(This review is for the Norwegian version of the film.)
This bold thriller made in 1985 surpassed every expectation I had for it, and the great cinematography by Harald Gunnar Paalgard had a big part in that. If your movie takes place in Svalbard, an all around beautiful place, the movie should look damn good, and Orions belte establishes that from the first minute and keeps it going, throughout scenes taking place in and out of Svalbard.
The actors are really good, the characters are a bit cliché but this didn't bother me at all since the movie is very intense once it starts to get going.
And for someone who doesn't have a lot of knowledge about Cold War-era Norway, the dialogue regarding Cold War was very informative, but the constant exposition throughout the first half hour could bore a viewer who knows Norway's history well.
The script doesn't shy away from the 'cold' realism as well, and the movie manages to subvert expectations because of it. Of course, if you can't empathize with the main characters, you can start guessing what happens next but if you are hooked, you'll be surprised in every way.
Action scenes in Orions belte are very well directed as well, much better than its Hollywood counterparts.
This movie is a must-watch if you can handle the slow first half hour and some cliché character traits.
