In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Grethe Bøe-Waal has directed and co-written a film that's worth your time if you're looking for a good family flick. And, fortunately, it's also a movie that won't irritate the parents...something all too rare with family pictures!When the story begins, three very young Norwegian siblings are starting a new school. However, by the end of the school day, the trio end up all alone on Half Moon Island...a barren island that, according to Wikipedia (yes, I looked it up), is off limits to most people and is a natural preserve....filled with polar bears, ice and...well, more ice! Is the way they arrived there believable? Not entirely...nor is it easy to accept that no one knows that they are there. For me, however, this was not a major problem After all, in some films you just have to suspend disbelief. What follows is a saga during which the trio fight for their lives against the elements, a shortage of food and a bear that seems quite eager to make their acquaintance! Can the kids escape this frozen prison or are they destined to become three human popsicles or snacks for the bears?The story works pretty well and much of it is due to the deft direction by Bøe-Waal. These kids do seem a lot like kids and, while they are resourceful, they are also occasionally stupid (especially the two younger kids) and don't always have the answers. Some of the film simply relies a bit on luck as well as pluck and determination. And, in addition, the movie has some very tense moments and kept my attention throughout. A perfect family film, no. After all, a couple times I found myself wanting to slap these two kids I just mentioned. But it is a good film and is many ways very reminiscent of the old Australian film, "Walkabout".

I started the evening with no expectations on the film but what I was pleasantly surprised .. I have personally visited Svalbard and seen its beautiful scenery and i know how desolate the landscape can be. Because i have visited Svalbard I could even get a greater understanding of the the challenges the children were facing when they were fighting for survival. Both the music and how beautiful nature was filmed, gave this movie a deep, i was totally blown away in some scenes when nature was so magnifical that I could not help but to long for Svalbard.A big round of applause for the children's performance in the acting in general, there were a number of moments i thought to myself ,during the movie, how i would have done if i had ended up in the same situation as the children. But based on that judgment that it was children, I think their actions in the movie in critical moments was fully justified, for they had no experience in arctic landscape and its dangers.The film starts up at a good pace and continue on the same path until the end of the movie. This is a must see movie if you love arctic scenery, if you are passionate about adventure and survival, because it is not often that such a well-made family movie in survival adventure genre is created. Thanks Norway for creating this movie!