"Against The Ice" is a movie that explains why Greenland belongs to Denmark and part of it was contested by the Americans. This is the plot and storyline, very simple. Ejnar (played by Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Iver (played by Joe Cole) were real people who embarked on a grim expedition in 1909 to follow up on a previous Danish expedition in 1907. The movie is slow paced but thanks to the cinematography it did not bother me at al. Don´t look forward to great dialogues because the most sound you will hear, will come from the wind howling. The acting performances from Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Joe Cole were very convincing as opposed to the unconvincing CGI polar bears. If you´re a history buff or nature fan, you will definitely like this movie.
156 Reviews
Ignore the children leaving reviews
jeff-20514 March 2022
I actually gasped out loud several times
trinaboice4 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
IN A NUTSHELL:
The movie is based on the true story of Demark's 1909 polar expedition when two men must fight the dangerous landscape and weather of Greenland to find information about a lost map. The film is based on the book "Two Against The Ice" by Ejnar Mikkelsen.
THINGS I LIKED: Game of Thrones fans will love seeing the famous father/son team from that series with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Charles Dance together. Nikolaj co-wrote the film as part of a passion project. Fun fact: his wife is from Greenland!
Joe Cole was excellent too. I love how we slowly get to watch his character reveal traits of loyal follower to hopeful leader.
I gasped quite a few times because I was so worried about the men and their dogs.
Great makeup team! The two main actors looked frozen during most of the film and genuinely beaten up by their ongoing journey and battle against the elements.
Gorgeous cinematography. It couldn't have been easy to film the scenes in such harsh, dangerous conditions. Greenland could definitely be called one of the characters of the movie.
Part of the movie was also filmed in Iceland. I had the great pleasure of going to Iceland for the first time just a few months ago. It really is an incredible country and I finally got to see the famous Aurora Borealis, something that had been on my Bucket List for a long time! I also got to go snowmobiling on a glacier! This is the first Netflix film from Iceland.
You'll feel cold, horrified, and hopeless while being immersed among the vastness of ice and rock.
The expressions on the sled dogs' faces are impressively revealing and endearing.
The conversations during their time in the hut were interesting, entertaining, and heartbreaking. No spoilers!
I don't want to give any spoilers, but there's a polar bear scene that is crazy good. What a sequence!
There are title cards that give you time stamps so you understand how much time has passed and you appreciate the dire situations.
There is some interesting political commentary about the United States and Denmark in terms of conquering attitudes at the time.
Keep watching during the rolling credits to see photos of the real people this movie was based on. When you see the pictures, you'll be even more impressed with how well the film portrayed true events.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Dog lovers will be very sad.
It would have been nice to see a few more bonding moments between the two main characters as their relationship evolved over three years.
It's a bit slow-moving. When I thought it was almost over, I looked to see that I had only watched the first hour.
Some viewers might complain that the Danish men should have spoken in their native tongue, rather than in English with a British accent.
I've heard people complain that some of the decisions made were entirely stupid. It's not bad scriptwriting but a powerful illustration of the dive into insanity due to overwhelming hunger and despair.
TIPS FOR PARENTS: Some profanity, including F-bombs Talk of intimate relations Violence with blood People in perilous situations Animals die.
THEMES: Hope Discovery Nature Survival When in doubt, leave a note!
Determination Purpose & mission Emotional strength Hallucinations Regret Leadership
l.
THINGS I LIKED: Game of Thrones fans will love seeing the famous father/son team from that series with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Charles Dance together. Nikolaj co-wrote the film as part of a passion project. Fun fact: his wife is from Greenland!
Joe Cole was excellent too. I love how we slowly get to watch his character reveal traits of loyal follower to hopeful leader.
I gasped quite a few times because I was so worried about the men and their dogs.
Great makeup team! The two main actors looked frozen during most of the film and genuinely beaten up by their ongoing journey and battle against the elements.
