Woman at War (2018)

Woman at War is the rare film that turns righteous anger into something exhilarating, funny, and quietly moving, all while making the Icelandic highlands look like a cathedral worth defending. Benedikt Erlingsson stages Halla’s secret campaign with the snap of a thriller, the sly grin of a satire, and the warmth of a human drama, helped along by a playful, self-aware use of on-screen musicians that gives the movie its own mischievous heartbeat. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is terrific in the lead, grounding the big ideas in a performance that’s tough, tender, and believably conflicted as life offers her a future that doesn’t fit neatly beside her cause. If you need your stories strictly realistic, the film’s whimsy may take a minute to adjust to—but if you’re open to something intelligent, soulful, and unexpectedly crowd-pleasing, it’s a stirring call to attention that never forgets to entertain.

Woman at War is aiming for a punchy, crowd-pleasing blend of eco-thriller tension, dry comedy, and heartfelt moral dilemma, and it mostly gets there thanks to a terrific central performance and striking Icelandic landscapes. The catch is its deliberate eccentricity: the film keeps winking at you with stylized musical interludes and quirky touches that some viewers will find charming, and others will find a bit too pleased with themselves. If you want a straight, grounded activist drama or a tight thriller that never breaks tone, this may test your patience. But if you’re open to a fable-like story that’s funny, politically pointed, and emotionally sincere even when it gets odd, it’s a worthwhile ride.