Through Greenland Review: A Surprisingly Personal Nature Documentary

Release date: August 27, 2020
Running time: 45 minute episodes (5 total)
Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jo Scheuer

Through Greenland is a visually spectacular program series with Danish Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on an adventurous expedition through Greenland.  Coster-Waldau has a childhood history with Greenland and is now married to someone who grew up in the country.  This connection to this land makes him want to fully explore it, which is the basis for this documentary.  Through Greenland is broken into 5 episodes with each episode roughly taking place in a different part of Greenland.  But it also temporally follows his trip through the area.  

Your love of this documentary could very well hinge on how much you like Coster-Waldau, as his journey of discovery is the main focus of this film.  And thankfully, he is very easy to like.  His journey of self discovery has some beautiful scenery and situations, but it is the personal stories that you will really appreciate.  Coster-Waldau has personal connections to Greenland through his partner, and these situations really humanize this documentary.  You see him learning about this land, its history and people, with a curiosity that you rarely see in a documentary.  It is also really wonderful to see someone who is interested in learning but also does not have a lot of background here.  This is not meant as a backhanded complement, it is the perfect way to do this journey.  Many of the questions Coster-Waldau asks are ones that I myself had watching it, so you are able to experience this journey in a realistic way.  And Coster-Waldau's willingness to experience this land and people is another infectious aspect.  He tries all the food, does all the activities (including hunting and preparing meat), camps out on the ice, pretty much anything to get a connection to this land.  And this variety makes for a very interesting series of events.  

And Through Greenland has more than just the natural world.  It explores the cities, the differences between the large cities and small cities, and explores how many people in Greenland make their livings.  It also has an exploration of traditional Greenland food, hunting, art, and tattoos; all of which contribute to your understanding of this unique place.  If there is a negative, it is that the film is focused on days and not subjects.  This is a blessing and a curse as it really lets you experience the journey that Coster-Waldau goes on, but it doesn't let you have a specific episode dedicated to art, or to food.  But that is fine as this entire documentary series lets you get a realistic, personal view of this land that most people have only read about.  

Through Greenland lets you follow along Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's journey of self discovery, giving an intimate look at the people and places that make this such a special land.

Watch it.

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