De La Salle University- Dasmariñas

College of Liberal Arts and Communication

Social Sciences Department

A Reaction Paper on the film entitled: Arctic

Submitted by:
Aure, Christina C.
Dela Peña, Maira C.
Espiritu, Angelika Gabrielle A.
Perez, Kyra Yvette C.
PSC41/PSC42

Submitted to:
Dr. Jose Aims Rocina
I. Plot

The movie entitled “Arctic” started with an individual stranded in a place somewhere in
Arctic. His name was Overgard. He was trying to save himself while waiting for a rescue. His
daily routine entails checking fishing lines for food, mapping his surroundings and running a
distress encouragement with a motor. One day, some of his fish are stolen by an unseen animal,
assumed to be a polar bear. After constantly waiting for help, he was able to find a possible
rescuer when he saw a helicopter however, there comes a strong wind and snow that caused the
helicopter to crash. The pilot of the helicopter died while the passenger who was a young woman
is severely injured. Overgard helped her to get out of the helicopter. His help for the woman started
his struggle to keep himself and the woman safe.

He returned to the helicopter where he saw some food, medical equipment, a map, and a
sled. After reviewing the map, he located a building that appears to be a few days away and
decides to walk there. He ensured that the injured woman is safe as he put her to the sled and
begins the trek. While still nursing to the woman, he marks a box which contains a faded
identification card. Seemingly, he has attempted the trip before, but turned back due to
indescribable difficulties. He continued the journey, but soon finds an unmapped rock wall.
Regardless of numerous efforts, he cannot scale it while pulling the dying woman. He must
change their route, now seeming to be around three days longer through the upwind side of a
large mountain.

They settled in a small cave, where a polar bear locates them. Fortunately, Overgard
managed to scare the bear away with one of his two distress flares. The next day after more
travel, the woman's condition worsens. Believing she will not make it, he abandons her. Shortly
after, he falls in a large fracture, trapping his leg under a rock. He further injures his leg getting it
free and manages to get out of the crevasse, returning to get the woman who is still alive.

After further travel, he saw a helicopter from afar. He aggressively lights his remaining
flare but does not attract the attention of the helicopter crew. He also desperately sets his overcoat
on fire and waves it, but still they seemed to be unnoticed. The helicopter flies away and Overgård,
feels hopeless laid down next to the woman, takes her hand and accepts their fate. In a few
moments, a glimpse of the helicopter can be seen as it lands behind them.
II. Relevance to Subject

Considering the geographic location of the Arctic region, it evidently depicts a place close
to isolation. Subsistence requires a set of competent survival skills for a human to live as there is
a lack of safe and accessible routes--just as the film posited. If taken in an economic and political
lens, this continuously cause various difficulties to several neighboring states or regions because
even if there is an availability of undiscovered resources proliferating within the area, it demands
a strenuous process to be able to reached. The cost of exploration arises possible inefficiency to
the supply and demand in the world market due to the removal of the possibility of shipping
prospects. There is no comprehensive and accurate map in order to locate the safe passages
and source of resources within the area both fictionally and realistically. Humans’ life is truly at
stake.

The hardships of the artists within the film can be taken as the people in international
arena, confronting the everyday challenges of the Arctic regions. The daily condition of Arctic
drives away its economic potential. Foreign investments are unconstrained as the development
and modernization efforts i.e., infrastructures and other technological advancements are few or
almost non-existent due to its classification as polar region. The labor sector and the human
activities are clearly unable to withstand the calamities, which is why it draws a line to the fact that
its population is relatively low.

With all these factors being considered, there should be a strong yet consolidated initiative
for several states most especially its neighboring ones to be able to open the opportunities in the
region. The only problem, however, is its ownership which can produce certain tensions or cold
war, or in a worst situation--war. Overall, the movie truly depicted how distressing it is to find
oneself in a remote and challenging place.

