Arctic Blue

Whenever I see this film, I always feel like tucking myself away in bed, wishing the weather outside would be Grey, windy, cold and rainy so as I could feel safe in my home and lazy. I'm not saying 'Arctic Blue' is mediocre - on the contrary.....

This is one of the few films I've seen where I feel completely relaxed. Even with the violence that fills it, this film has such a relaxing, gentle beauty about it - not to mention the exhilarating Alaskan scenery this film showcases.

Peter Masterson, the director, delivers an authentic feeling of isolation and paints a picture of the enormity of the location to the viewer. This is a good base for an original story - In an isolated town in the middle of nowhere, anything can happen....even murder! The atmosphere was built very well and you get a touch of what it would be like living there.

The cinematography was splendid. It constantly gave me the urge to want to be there - still tucked in bed though. The film painted such a brilliant picture of just how far the nearest town could be by utilizing the treacherous yet beautiful landscape.

The music was nothing special, although at times I could say it added well to the wilderness and action scenes well.

I couldn't say much about the story either - also nothing special - although it is original. Nevertheless, it does hold your attention for all duration. The dazzling scenery adds most to the experience though.

Rutger Hauer was an excellent choice for the misunderstood individual - the same role he played masterfully in Blade Runner. His commanding presence always gives films great credibility. Here he plays a sad individual who feels he has nothing to lose and that nature is his home after losing his wife years earlier. It is for this reason he and a band of friends murder rival trappers on a hunting trip without remorse. Dylan walsh plays his role convincingly as an ecologist for an oil company who's responsibility, being the only pilot in town, is to transport Rutger Hauer to the nearest town to be trialled for his crimes.

In general, I found the film quite entertaining - like a 1.5 hour portal to Alaska. And it is so relaxing and beautiful that you forget about its shortcomings and plot holes. It isn't a classic, but in my books, a definitive escapist experience and a must for all the wilderness film fans out there.

Cinematography of the Alaska wilderness is a real plus, and a couple scenes standout, but for the most part "Arctic Blue" is a mess. Rutger Hauer is never going to advance his "B" movie career with these types of roles. Here he is nothing but a cardboard character, almost blending into the snowy landscape. The script is never believable, and there appear to be parts cut out that would have helped connect the dots. The ending seems to be sending some type of ecological message, but it is meaningless with the nonsense that precedes it. The two things that I will remember about "Arctic Blue" are the above summary "grapefruit" quote, and a flying pickax. Other than that the film is very forgettable. - MERK

There are so many holes and incongruities in this movie, I was considering hiring a private investigator to find the plot. One minute the hero and his prisoner (Rutger Hauer) are snowed in with wolves baying, the next minute they are basking in sunshine near a clear, crystal stream. Combine this with bodies being inexplicably hung in trees, shot bad guys suddenly recovering to their joke cracking best, Rutger athletically striding through the snow 5 minutes after being savagely stabbed in the leg and the apparent disinterest of the police in a trail of corpses littering the Arctic landscape and you have the most poorly directed, written and acted pieces of cinematic effluent ever to have polluted my TV set. I know what Elvis would have done to his TV set if he had ever watched this.

One of the finest cinematic pieces I've seen in quite some time. I enjoyed the many scenes involving running and snow. Mr. Hauer is one of the most gifted actors of our time, if not ever. Please rent this one as soon as possible.

Since SOLDAAT van ORANGE where was uncovered by the still unknown Dutch fellow country director Paul Verhoven, the all-around Rutger Hauer went to America to make history, which indeed he really did, although the money spoke louder when he starts making pictures in industrial scale likewise in Artic Blue, a fine storyline on a contrived plot mixing about a couple of scientists Eric (Dylan Wash) and Anne Marie (Rya Kihlstedt) in an ecology area of environmental protection it planning a future oil extraction, when they face a kind of Neanderthals hunters raised in Alaska, the upcoming clash seems unavoidable due such enterprise will reduce the hunting place.

Within such a paradigm, the human life loses its essential value, so this trio-hunters led by Corbett (Rutger Hauer) one of them Lemalle (Johnny Cuthbert) a sort of wacko behavior shot a small group of tourist by hunting there killing at cold blood one of them without mercy making damages at their Pick-up letting there to die by freezing, therefore the veteran local Sheriff Sam (Richard Bradford) is willing arrest the killer, sadly he would be the next victim, thus the newbie scientist Eric takes yourself the assignment to deliver the leader Corbett in another town by plane, aiming for escape Corbett forced the small plane falling down, both survive in the nowhere at snow landscape.

Apart the far-fetched story concerning all those mishaps the movie allowed a valuable character study regarding the inexorable advance technology upon the old homesteaders that refuse these improvements that nothing appends at their lives, it's hardly focused on the offering, instead this the director enforces a matchup and vengeance as the mostly awaited, no so bad!!

Thanks for reading.

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First watch: 1996 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.