THE STORY – On the remote Sukkwan Island, 13-year-old Roy agrees to spend a formative year of adventure with his father deep in the Norwegian fjords. What starts as a chance to reconnect descends into a test of survival as they face the harsh realities of their environment and confront their unresolved turmoil.
THE CAST – Swann Arlaud, Woody Norman, Alma Pöysti, Ruaridh Mollica & Tuppence Middleton
THE TEAM – Vladimir de Fontenay (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 114 Minutes
I’m a sucker for a good survival story. Maybe it’s because I loved Gary Paulsen’s “Hatchet” as a young reader. Whatever the reason, there’s so much power in a story of persevering against all odds, even when up against as formidable a foe as nature. These make especially wonderful settings for coming-of-age tales, too. As all appears lost, that makes any character grow up quite quickly. “Sukkwan Island” contains all the trappings of an effective survival tale: a fraught relationship between a father and son, a snowy, secluded island, and only an old radio to call for help. Though “Sukkwan Island” presents a cold and harrowing story of survival, it’s a largely dull affair, frustrating rather than engaging viewers in its tale.
Woody Norman, who first rose to prominence as the child star of “C’mon C’mon,” stars as Roy, a teenager dragged along by his father, Tom (Swann Arlaud, “Anatomy of a Fall“), on a trip to a remote island in Alaska. Tom purchased land on the island, complete with a worn-down cabin, and wants to spend a year there with Roy. The teenager is hesitant, as he has a solid life back home, but ultimately looks forward to getting to know his dad better. Director Vladimir de Fontenay presents a grounded story, a fairly standard father-and-son drama, albeit set on a bleak, snowy island. They chat about Roy’s experiences in school, and Tom shares slightly too much information about his early sexual experiences. There’s the awkwardness of a cold relationship, but they’re both trying to revive a sense of love. This is mostly a low-key family drama, with little hinting at the darkness to come.
Though they’re stuck in a pretty shabby cabin, the island is beautiful. Cinematographer Amine Berrada captures the gorgeous scenery in rich blues, presenting, ironically, a place in which you might not be upset to be stuck. The landscape feels ice cold but not lifeless, still full of wonder and possibility. They can only be reached by a seaplane, piloted by a kind local (Alma Pöysti, “Fallen Leaves“) who periodically checks the radio for them, delivering supplies. The island itself doesn’t seem to pose too much danger to the men as long as they keep their wits about them. There are hazards, to be sure, but ultimately, this isn’t a very perilous expedition. That is until Tom’s mental health starts to take a turn.
Through Arlaud’s icy performance, we sense that he’s not fully on stable ground. He’s cautious with Roy as if there’s a history there he doesn’t want to repeat. Even so, when winter sets in, he starts to fray, acting erratically and scaring his son. Norman captures this fear and unease in his performance, unsure how to deal with his father but not wanting to upset him further. Despite the best efforts of both actors, the script fails to support them. Tom’s breakdown comes mostly out of nowhere, severing the grounded nature of the preceding film. It’s a film so steeped in the reality of this relationship that, when things drastically fall apart for Tom, it’s abrupt, devoid of authenticity. The hollow script doesn’t help us understand or even empathize with what’s happening with Tom or even with the confusion overcoming Roy despite their strong performances. Instead, it just happens, pushing the audience away from the truth of their situation. It all builds to a twist ending that, while certainly unforgettable, feels manipulative and unearned. Without enough depth to the characterizations of the father and son, the structure feels like a cruel game rather than a meaningful experience.
While the ending undercuts any emotional tie we may have had to the story we just witnessed, it strangely makes David Vann’s source material seem all the more appealing. Perhaps that’s the film’s greatest strength, pointing to a heartfelt, tragic personal story in the novel rather than delivering an effective version here. Despite strong performances, “Sukkwan Island” never develops the emotional core needed to support a gut punch of an ending, leaving viewers more confused than moved.
