Alone Across the Arctic (2019) User Reviews

Some Good Insights: Some Questionable

[westsideschl · 6/10 · 12 November 2020]

Yes, it's a rare person to handle the loneliness and physicality and sacrifice to carry two heavy packs and pull/paddle/pole/portage a canoe over challenging terrain for thousands of miles while battling mosquitoes & large biting flies, and the weather, and the unknown of predators. On the other hand the GoPro camera seldom showed the awesomeness of the journey's beauties; mostly we see close ups of our traveler. But then, too, handling a camera while handling everything else is asking a lot. Would have been interesting to know what percentage of the journey was paddling up; paddling down; paddling flat; poling & sail enhanced. What percentage was portaging between water sources. I have no problem with the plane drop of supplies, but outside of a couple of eating berries I didn't see any serious food gathering. Also, I don't think he should be critical, without knowing why, other travelers left their gear.

Basics? Food and Water?

[JohnFlowBotts · 6/10 · 2 September 2020]

I applaud this person for documenting the journey, but without a brief and early explanation of how he ate, drank or covered himself - for the first couple days. It lost me. I'm sure the journey was awesome but I mostly wanted to know the answers to the first few basic questions, earlier. Thank you!

Low Drama in the High Arctic

[LeonardHaid · 6/10 · 24 August 2023]

Guy paddles and portages across the Arctic as nonchalantly as a walk in the park. Maybe that's a testament to his mettle, but this film is strangely - considering the undertaking and the setting - lacking in drama and grit. Maybe that has to do with Adam's personality being rather bland? Maybe because in order to stay rational, calm, focused, and patient at all times, Adam has to treat what is a magnificent adventure to us simply as a daily grind to himself? Surely SOMETHING must have happened that made him shake his fist at God, make him fear death, make him dig the deepest he's ever dug into his foundation in order to get through some seemingly insurmountable ordeal....but apparently not. Maybe because he was just so prepared, and could rely on the latest technology to navigate so he would never get into trouble? Maybe because he's just a real level-headed guy at all times? Maybe because he just got real lucky as far as no bad things happening, like with the weather, with aggressive animals, or with equipment failure? Overall, considering the subject matter, the task performed, and the incredible setting, the film is strangely low-key, and somewhat flat, like the tundra.

Not the first by a long ways

[tucci-87951 · 3 July 2023]

A well-equipped rich kid claims no one has ever crossed the Arctic by canoe and sets out to be "the first". Of course we can imagine Inuit in bygone centuries have done it, and we know the Hudson's Bay Co. Set up shop in 1670; the Voyageurs routinely made the voyage from Great Slave Lake to Hudson's Bay during the fur trade back in the 17th and 18th centuries. Shoalts ignores all that history, and doesn't even mention the most intrepid, or insane, Canadian paddler, Don Starkell, who crossed the Arctic solo via Hudson's Bay westward to Tuktoyaktuk, across the Arctic Ocean in a kayak, without any air-drops or fancy tech, just maps and a compass, maybe a sextant, and a good watch. Starkell's books, "Paddle to the Arctic" and its predecessor, "Paddle to the Amazon", about his 12,000 mile canoe journey from Winnipeg to the Amazon River, are the definitive canoe adventures, and Starkell is a Canadian paddling legend. For Shoalts to completely ignore all that underlines what is wrong with this documentary. Aside from all that missing context, it could also do with a lot more nature footage and less of the in-tent monologues about his big toe. He can't pronounce "musk ox" correctly, always saying "muks ox" or "muks oxen" when there's just one. And here's a burning question: how do you paddle that pristine wilderness and not even try to catch a fish, not even once? Could have supplemented his diet of freeze dried meals with fresh protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. The biggest blunder for me is that this 'expert paddler' seems to not even know that a canoe is made to travel in either direction; that is, either end can serve as the bow. When solo paddling you would use the 'back' end as the bow because the seat is closer to the centre and you won't have that problem of the front end riding too high. Basic canoe skill that is totally lost on this city boy. Also, gondolas in Venice do not 'pole' to move through the canals, they have a large single oar over the stern and the gondolier paddles the boat. Any informed paddler can tell you this, or even someone who has seen a photo or video of a gondola in action. I agree with other commenters saying this would have been better as a YT series; as nature doc, it fails simply by the lack of nature footage; as adventure doc it merely shows a well-heeled rich kid with air-dropped supplies and loads of tech, encountering not much difficulty and achieving his goal. But to be clear, he was never "first".

Desolate 😯

[Ckn48 · 6/10 · 24 October 2021]

OK kudos to the guy for doing it.

I could no longer compete.

I did feel unaided should mean unaided and not include a food drop half way through Or it should state, except for food drops, unaided.

Using tree sap as water proof glue is fun Advice that Horse Flys & Mossies get in no mater how careful you are.

And pine needle tea is full of vitamin C

There is no Plot The sound is ok The Photography is ok The Presenter is ok

Its worth a watch 👍

Amazing Scenery

[jvmuyen · 10/10 · 18 May 2020]

The scenery is breath taking! The book is a must read. Adam elaborates on his stories more in depth. But I did not grasp just how harrowing a journey this was until I watched the movie. Adam is one crazy guy to do this alone

One man's grand adventure

[jim-man · 6/10 · 24 January 2021]

A young man has his grand adventure. Driving north from Dawson City (Yukon) with a film crew, he starts walking at the Arctic Circle. Arriving at a river, he boards his canoe and off he goes .

Meeting the bugs, biters and wildlife of the region. He traverses lakes, marshes and white water, like the Inuit. At Day 57, he is resupplied by float plane at Coppermine River, Nunavut. After 100+ days, he arrived at bustling Baker Lake in southern Nunavut.

Interesting enough. But, we don't get to see much of the landscape. No panoramas because he's travelling at water level. It is an arduous and dangerous journey, exposed all the way to the elements.

It would have helped if he had provided a detailed map of his route, with the highlights.

A Beautiful Melancholy

[LeanneBarker · 10/10 · 4 May 2020]

A beautiful melancholy of the stubborn perseverance when you challenge yourself to meet up to your own personal standards and let everybody watch the raw emotions of you completing your goal. WOW. I felt like I was in the moments with him, when he'd discover the unexpected barriers of days or marsh crossings, canyons, rocks... ice forever... and the will to persevere, despite knowing you're not really doing it for any other reason than to just complete it, because you've come this far- but it's hell... it's been hell, and everyone is behind you, whatever you decide- but they expect you to surrender- because you know it's been HELL, but you just keep going forward - eventually asking yourself, WHY? Why go on. Is this worth it?

Great Solo Adventure

[arcticfirefighter · 10/10 · 2 September 2020]

This documentary on a solo adventure across the Canadian arctic was amazing. From the scenery, to the commentary, to the adversity, to the perseverance, it was great from start to finish.

Super Fun

[AndrewBudziak · 10/10 · 12 August 2020]

This was a blast to watch. Beautiful images and sound. Story is fantastic. Just a lot of fun to sit back and enjoy.

Should have been a YouTube vlog

[ginoconte28-227-9682 · 3/10 · 24 January 2021]

Somehow this just came across and very uninteresting.

There isn't much to get the viewer invested.

Should have been a YouTube series.

Terrible - amateur filmmaking

[thirtyars · 6 February 2022]

What a waste of a good subject. This is what happens when amateur filmmakers grab cameras and just shoot whatever they see. Just terrible quality - looks like a youtube video from 2003 - if that!