Reviews: Antarctica: A Year on Ice
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
City Paper grade: A-
Anthony Powell makes plenty of mistakes in the construction of his debut documentary — bombastic soundtrack choices, underexplored ideas, a reliance on time-lapse footage that sends many sequences into over-caffeinated spasms. But this is all forgivable, as he's provided us with unprecedented access to one of the least understood places on earth.
More than a decade in the making, Antarctica: A Year on Ice is an effort by Powell, a photographer and engineer, to address and debunk misconceptions about the barren continent. Though the incredible visuals alone are a mind-blowing blessing — Powell modified his camera equipment to withstand insane sub-zero temps — the New Zealander accomplishes his goal by focusing on the everyday people who make Antarctica "go." It's not just intrepid scientists, though there are dozens of international research bases on the ground. The population, which fluctuates between 700 and 5,000 from winter to summer, is also home to a blue-collar workforce that just so happens to punch a timecard on the bottom of the planet. Each Antarctic employee — Powell focuses on the community of America's McMurdo Station — has his or her reasons for moving to Antarctica, where a -40 day is considered mild and winds akin to a Category 5 hurricane whip across the tundra like autumn breezes do back home.
The film is at its most insightful when exploring the contrast between the sunny summer, when the ice hums with a collegial energy; and the jet-black, eight-month winter, when isolation drives some mad — and suits others just fine. (The filmmaker actually met and married his wife in Antarctica.) As a part-time resident and full-time booster, Powell is a qualified guide for this introduction to the world's most mysterious landmass, a tricky gig since few of us possess a frame of reference more sophisticated than an elementary-school atlas. By focusing on Antarctic life rather than the lack of it, he reveals that most people want the same simple things — these folks are just willing to travel to secure them.
