eatfirst In an unspecified land of tundra and ice, a mother and daughter, estranged from their tribes-people, alone and on the run from a brutal hired army, are struggling to survive in this harsh, desolate landscape. Into their lives walks an escaped press-ganged soldier, barely alive, and a tragic chain of events is set in motion.London born film-maker Asif Kapadia knows how to capture isolation. He finds it in the sombre monochrome landscapes of this Arctic tale, and equally in the eyes of his lead actress, Michelle Yeoh. She plays Saiva, a woman who has borne a curse since birth foretelling that she will bring misfortune upon anyone who gets close to her. Forced out of her tribe, she lives nomadically, with only her grown-up daughter for company. Theirs is a never ending routine of hand-to-mouth survival and constant relocation to ever more lonely shores. The films' establishing shots of expansive ice flows are set to a soundtrack of groaning, creaking tension and cracks beneath the surface. Once Sean Bean's on- the-run Soldier arrives to upset the balance of their simple existence, it soon becomes apparent that Saiva shares much in common with the ice pack surrounding her.So effectively does Asif conjure the quiet, contemplative mood and pace of much Scandinavian or Russian cinema that it comes as quite a shock when the main trio of characters open their mouths (which they do only rarely) and talk in English. The point is that it does not matter what language they speak, as the location and even the precise period of this story is kept deliberately vague. Just as it matters not what strange language it is that the other invading soldiers speak to themselves, only that it is not familiar. They are the aliens here.For much of its short running time not a lot seems to be happening here, but there is not a wasted moment or unnecessary scene. Judicious use of flashbacks provide insight into the moments that have forged Saiva's tough and ruthless survival instincts. While in the present, much is communicated in silence by the glances of desire and jealousy that the trio exchange. Sean Bean comfortably inhabits the role of decent but morally weak man, but it's Michelle Yeoh's steely, haunted central performance that grabs and pulls you in. Like some Merchant-Ivory period drama stripped of all its airs and finery, we are in a world of suppressed emotions and mounting tensions. The palpable sense that something has to give is the overriding drive towards the startling climax.

artu_ue This is a dark slow ride film with minimal dialogue. Hard and brutal life, death, survival, escape from evils of society, clash of tradition and civilization are presented here in a not so violent way, but still mind crashing and a few disturbing scenes that will make some people hate this film.The cinematography is stunning. The arctic landscapes, low light, sounds of wilderness make it worthwhile to watch the film. The main actress Yeoh is perfect, the younger one Krusiec is good too, but Bean wasn't quite inspiring for some reason.If we put aside the fact that we definitely can't be sure where and when exactly this is supposed to have happened (and many of us do have doubts in it being realistic), then it's a lot easier to accept the film's unusual story and dive into it our own way It's a film you can only like or dislike. Shocking, whether in good or bad sense, so suit yourselves.

tjjohnson-4 A film set in the frozen north in which the sparse dialogue complements the barren scenery is an intriguing proposition and in the right hands I think this could have achieved a satisfyingly chilling atmosphere at least. I assume this is what the makers were aiming for, but the film ultimately comes across as semi-realised and in many respects pretty sophomoric.In a film with a minimal script the few words need to be chosen carefully and complemented by credible non-verbal chemistry, but what little dialogue Far North contains is embarrassingly leaden, while the director fails to tease out any truly believable performances. The leads try to make something from the scraps they're given but Michelles Krusiec and Yeoh stretch plausibility as polar hunter-gatherers and Sean Bean, as ever, is lumbering and uninspiring.That the film looks great is perhaps the best thing that can be said for it. A climax grasping after emotional gravitas comes across as jarring, bordering on idiotic.

Viorel Oancia A film built in on secret human desires, on people instincts. Many movies have failed to deliver such feelings in the past. This one isn't!Far North is calm in the beginning only to shatter the heart in the end. This movie it is not about a woman or two, not about a man, but feels more like an ice cold journey into the real nature of humankind. Be warned, you might not like what is to be found there.This is the only film I know, which clearly draws a 'bold' red line between a woman in her twenties and a woman in her forties. I saw it just now and I liked this movie more than I would ever want to admit here. Although it has some minor loose elements, in the end nothing really matters. To me, this is a 10+ movie! Congratulations to all the people involved in the making!"Let me comb your hair (so you'll be beautiful for him), you must look your best for Loki when he returns…"Far North, in loneliness and isolation, these words may and do have a different meaning