The North Water
2021
🎯 Verdict
✍️ Full Review
In a battle of men versus men and men versus nature, the aquatic giants or the other tribes aren't the real hurdles, rather this Andrew Haigh adaptation of Ian McGuire's The North Water looks inward for the monster although in an uneven disjointed sort of way. Jack O'Connell as a remorseful man with enough demons from his past and Colin Farrell as the savage mean brut along with a seafaring crew get stranded due to unfortunate circumstances due to ulterior motives of impropriety. In this 19th century arctic adventure that starts with cheerful whaling soon becomes a whodunit and then turns into a brutal display of survivalism in a frigid setting where the very nature of men being at the top of the food chain, that notion gets tested both psychologically and physically. Randomness is the fresh route it takes which is surprising for a show like this, which means there were bound to be loose ends and some abrupt stopping points without any resolutions. One would think nature here would be displayed as this great equalizer, even if all it takes is a voyage to the ends of earth and even if the wicked ways of the so-called 'White Man's Burden' bestowed upon him by himself . But, the beauty of The North Water lies in its practicality as the protagonist often tries to reason with the faithful believers. Both good and evil men perish and thrive in the crucible of that chaotic randomness. No purpose, no reason, no redemption. It's not exactly Master and Commander nor is it In The Heart of The Sea, it shapes its own theme with righteous, naive and hapless characters along with some that might not be humans at all. That being said, it's not Dan Simmons' The Terror either. Farrell at this point in his career, I believe, can take on any role and do justice to it. The guy truly is a chameleon. As for O'Connell, he has always been underutilized throughout his filmography despite some of his prominent choices.