Title: Arctic Void
Director: Darren Mann
Runtime: 1hr 25min
IMDB Synopsis: When the power mysteriously fails, and almost everyone vanishes from a small tourist vessel in the Arctic, fear becomes the master for the three who remain. Forced ashore, the men deteriorate in body and mind until a dark truth emerges that compels them to ally or perish.
Long gone are the days where you take a flyer on a movie based solely on its DVD cover art. That one movie grabs your attention as you walk through the store. Today its endless scrolling until you just ”settle” for something, but every now and then you can still find a hidden gem based solely on the cover art. Arctic Void is one of those instances.
The Arctic’s deafening silence and vast openness is used wonderfully to remind the viewer just how alone you are in the frozen tundra. From the moment they find themselves alone on the vessel, something feels off.
Once they get ashore, Arctic Void begins to find its groove. With nobody’s motive clear, the only focus for Ray, Alan, and Sean is that of survival. When they spot a light on in a distant building window, they rush to seek shelter from the elements.
Once they have found shelter fingers begin to be pointed and intentions questioned. Are they alone? Who is responsible for this? Will rescuers find them before it is too late?
The score from Nick Donnelly helps build a tension that remains in the air for the duration of the film. When you combine his score, with cinematography from David Rush Morrison, you get an almost The Twilight Zone feel that sticks with you throughout.
While clocking in at 85 minutes, it is a brisk and enjoyable 85 minutes. If you see it pop up on streaming, definitely give it a watch.