AGAINST THE ICE

Iceland/Denmark, 2022, 184 minutes, Colour.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Joe Cole, Charles Dance, Sam Redford, Ed Speelers.

Directed by Peter Flinth.

Audiences who value true stories about courageous expeditions will enjoy this film. It takes its place with films and documentaries about the Arctic and Antarctic expeditions of the late 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th century. One thinks of explorers like Amundson, Shackleton, Scott. Given the hardships of the seasons, ice and snow, isolation, they are extraordinary stories.

This film is set in 1910, an initial expedition in the Arctic querying the claim by the US, Robert period, that there was water separating Greenland from other Arctic islands. The initial pioneers discover the truth, left information in it can, but died. And you expedition was undertaken by Ejnar Mikkelson who wanted to complete the search, found the dead explorers, and their information in the rock can. It was a dangerous expedition and nobody wanted to volunteer except the young mechanic, Iver Iversen, played by Joe Cole. The film, cowritten by its star, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Mikkelson, shows the passing of time, the number of days over a period of three years.

The scenery, from Greenland and Iceland, is magnificent in its snow and ice skates. The film details the dangers of the expedition, the sleds, accidents, the dogs, having to kill the dogs, the dog meat, an encounter with a polar bear, the weather… Mikkelson finds the can and the message, completes the trip, makes his own report, but leaves it in a can and has to go back to retrieve it.

There are some scenes with Danish politicians, led by a very arrogant-style Charles Dance. Unwillingness to finance an expedition to find the explorers, the posting of a reward, the final discovery of the men after a three-year absence. And there are acclaimed as heroes.

The film is based on a book by Mikkelson himself. With the final credits there are photos of the men, photos of ice camps. The film record of an important Danish expedition.

1. A true story? Polar exploration at the beginning of the 20^th century? Arctic, Antarctic? Difficult expeditions? Doomed expeditions? Political implications?
2. The period, the settings in Copenhagen, official offices, meetings? The contrast with the vast Arctic ice escapes, mountains, lakes, frozen? The film immersing the audience in the Arctic? The musical score? And the opera and popular songs on phonographs of the time?
3. Expeditions in Greenland, Denmark and the ownership of Greenland, period and the US expedition, claiming part of Greenland? This expedition proving Greenland was a total country, under Denmark? The first expedition, lost, discovering the Can, the information? The deaths of the pioneers?
4. The new expedition, Ejnar Mikkelsen, Captain, the ship, modern advances, the discussions about the Titanic (and, after three years, discovering that it had sunk)? A stern man, the harshness of the expedition, the lieutenant and his journey, frozen toes, cutting them? Mickelson and his wanting to go to search for the missing pioneers, no one volunteering, Iver and his background as a mechanic, no experience in the Arctic?
5. The bulk of the film is the journey, the numbering of the days, over a three-year period? The captain and his experience, either and his learning? Age difference? The sleds, the travel, clothes, food, the maps, compass? The difficulties, storms and whether, the attack of the bear, overwhelming Mickelson, into the ice and water, either calling him out? The shooting of the bear? The finding of the cairn, the information? Continuing on, reaching the destination, the discovery of the geography, no sea passage?
6. The return journey, hardships, the dogs, shooting the dogs, the dog meat, sickness? On foot? Leaving the key in? Walking, arriving, discovering the expedition had departed? The huts, the supplies, free year? Settling in, the food, the gramophone?
7. The hallucinations, the photo of the women, Mikkelsen and his imagination, increasing, the conversations with her? Either and his seeing his grandfather, premonition of death? The struggles, piercing the boil on Mickelson’s neck, mental condition, the struggle, the fight?
8. The scenes with the Danish politicians, the plea for an expedition, being turned down? The suggestion of a reward? The ultimate expedition, the two men and confronting the expedition with guns? The return?
9. Copenhagen, heroes, haircut and shave, new clothes, the ceremony, the political speech of the politician, heroes?
10. The film based on the book by Mickelson himself, the photos, the friendship between the two men?