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Review: Darren Mann’s ARCTIC VOID

I never heard of ARCTIC VOID before tonight, but when I stumbled across it on demand – I knew I had to give it a shot. Two Doors Down and Level 3 Productions brought an interesting scifi-thriller-horror-drama to life on January 14th 2022, and it definitely spoke to me in a whole “the world we don’t know about is creepy” sort of way. I was expecting ARCTIC VOID to lean into the science fiction genre more than any other, but the elements that made up the backing story are truly disturbing if you know enough to realize they just may be based on true events. Written by Michael Weaver based on the story by Darren Mann and Paul Jones, ARCTIC VOID finds a large exploratory vessel sailing through the Arctic waters near Norway. Students, world travelers, random people and a small television crew – our main characters – are taking in the icy wonders of the region when suddenly they all disappear. Belongings remain, but even the captain of the shift is MIA. Forced to look for help at the nearest coastal village, the television crew finds that their terrifying journey is just beginning.

Under the direction of Darren Man, and filmed over the course of just 6 days, ARCTIC VOID stars Michael Weaver, Tim Griffin, Justin Huen, Rune Temte, Sarah Alles, Laura Sophie Becker and Ingrid Liavaag. It features cinematography by David Rush Morrison and editing by Grant Myers. Grant Myers and Michael Weaver produced. ARCTIC VOID is an independent film, but it still manages to pull off a product that is put together well and polished. I didn’t notice any mistakes behind-the-scenes during my viewing. And, honestly, every one of the cast members delivered a performance that their character demanded. Not a weak actor in the bunch and this one was casted to perfection. One reason why I may have skipped over any errors is because the locations were just breathtaking. The boat (with a working bar on board?), the scenery and the abandoned town that looks like it dates back to at least the 90’s; the location scout and location manager deserve a round of applause for their work here.

To get into the nitty-gritty of why I enjoyed this movie, let me state that I’ve read a few conspiracy theories in my day. I don’t believe everything I read, obviously, but I enjoy reading about the hush-hush happenings that people are afraid to write about. I think combining MK Ultra, The Philadelphia Experiment and The Worldwide Hum into one movie is what fuels this motion picture to be so successful. It’s a very small cast, only two wisely used locations and it was still something I never wanted to fast-forward through. It’s like Chernobyl Diaries meets Annihilation… and one other movie I can’t remember right now. That’s beside the point! Bizarre, suspenseful and dramatic, with a little man vs nature sprinkled in, ARCTIC VOID lets us know that we’re all dispensable when it comes to world leaders. Of course, horror fans are dragging this one through the mud because it’s not made for 30-million bucks or filled with jump scares. However, if you allow yourself to be in the shoes of the television crew, I think you’ll find something frightening and claustrophobic.

My only complaint is that it just ends. Boom. Done. And one major plot point remains unresolved. In the same vein as The Blair Witch Project, ARCTIC VOID sets you up for a wild finale and then vanishes. Which I guess is on point considering the plot. Currently available to rent on demand, ARCTIC VOID is scary good though it won’t be for everyone. Watch the trailer and see if this one’s for you. I thoroughly enjoyed my viewing, if that means anything. Final Score: 6.5 out of 10.

Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

5 Comments

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  1. So what is the thing they come to realize in the end.
    Who shoots the guy in the end and why does the other guy have wounds all of a sudden then dies.
    This movie lost me

      • Killed himself with what? The only gun we see is the rifle, that Ray has, and the flare gun. Plus, we get a clear view of the body and there is no gun next to it (if I remember correctly)
        To me the ex-military guy was killed because he failed the mission by allowing survivors/witnesses. Whoever killed him needs to replace him in order to keep the experiment going. That’s why the phone is ringing for thrillseeker Ray. We don’t see it but I guess he eventually picks up the phone and someone makes him an offer he can’t refuse.

  2. This is absolutely the worst movie ever. Your review of it is completely off the mark. The breakdown makes no sense. The ending make no sense. The whole point of watching any movie is to get closure. There was none. If i have more thumbs to give down I would. Such movies should never be made. Waste of my time. Please do not watch this pathetic attempt at a movie.

  3. I don’t see how anyone is confused about the ending. The people who hired Sean to video the experiment contacted him that they were going to extract him in 30 minutes. He went outside to the extraction point, and they killed him to get rid of any survivors. They knew Ray was in the room, so they called that phone. Ray started freaking out because he knew what was going down. That’s why he threw the waterproof pouch with the phones into the water a few scenes earlier.
    The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and the Ducks to position of the light-hearted cruise followed by the stark second half of the film was on point.

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