By Design Review

This review is based on a screening at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film, while visually stunning, ultimately falls short of its ambitious premise. The cinematography is breathtaking, capturing the stark beauty of the Icelandic landscape with a masterful eye for detail. However, the narrative feels underdeveloped, leaving several plot threads unresolved and character motivations unclear. The pacing is uneven, with moments of captivating intensity punctuated by stretches of languid inaction. While the performances are generally strong, the script fails to provide the actors with sufficient depth to truly connect with the audience. Despite its flaws, the film's visual artistry alone makes it worth seeing, but viewers seeking a tightly woven narrative may be left wanting.