This is another one of those, "Let the audience make of it what they will" films. If I wanted to do that, I'd write my own story... and it would be a lot better than the non-existent plot of this film. Whatever the director had in mind, it definitely doesn't come across to the audience.

Polaris is a visually captivating cinematic experience. And the made up language was wow!

Set against the backdrop of the frozen and harsh Canadian Arctic, the film follows the journey of a young warrior girl, who is navigating the realities of life in the war-torn North. The storytelling is poignant, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The cinematography beautifully captures the vast, frozen landscape, enhancing the film's mystical qualities. The performances and supporting cast, are deeply authentic, drawing viewers into the characters' struggles and triumphs. My daughter and I especially loved the opportunity to meet a couple of the actors at the end of the screening.

Carthew skillfully weaves together themes of humanity, our natural environment, self-discovery and survival creating a compelling narrative that resonates on a profound level. Additionally, the film's music, composed by the talented Tanya Tagaq, enhances the overall impact and raw emotion.

Carthew's masterful storytelling makes her a director to watch and this gem is a must-see for anyone seeking a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of humanity and resilience.

The boldness and originality of vision blew me away. This is movie-magic... a fantastical ride that propels the imagination. For me the film's emphasis on empathy (yes, even with the bloodshed) intuition, and connection with Nature, make it standout. I think the filmmaker created an original female centred story world and put characters and story themes on screen that feel wildly relevant and unique. I get the "Mad Max" reference, but it also reminds me of a French film, "The Bear" (1980s) and the Japanese anime "Princess Mononoke". Can't wait to see what this team does next... I'm hoping for a sequel and/or a prequel...