Gorgeous cinematography. It couldn't have been easy to film the scenes in such harsh, dangerous conditions. Greenland could definitely be called one of the characters of the movie.
Part of the movie was also filmed in Iceland. I had the great pleasure of going to Iceland for the first time just a few months ago. It really is an incredible country and I finally got to see the famous Aurora Borealis, something that had been on my Bucket List for a long time! I also got to go snowmobiling on a glacier! This is the first Netflix film from Iceland.
You'll feel cold, horrified, and hopeless while being immersed among the vastness of ice and rock.
The expressions on the sled dogs' faces are impressively revealing and endearing.
The conversations during their time in the hut were interesting, entertaining, and heartbreaking. No spoilers!
I don't want to give any spoilers, but there's a polar bear scene that is crazy good. What a sequence!
There are title cards that give you time stamps so you understand how much time has passed and you appreciate the dire situations.
There is some interesting political commentary about the United States and Denmark in terms of conquering attitudes at the time.
Keep watching during the rolling credits to see photos of the real people this movie was based on. When you see the pictures, you'll be even more impressed with how well the film portrayed true events.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Dog lovers will be very sad.
It would have been nice to see a few more bonding moments between the two main characters as their relationship evolved over three years.
It's a bit slow-moving. When I thought it was almost over, I looked to see that I had only watched the first hour.
Some viewers might complain that the Danish men should have spoken in their native tongue, rather than in English with a British accent.
I've heard people complain that some of the decisions made were entirely stupid. It's not bad scriptwriting but a powerful illustration of the dive into insanity due to overwhelming hunger and despair.
TIPS FOR PARENTS: Some profanity, including F-bombs Talk of intimate relations Violence with blood People in perilous situations Animals die.
THEMES: Hope Discovery Nature Survival When in doubt, leave a note!
Determination Purpose & mission Emotional strength Hallucinations Regret Leadership
l.
Amazing work Nikolaj.
yusufpiskin5 March 2022
Directed by Peter Flinth, the movie is like a Jack London novel set in 1910.
Dogs, polar travel, nature and people.
Although Peter Flinth has many films, this one is a masterpiece.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Joe Derrick both starred and wrote the script.
Charles Dance is the surprise name of the movie.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau deserves all my respect.
Visual and sound engineering is very good.
The movie is a very good choice, especially for those who like Jack London-style novels.
Dogs, polar travel, nature and people.
Although Peter Flinth has many films, this one is a masterpiece.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Joe Derrick both starred and wrote the script.
Charles Dance is the surprise name of the movie.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau deserves all my respect.
Visual and sound engineering is very good.
The movie is a very good choice, especially for those who like Jack London-style novels.
Worth Watching
devonaa-057416 March 2022
I'm usually fairly stingy when giving my star ratings, so my 7 star rating here is meant as a high rating when coming from me. I felt the events were mostly realistically portrayed which I appreciated since it's based on a true story. I think Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has a characteristic of likability that makes you root for him even if the characters he plays might normally be hard to side with (similar to Bryan Cranston), and that's helpful in this case. If you like exploration and survival stories this is definitely worth watching.
Solid
Leofwine_draca5 March 2022
A solid icy wilderness adventure film, based on a true story about a Danish expedition to discover the extent of Greenland. It's not quite up there with Mads Mikkelsen's ARCTIC but it's nonetheless an enduring and very well made production, with a good eye for detail throughout and fine performances from the two leads.
Engaging From Start to End
albertval-6956016 March 2022
Engaging story that hooks the viewer from the start. This adventure movie doesn't disappoint mainly because it takes place in one of the most forbidding places imaginable.
It's a triumph of the human spirit; a tribute to man's audacity, tenacity and raw courage. Capt. Ejnar Mikkelsen and Ivar Iverson achieved the impossible their sanity intact despite the danger, hunger and extreme cold for more than 2 years and 4 months. They are true heroes, and the impact of Mikkelsen's exploits is far-reaching to Denmark. It debunked foreign claims to parts of Greenland.
