Greenland
2020 · Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
Original language: English
- thriller
- action
- science fiction
The story
John Garrity, his estranged wife and their young son embark on a perilous journey to find sanctuary as a planet-killing comet hurtles toward Earth. Amid terrifying accounts of cities getting levelled, the Garritys experience the best and worst in humanity. As the countdown to the global apocalypse approaches zero, their incredible trek culminates in a desperate and last-minute flight to a possible safe haven.
What it’s like
Grey overcast skies, handheld camera pressed close to faces, and a palette of ash, rust and sodium-orange emergency light give this disaster thriller a raw, documentary-like texture. Much of it plays out in cramped car interiors, crowded highways and dim airport terminals, with the camera hovering at shoulder height so every frightened glance feels immediate. The score leans on low, pulsing synth drones and sudden swells of tension, and the sound design is full of sirens, roaring wind, distant detonations and the rattle of a wrecked vehicle. Vibe-wise it is tense, urgent and relentlessly anxious, with flashes of grim humanity amid the chaos, best suited to a fast-moving night in when you want edge-of-seat momentum. Pacing is brisk and rarely lets up, and the emotional core is a fractured family slowly rediscovering trust under pressure. Intensity is considerable: there is peril, sudden deaths, crowd panic, looting and a few sharp, brief moments of violence, but no gore-driven horror and little sexual content. It suits viewers who enjoy apocalyptic survival stories with a strong family spine and don't mind a heavy, sombre tone.
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