Under an Arctic Sky (2017) User Reviews

Beutiful photography, confusing timeline.

[bjarkih1977 · 6/10 · 29 December 2018]

If for nothing else it is worth watching for the scenes. But as an icelander it is also rather difficullt since they are talking about a trip to the westfjords while showing clips from other parts of the country at the same time. The narrator seems to ignore this and talks about stopping for a wave thats hundreds of miles to the east of their route.

Endless.. Winter?

[maccas-56367 · 6/10 · 25 January 2019]

Endless Summer, but in Iceland. Not since my time living in Canada have I felt so cold.

Some amazing cinematography. The beautiful Icelandic scenery was worth the watch. If I wasn't watching in awe of Iceland, then I was constantly wondering how the surfers were surviving being in the water during such freezing temperatures.

Was kind of inspiring, in that here are a bunch of guys who won't let anything (crazy weather included) get in the way of them pursuing their dreams, doing what they love.

On the flip side, they came across a bit full of themselves, and would've clearly put the lives of innocent people at risk should they have got themselves in trouble, or worse.

Crazy surfing conditions.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 19 April 2020]

You don't really have to be a surfer to enjoy this well made documentary. For that there are enough splendid nature shots, always nice to watch snowy landscapes when you live somewhere like me where it's always warm. I wouldn't trade it for the world, hate being cold, hate being in the snow, but watching it is something different. At one point they mention that they're almost the only ones to do what they do and that just says it all. You have to be a bit weird to look for this kind of adventure, it's not the kind of surfing I would do if I would surf. When you think about surfing you think about sun and beaches, but never would anybody 'normal' go for the harsh elements they chose to surf. It's well filmed and documented, good cinematography, I only wished they would have shown some pictures they took from the surfer and the Northern Lights.

Breathtaking and inspiring

[rogerradd · 21 January 2018]

I'm neither a surfer nor a fan of surf movies, but I found this short adventure film a brilliant little gem. Wonderfully shot, passionately edited and genuinely expressed. Say what you will about their sanity - a wonderful depiction of a truly human journey.

Colorful

[mihai_alexandru_chindris · 7/10 · 30 May 2018]

Everything, from start to finish, was well put together and I simply loved this short. You can clearly see the passion and hard work for editing by the crisp sceneries and level of details when it comes to overall appearance. The story is easy to digest and the perfect shots truly make it seem natural and flowing in a very normal way. The dialogue wasn't cheesy, thing that I also liked, and it had a continuity, easily guiding the viewer trough the documentary. Probably one of the most captivating shorts I've ever watched.

Incredible

[nathansmith-09621 · 10/10 · 18 April 2018]

Spectacular imagery and editing. It was intriguing, mesmerizing, and inspiring. One of the most well-edited pictures I have ever seen.

Soul filling stuff

[phobic_sting · 10/10 · 2 March 2019]

I've never surfed and can't even swim that we'll, but this made me want to learn! I've been to Iceland for a week solo just hiking around and this short captures it beautifully. The comradeship, natural vistas, determination and adventure and all wrapped up in a great piece of cinematography which makes the heart and soul swell as much as the waves, nice one guys !

Brilliantly made, 11/10 would recommend !!

[gngiannone · 10/10 · 10 August 2018]

LOVE this film !! Beautifully made, I H I G H L Y recommend this & a second short featuring Ellie and Heidar.

Yawn...

[eismoc · 1/10 · 25 October 2019]

Lovely. It makes me yawn 3 times each minute. 5-10 minutes of this masterpiece, it drags me straight to bed. If someone decided to waste more of his money on this and makes a continuation (Part II) of it, I will certainly make sure not to watch it. Never again.

Surfing under the Northern Lights

[bettycjung · 22 December 2017]

12/20/17. While the cinematography was absolutely exquisite, much of the movie was a talky documentary of a photographer who enjoyed capturing out-of-the way wonders as the Northern Lights and surfers catching waves in arctic waters. Only the last 10 minutes is worth watching where surfers do their thing beneath the glimmering wonders of the Northern Lights. And, that part was well worth catching.

Impressive mission, impressive execution

[diedaily77 · 9/10 · 22 October 2018]

If you liked 'Art of Flight' you will probably like this short. Although there are no thousand-meter descents or helicopters doing vertical 180s, obviously, this show does not disappoint at all. One of the most interesting sequences happens when their Icelandic sailboat captain ixnays their activities and they accept it first with grudging humility and then with total respect when they are safely ashore and caught in one of the worst storms in Iceland's recent history. The demure comments of the sailboat captain to the effect of 'Nature is the only real captain out here' are poignant, but he was the real captain as far as the surfers were concerned and they obeyed him commendably. Fortunately, in the aftermath of the storm, they were able to document some incredible surfing, including some nighttime sequences with spectacular northern lights and amazingly luminescent waves as the backdrop. I would love to know whether they back-lit those waves artificially, used filters, or if it was all natural.

Disappointing

[Gordon-11 · 30 April 2019]

This documentary tells the story of a few guys who go to Iceland to surf the cold waters.

To be honest, a bunch of guys surfing in Iceland is hardly a topic for a documentary. It is more like their home video than a documentary, as it is one sided in its presentation. It has no discussion, and it has no presentation of opposing views. I find this film rather disappointing.