Nicolas Coster-Waldau and Joe Cole portray their roles admirably. No fancy acting but believably honest depiction of their plight in the icy wilderness.
It's a triumph of the human spirit; a tribute to man's audacity, tenacity and raw courage. Capt. Ejnar Mikkelsen and Ivar Iverson achieved the impossible their sanity intact despite the danger, hunger and extreme cold for more than 2 years and 4 months. They are true heroes, and the impact of Mikkelsen's exploits is far-reaching to Denmark. It debunked foreign claims to parts of Greenland.
Nicolas Coster-Waldau and Joe Cole portray their roles admirably. No fancy acting but believably honest depiction of their plight in the icy wilderness.
great movie
trapp_332 March 2022
Good survival movie, and knowing it was based on a true story made it even better; the motion picture and cinematography are fantastic and realistic; the story and plot are very good; when they show you the days and dates it helps you understand the suffering; however, I didn't believe it all the time; but even so, it's fine; the acting is amazing and pleasant; Nikolaj Coster and Joe Cole has done it very well. After all, it's a beautiful film that's well worth seeing.
Amazing story
bsconsulting2 March 2022
Worth watching to see the limits of human endurance in another era before GPS, mobile phones, modern equipment. It must have been the 1910 equivalent of a trip into outer space . Absorbing film that captured the extreme length of the expedition and what must have been huge monotony without actually being boring.
All the pieces are there, but needed better editing.
Luv2Spooge3 March 2022
The story is quite compelling and the scenes are sufficient. There are moments of excitement and also moments of where the audience shared their waiting in insanity. However, there are just too much unnecessary fluff that dragged the runtime. There is no reason this needed to be 1 hour 40 mins. I think a good 20 mins could've been trimmed off and made it leaner and pacing better. Literally towards the 1 hr 20 min mark I was like, hurry up already.
Experience it ... dont expect it to be super heroes film
channelnoise4 March 2022
I cant believe why the ratings are so low? It deserves a good 7 or 8 for the brilliant cinematography!! For those who love classics like Dances with the wolves and other 90s, this is the film for them. Slow ... natural and lost in nature! Its the kind of film that doesnt need any action, its all there !!! The ratings cannot be trusted. It seems like people expected spiderman to jump in these landscapes!!! Watch it with no bias and you d love it!!!
Great Story, Alright Movie
Slarkshark4 March 2022
Incredible story, but I think I would die of absolute boredom. That is a long time to be stuck on a desolate frozen piece of land.
As for how that story was portrayed on film. Very much so-so. They still did it justice and all, but it honestly just seemed void of any real tension. The cinematography is pretty decent, but asides from that there's nothing that really stands out.
If you enjoy survival movies, or the arctic like I do than it's alright, but if you don't it's sure to be a bore.
'Arctic' with Mads Mikkelsen was better.
As for how that story was portrayed on film. Very much so-so. They still did it justice and all, but it honestly just seemed void of any real tension. The cinematography is pretty decent, but asides from that there's nothing that really stands out.
If you enjoy survival movies, or the arctic like I do than it's alright, but if you don't it's sure to be a bore.
'Arctic' with Mads Mikkelsen was better.
Contrived
douglasmcbroom3 March 2022
This film is not terrible, but far from great. A contrived screenplay that ticks the boxes of possible dangers that lurk. The acting is OK. The pace is slow.
Very tired of Netflix paid reviewers and influencers flooding all Netflix films with 9 and 10 fake reviews.
Very tired of Netflix paid reviewers and influencers flooding all Netflix films with 9 and 10 fake reviews.
Character driven adventure
jonnybrutal-350-255268 March 2022
This is a solid movie which documents the incredible hardships endured by the early 20th century explorers. By its very nature this is not going to be a fast film. It's pace is languid and considered and vividly captures, through some very believable performances and some great photography the atmosphere and near descent into madness and desperation.
