Synopsis
Polar, released in 2019, is a neo-noir action thriller from Åkerlund that features Mads Mikkelsen in the lead role. It is part of Santos’s graphic novels, “Polar: Came From the Cold.” In the film, Mikkelsen plays Duncan Vizla, a legendary hitman known as the Black Kaiser. He is in the closing chapters of his life, marked by the onset of retirement.
The story features Duncan living in an isolated cabin in the snowy regions of Montana. Duncan is now only days away from his retirement. During this time, he is trying to cope with his life’s history filled with violence, trying to shift his life towards a peaceful one. His employer, Damocles, is a mercenary and assassin syndicate known for professionally employing ruthless killers. As a standard procedure, the organization pays assassin’s a generous pension after reaching a certain age and going into retirement, but only if they remain alive to claim it.
This yields the core conflict of the film. Damocles greedy and sadistic leader, Mr. Blut, believes that paying the pension of elderly mercenaries is a waste of resources. With Duncan’s retirement drawing closer, he dispatches a younger, flashier team of assassins to claim his life and, of course, the bounty.
The hit team is led by Vivian, who is cold and calculating from Damocles. She continues to support Duncan’s ‘retirement’ while slowly working to undermine his position. Duncan, on the other hand, is starting a distant and emotionally guarded friendship with his neighbor, a socially anxious woman named Camille, who recently moved to Montana fraught with her own issues.
First, the atmosphere is very hot and heavy and full of dread, but soon it merges with Duncan’s unshackling tale of revenge. Ultimately, the assassin team captures Camille and goes on to torture Duncan, who they see as an easy victim. But they are sorely mistaken. Duncan goes on a bloody campaign to eradicate everyone who betrayed him after they all but demolish him.
In the final act, the film’s narrative approaches a riveting climax punctuated by a slapdash of brutal violence where Duncan claimed his remaining enemies. The narrative reaches its climax with a twist- Camille is the daughter of a man that Duncan was once tasked to assassinate. In an emotional face-off, Duncan presents Camille the option to off him in exchange for her father’s murder, but in a much kinder option of grace, she spares him and ends the cycle of violence.
Cast & Characters
Mads Mikkelsen as Duncan Vizla / Black Kaiser: Initiated as a legendary contract killer trying to retire. Mikkelsen portrays stoic badassery softened by flashes of emotional trauma and deep regret.
Vanessa Hudgens as Camille: Duncan’s withdrawn and wildly traumatized friend. Hudgens’s performance as Camille portrays a more subdued and complex side of herself that has not been revealed in her previous works.
Katheryn Winnick as Vivian: An executive at Damocles and antagonistic character. Vivian is described as a manipulative and ruthless woman who hides her cruelty behind corporate polish.
Matt Lucas as Mr. Blut: Lucas is cast as the film’s primary villain and his performance is a departure from his usual roles as he combines cartoonishly evil and grotesquely exaggerated.
Duncan Voit’s past and his relationship with the other aging assassin Porter is explored by Richard Dreyfuss in a brief cameo.
Supporting actors include a group of hyper-stylized assassins with flashy names Sindy, Facundo, and Alexei who make up the younger team set to kill Duncan.
Style And Visuals
Jonas Åkerlund, the director, has previously worked in the fields of music videos and experimental films, and he puts his own visual stamp on Polar. The two settings, action and Montana, are separated with a sharp, kinetic cut. The action segments have a hyper-colored stamp on them. Slow motion, freeze frames, and comic book-style edits result in a tonal shift that feels surreal.
Polar leans gory and violent with a series of imaginative and brutally savage kills. Torture scenes, gunfights, and hand-to-hand combat are captured with visceral and unapologetic intensity. The shedding of blood not only serves the action, but highlights the inescapable nature of Duncan’s past.
The score of the film, Polyphobia, blends trance-like and atmospheric beats with electronic music. The result is a sharp tonal shift that feels surreal while being hyper-colored and kinetic.
Themes & Analysis
Violence & Redemption
In its essence, Polar explores the life of a man seeking to abandon violence only to be drawn back into it by uncontrollable forces. Duncan is a fossil from a long-gone era, methodical and professional, now pursued by a younger and more self-serving generation. His story is one of unwilling revenge. No matter how much he tries to lead a peaceful existence, he is constantly confronted by a world that will not allow him to be at peace.
Exploitation and Aging
This film further delves into the themes of betrayal and aging. The choice made by Damocles to eliminate its aging workers instead of fulfilling their contracts is sharp and poignant. With Duncan, we see a man who has devoted everything to his employers but is treated as a target for extermination simply because he is a headcount that will reduce costs.
Deadly Calm: Isolation and Humanity
The friendship shared by Duncan and Camille balances the film’s violence. Duncan has been deeply harmed by decades of killing, but he is not the only one at fault. Camille’s bond with him, while subtle and awkward, is quietly moving and provides the film with warmth that is much needed amid the chaos.
Critical Reception
The release of Polar had garnered a slew of different reviews. Mads Mikkelsen’s portrayal of the character received acclaim, as well as the scenery of the film that resembled a graphic novel. On the other hand, the film received criticism for being excessively violent and inconsistent with the story’s tone. Viewers were divided as some appreciated the stylized action of the film while some were put off by the stark contrast between the violent absurdity and the serious themes.
One takeaway from the film that resonated with each of the critics was the performance of Mikkelsen, who played the lead character. Critics were commending for his efforts and his ability to take a script that sometimes sounded like a B-movie into something truly captivating. Along with the performance, the film’s pacing received attention as well.
Legacy and Impact
Fans of stylized action thrillers and neo-noir cinema were attracted to Polar and Mads Mikkelsen’s performance even if the film itself received negative criticism. The film builds a reputation alongside renowned films including John Wick, The Mechanic, and Atomic Blonde. Unlike the films mentioned, Polar separates itself from the rest through its odd approach and tone.
His success in dramatic roles earlier in the action lead drew the attention of audiences, helping further elevate Mads Mikkelsen’s reputation. Duncan Vizla’s character is enjoyed by audiences as he is a more grounded, weary assassin— a discipline-driven, older counterpart to the younger, chaotic, flash-driven killers.
Conclusion
Polar is a bold, stylized, violently graphic thriller that mixes meditations on the themes of aging, betrayal, and redemption with the aesthetics of graphic novels. Centered by Mads Mikkelsen’s commanding performance, the film bounces between spectacle and drama, at times longing and at others frantic. While the overwhelming aggression and visual intensity will not resonate with everyone, action genre fans in search of something truly unique will appreciate this cinematic offering.
More than anything, it’s the story of a killer trying to escape a world shaped by him in a manner that will never allow him to ease quietly. Brutally cold and surprisingly human at times, Polar is a bold entry to the assassin film sub.genre.
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