III. Lessons/Comments

The lesson of the movie is that the government should a lot a large amount of budget for
transportation in Arctic, especially those places that cannot reach by any transportation. The
government of any country should be more knowledgeable on what the people needs. For
example, In the Philippines, there are provinces that cannot reach by any means of transportation.
Those children who will go to school, they need to walk more than 3 to 4 hours to go to school
and they also need to cross some river so that they can go to their destination. With that,
government should be more aware on how they will solve this kind of problem so that it will not
be difficult to the people to travel to other province.

The movie teaches the viewers on how to survive when a person stranded in the Arctic. It
gives the people ideas that can help them to surpass the difficulties on surviving in Arctic. In
addition, it teaches the viewers to help someone who in need of help. Overgård helped the young
woman without hesitation. He did not think on how he can survive but he thinks on how he and
the young woman will survive in the Arctic. He did not let the young woman alone in that place.
He did everything that he could do so that he can help the wounded young woman. In the movie,
Overgård find ways so that he can carry the young woman. He changed the route so that he can
carry the woman even though he knew that it will add three days on their travel time.

Lastly, it teaches the viewers to never give up. Even though you have a reason to give up
people should think of the reasons why they should not give up on surviving. Overgård was a
believable as a person capable of surviving under difficult conditions. When you about to give up
on life, people should think those people in the Arctic who barely survive. The ending of the movie
was when Overgård the helicopter flies away, and he lies down next to the woman, takes her
hand and accepts their fate. Moments later a glimpse of the helicopter can be seen as it lands
behind them.

As for the comments, even though Mads Mikkelsen did not have that much dialogue he
did a good job on portraying his character as Overgård. The movie was a testament to the
determination of surviving against all odds. However, we felt that the ending was a bit annoying
because first the helicopter showing up just at the very end made no sense, given they could have
signaled or they would have flown towards them. Second, the people in the helicopter would have
clearly heard or seen them from their position, especially with flare and fire and not to mention
the echo of the sound. Nevertheless, the overall survival movie was great especially Mads
Mikkelsen.
IV. Conclusion

The movie centers on the survival of one man in the harshest conditions of nature. The
conflict is mainly focus on surviving in the midst of the cruelty of the nature. In the movie, there
was a search and rescue helicopter that arrived to pick him up, however, it failed to do so due to
the snowstorm. The movie showed that it is difficult to provide a rescue teams using chopper due
to the extreme arctic climate. Strong storms cause difficulties to travel and living in the arctic can
be challenging. In order to have a success and fast rescue operation, there should be an easy
access to transportation. Also, the means of transportation is important especially in arctic where
the climate makes the region a forbidden place to travel. It is evident in the movie that investing
and improving the means of transportation is very important especially in the arctic region.
Furthermore, amidst of the extreme climate in arctic region, it requires a high-risk effort and
commitment to survive and save people who are stranded there. Just like the lead actor in the
movie, he showed that he is capable of surviving under difficult conditions because of his
determination and will to survive.

Overgard and his accomplice’s situation is a hopeless case. There is barely a person other
than Overgard in the Arctic which may perhaps be regarded him as a suicidal, in a sense where
there is almost little or no chances of survival. Should they have lasted longer unattended, they
would have not survived and died unknowingly within the area. The hardships of the artists within
the film can be taken as the people in international arena, confronting the everyday challenges of
the Arctic regions. The daily condition of Arctic drives away its economic potential. Such place
inhibits vulnerability in a general sense to a wide range of living things.

Isolation will continue to posits the region considering to its damaging impacts. Regardless
if there is a strong political power or great set of skills, it will not be an easy task to explore upon.
There is a constant challenge and threat that awaits a person located in the region. The film
showed how important and inevitable human dependency or connection is most especially with
the case of the injured girl.

As the film ends in a triumphant manner, it gave a sense of hope to the people amidst life
challenges. Despite of the sufferings and several unsuccessful attempts, all have paid off as they
have been rescued and continued to live. Resilience and strength are part of the important
elements to in human’s life whether be it on survival or success.