Heartwarming
enislaqi7 March 2022
The movie is great i quite like it, but i would like some more dialogue between them to fill up the empty waiting time and i would like like 5 minutes of them having great time after they were rescued to fill up the sad and tragic feeling.
watch it alone...
bluetzin9 August 2022
Deffinetly not recommended for a movie night at Saturday with friends and junk food.. It's painfully slow and the action you are waiting for, almost missing... But i can't deny the fact that acting is good, the landscapes stunning and too much emotional about human feelings and instincts and what we are capable to do to survive.. those two men are willing to do what needs to be done to finish their mision! I always like the 'based on true events' movies and i liked this too.. it's just more drama than adventure to me,..
Absolutely Beautiful
koltonbrett4 March 2022
Well done Netflix. As an adventure movie enthusiast, I have nothing but praise for this one. Streaming service original movies tend to be and look low budget, but that's not the case with this one. This movie looks and feels big. Not only is it one of the best streaming service original movies I've seen, it's one of the best survival movies. The landscape and cinematography give us so much beauty to look at. The score is beautiful and sad and captures so much the emotions of this situation. The acting could not have been any better. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau deserves an award for his performance. There aren't a lot of movies that I would describe as beautiful and moving, but those words sum up my feelings after watching this epic tale of survival. Based on a true story, it's amazing that these men were able to endure the isolation, loneliness and physical challenges of being stranded in such a frozen and barren place for so long. This movie is done so well I felt like I was transported back in time and witnessing this real life event in real time.
An HONEST review
nmalik-9975930 May 2023
Against the Ice left me with mixed impressions. While it had its merits, the overall execution didn't quite live up to my expectations.
The film sets out with an intriguing premise, immersing us in a harrowing tale of survival in icy landscapes. The cinematography beautifully captures the harsh beauty of the Arctic setting, showcasing the vastness and desolation effectively. The lead actors deliver commendable performances, conveying the physical and emotional challenges faced by their characters.
While the film effectively creates a sense of isolation and peril, I felt that some aspects of the plot remained underexplored or lacked the necessary depth. The pacing also seemed a bit uneven, with certain moments dragging on while others warranted more attention. The film's attention to historical accuracy and period details is commendable, adding an authentic touch to the overall experience. The production design and costumes transport you back in time, enhancing the immersion into the early 20th-century Arctic expedition.
While Against the Ice had its moments of tension and showcased the unforgiving nature of the environment, it fell short of delivering a truly gripping and immersive cinematic experience. However, I appreciate its attempt to shed light on a lesser-known historical event and the determination of those involved.
In conclusion, would I watch it a second time? No. Would I recommend you to watch it for the first time? Yes.
The film sets out with an intriguing premise, immersing us in a harrowing tale of survival in icy landscapes. The cinematography beautifully captures the harsh beauty of the Arctic setting, showcasing the vastness and desolation effectively. The lead actors deliver commendable performances, conveying the physical and emotional challenges faced by their characters.
While the film effectively creates a sense of isolation and peril, I felt that some aspects of the plot remained underexplored or lacked the necessary depth. The pacing also seemed a bit uneven, with certain moments dragging on while others warranted more attention. The film's attention to historical accuracy and period details is commendable, adding an authentic touch to the overall experience. The production design and costumes transport you back in time, enhancing the immersion into the early 20th-century Arctic expedition.
While Against the Ice had its moments of tension and showcased the unforgiving nature of the environment, it fell short of delivering a truly gripping and immersive cinematic experience. However, I appreciate its attempt to shed light on a lesser-known historical event and the determination of those involved.
In conclusion, would I watch it a second time? No. Would I recommend you to watch it for the first time? Yes.
A cold Danish explorer drama and a tepid docudrama from Netflix.
