Directed by Baltasar Kormakur. Starring Olafur Darri Olafsson, Johann G. Johannsson, Bjorn Thors. 95 mins

In 1984, a fishing boat sank off the coast of Iceland, and the crew either drowned or froze to death in the icy Atlantic Ocean. All but one. For six hours, burly Gudlaugur “Gulli” Fridthórsson treaded water before washing ashore and walking to town, shivering and dripping, but alive. His survival is deemed miraculous by friends, and impossible by scientists. But as everyone asks how he survived when others did not, Gulli is left with the more difficult question; why?
Icelandic actor and director Baltasar Kormákur has recently come to the attention of Hollywood, and rightly so. Lending a sense of drama, psychological insight and tension to all his projects, it was deft direction that elevated last year’s otherwise middling thriller Contraband. Though set to hit box-office gold this summer with the action crime-comedy flick 2 Guns, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, here his subtle and nuanced understanding of fear and trauma make for a gripping, if odd tale.
Striking and oppressive cinematography make Gulli’s experiences in the water feel suitably terrifying, as the vast sea and empty skies envelop him in sheer isolation. By contrast, the physical experiments and trials forced on Gulli on his return feel claustrophobic, weighted with the shame of survivor’s guilt. That there was no CGI used in the water scenes makes the feat all the more impressive.
In the lead, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is excellent. His transformation from cheery boy about town to remorse-filled and reluctant “hero” is beautifully considered. While his lonesome existence can make the film’s latter half feel overly long, it’s an intriguing portrayal of the psychology of survival.