Netflix's 'Polar' review: Either you'll love it or hate it
Polar released on Netflix, yesterday. Directed by Jonas Akerlund, the film stars Mads Mikkelsen as the protagonist, Vanessa Hudgens as the damsel in distress, Katheryn Winnick and Matt Lucas as antagonists. It is based on the 2012 graphic novels by Victor Santos and follows the adventures of an international hitman known as the Black Kaiser. Read our review of Polar here.
Retired assassin becomes financial liability to his boss, violence unfolds
Duncan Vizla or the Black Kaiser is an assassin working for an organization, Damocles. Before his retirement, his boss, Blut, decides he has become a financial liability and plots to have him murdered. After a botched attempt by Mexican hitmen, a top assassin squad is sent. Vizla is forced into violence, while trying to protect his neighbor, Camille, from getting caught in the crossfire.
Colors stand out in the incredibly loud film
When you start watching Polar, the first thing that is going to hit you is that the film is incredibly loud. The clothes worn by Blut, Vivian and the hit squad are deliberately colorful and bright, to the degree of being garish. These colors are indulgently accompanied by loud gunfights, making the entire viewing experience an overwhelming one for the different senses.
Action is gratuitous and keeps the movie going
Polar glorifies action to the degree it feels like an exploitation film. From the sex scenes to the firefights, it is delightfully overdone to be loud and completely in the faces of the audience. Shedding any form of subtlety, the fight sequences push the plot forward, including an automated machine gun shooting, and a remarkable hallway fight scene towards the end of the movie.
Performances and characters mostly weak, except a few cases
Mikkelsen as Vizla throws himself into the role of the one-dimensional assassin, with relative ease. Hudgens as Camille is touching and brings a degree of humanity to the movie. Lucas as Blut walks the fine line between menacing and irritating, delivering a solid antagonist's performance. Winnick as Vivian oozes potential, but her character lacks depth. The assassin squad grows tiring soon, monotonously portraying ruthlessness.
Treatment of women in the movie
Hudgens' Camille is given some depth of character, but ultimately is reduced to be the hero's motivation and mimics the father-daughter relationship. Vivian too has the potential to be a femme fatale, but her character is not fleshed out properly. Sindy, from the assassination squad, is given the worst treatment, where her body is repeatedly and lecherously subjected to the camera's male gaze.
Treatment of the human body and a moment of humor
Polar treats the body as a zone of violence and action, be it in the assassination squad's violent killings, Vizla's torture or his passionate lovemaking with Sindy, before the assassination squad barges in. Amidst all this, a humorous scene stands out where Vizla attends a show and tell, where he explains to children how a kukri is better for slashing, not stabbing.
Our final take on 'Polar' as a film
Polar will polarize you as a viewer. You will either find the action too self-indulgent, the colors too bright and some scenes too distasteful. Or, you might love the overt action, reminiscent of films like Shoot 'Em Up and Oldboy. The film embraces hyper-violent action and does not shy away from bloodiness. If these aspects appeal to your aesthetics, then Polar warrants a watch.