JohnDeSando3 March 2022
In 1909, two Danish explorers are left behind in frozen Greenland. Based on a true story, director Peter Flinth's Against the Ice has all the beats we've come to expect from docudrama adventures including marauding polar bears and loves left behind. It doesn't have a compelling presentation, however, for if the purpose is to show us how tedious waiting for rescue can be, it is successful.
In fact, the polar bears are the best thing about it, and they hang around not enough. Their two sequences do not make the film memorable (not in the way the bear in Revenant occupies a chunk of the film and its tension). While you get a sense of their enormous size, you also realize their hunger in this barren land is similar to the human's survival instincts. Nobody wins in this lonely place.
The best suspense is wondering how fuel for the burner and the food supply could last for the over three years they await rescue. Dream sequences about lovely ladies are not enough to give the film the romantic boost it needs.
The landscape is just as forbidding as you would expect, and the acting low-key method-like. Einar Mikkelsen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), the captain of the operation, is determined to show that his predecessor found no strait to make that patch of land an island, foreclosing the US's interest in claiming it.
Iver Iversen (Joe Cole) is the greenhorn mechanic who volunteered for the two-man rescue and recon. Neither man is loquacious, so the boredom of their time together is accentuated by no heavy lifting in the script.
Greenland is starkly beautiful, and the story is spare. Netflix owns the property.
In fact, the polar bears are the best thing about it, and they hang around not enough. Their two sequences do not make the film memorable (not in the way the bear in Revenant occupies a chunk of the film and its tension). While you get a sense of their enormous size, you also realize their hunger in this barren land is similar to the human's survival instincts. Nobody wins in this lonely place.
The best suspense is wondering how fuel for the burner and the food supply could last for the over three years they await rescue. Dream sequences about lovely ladies are not enough to give the film the romantic boost it needs.
The landscape is just as forbidding as you would expect, and the acting low-key method-like. Einar Mikkelsen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), the captain of the operation, is determined to show that his predecessor found no strait to make that patch of land an island, foreclosing the US's interest in claiming it.
Iver Iversen (Joe Cole) is the greenhorn mechanic who volunteered for the two-man rescue and recon. Neither man is loquacious, so the boredom of their time together is accentuated by no heavy lifting in the script.
Greenland is starkly beautiful, and the story is spare. Netflix owns the property.
The problem with movies based on true events
bobbyem-13 March 2022
So I love me a good old survival movie. Movies like The Edge, Arctic, Castaway and so on.
Movies not just focusing on the survival aspect but also manage to deliver an emotional and interesting story about people getting thru bad situations.
Against the Ice might be the perfect film for any history buff out there wanting a nice retelling of this actual story that took place, but as is the case with many of these historical movies is that fiction is sometimes more interesting than fact.
Not to say that some of the events of this movie aren't exciting or emotional, but for a movie this long I felt pretty bored much of the time. The film didn't really explore anything new and I mostly wished I was watching The Terror season one instead.
I think the acting was decent and the production value was pretty high. I really wished for more meat on this bone but as it stands it was a pretty unsatisfying experience.
Movies not just focusing on the survival aspect but also manage to deliver an emotional and interesting story about people getting thru bad situations.
Against the Ice might be the perfect film for any history buff out there wanting a nice retelling of this actual story that took place, but as is the case with many of these historical movies is that fiction is sometimes more interesting than fact.
Not to say that some of the events of this movie aren't exciting or emotional, but for a movie this long I felt pretty bored much of the time. The film didn't really explore anything new and I mostly wished I was watching The Terror season one instead.
I think the acting was decent and the production value was pretty high. I really wished for more meat on this bone but as it stands it was a pretty unsatisfying experience.
Cold outside
kosmasp6 March 2022
Life can be easy - sometimes we can make it way more complicated that it needs to be. Even life threatening to at least some degree. Having said that, you still have to feel and root for the main characters for this to work. Giving them some flavor and some backstory always works its charm.
Having said that, the movie is an ordeal and not easy to watch. But it is not supposed to be. The question is, what would you do? This may not go to certain extremes (it is not that kind of movie), but the drama and the struggle are still real. I reckon this is based on a real story and real people, I cannot confirm how much of it really happened or was heightened for the movie. That always happens of course.
Performance wise this is quite something ... and if you invest yourself into the characters it is quite the nail biter ... no pun intended. Watch at your own peril and sweat or freeze with our "heroes" here ...
Having said that, the movie is an ordeal and not easy to watch. But it is not supposed to be. The question is, what would you do? This may not go to certain extremes (it is not that kind of movie), but the drama and the struggle are still real. I reckon this is based on a real story and real people, I cannot confirm how much of it really happened or was heightened for the movie. That always happens of course.
Performance wise this is quite something ... and if you invest yourself into the characters it is quite the nail biter ... no pun intended. Watch at your own peril and sweat or freeze with our "heroes" here ...
Going to this movie blind, with no expectations, and maybe be like me - pleased enough, having learned a few things and had a pretty good time
riskybiznuiss4 March 2022
This movie is pretty good. It's a slow burn, pretty chillfor a movie about guys being trapped in such a dire situation. I enjoyed it enough, I feel like it was a movie worth telling.
Some strong Stick it to those dirty imperialists to the South type sentiments if you get my drift, so it had me there. Give it a chance.
Some strong Stick it to those dirty imperialists to the South type sentiments if you get my drift, so it had me there. Give it a chance.
Hard going
radhrh3 March 2022
The ensemble scenes are quite entertaining but unfortunately 85% of the movie is just the two leads who frankly lack the acting chops or chemistry to pull this off. You'd think men spending that amount of time together and to have been through so much would have bonded at least a little bit but no such relationship is on display here.
It's hard going, I hit pause to get a beer and was surprised I was only 30 minutes in. I thought at least an hour had passed since the beginning.
Charles Dance is only in 3 scenes, all short so don't be expecting to see much from him. I can't remember the last leading role he played. Directors seem to call him in to do a cough and a spit to add gravity to the production.
It's hard going, I hit pause to get a beer and was surprised I was only 30 minutes in. I thought at least an hour had passed since the beginning.
Charles Dance is only in 3 scenes, all short so don't be expecting to see much from him. I can't remember the last leading role he played. Directors seem to call him in to do a cough and a spit to add gravity to the production.
I don't get the negative reviews
samukaresma28 March 2022
I don't know what the other reviewers were expecting, an action flick with explosions? Of course a survival movie like this is going to be slow and sometimes a bit hard to watch. Isn't that kind of the point of these kind of movies?
Sure it was not the best, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The first half of the movie had a couple boring scenes, but it gets better towards the end when the pacing picks up. True, maybe the passing of time wasn't very visible from the characters (like for the whole movie their beard and hair was barely growing). But the characters were well made, they felt authentic and relatable, also the acting was good. Especially at the end I loved Nikolaj's small micro expressions almost akin to what Brian Cranston can do. I love to see these Game of Thrones actors shine outside GoT.
Also, why do they speak English? Half of the cast were Nordic people if not Danish themselves. Why not speak Danish? Anyway, I think it's a solid watch for people who like slow and suspenseful and/or survival movies.
Sure it was not the best, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The first half of the movie had a couple boring scenes, but it gets better towards the end when the pacing picks up. True, maybe the passing of time wasn't very visible from the characters (like for the whole movie their beard and hair was barely growing). But the characters were well made, they felt authentic and relatable, also the acting was good. Especially at the end I loved Nikolaj's small micro expressions almost akin to what Brian Cranston can do. I love to see these Game of Thrones actors shine outside GoT.
Also, why do they speak English? Half of the cast were Nordic people if not Danish themselves. Why not speak Danish? Anyway, I think it's a solid watch for people who like slow and suspenseful and/or survival movies.
See also
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