Capsule reviews for Feb. 1

Arctic

Offering a fresh twist on familiar elements, this wintry survival saga benefits from a committed performance by Mads Mikkelsen (The Hunt) as the lone survivor of an airplane crash trying to survive in the rugged terrain and harsh conditions. As his hopes for rescue dwindle, a higher calling prompts him to flee his makeshift camp for a perilous trek toward a ranger station. While it’s relentlessly bleak and somewhat contrived, the feature debut for Brazilian director Joe Penna is vivid and suspenseful. Mikkelsen generates sympathy despite acting mostly by himself with very little context or dialogue, finding a chilling sense of hope amid desperate circumstances. (Rated PG-13, 97 minutes).

Outlaws

The two-wheeled characters are more intriguing than the two-footed ones in this ridiculous drama about the criminal and sexual escapades of an Australian biker gang that never provides the intended adrenaline rush. Perhaps its loosely structured story of betrayal and revenge is meant to salute rugged masculinity and gratuitous savagery. Yet beneath the abundant tattoos and facial hair, the gangsters — and the women who love them — feel like nondescript bit players from an episode of “Sons of Anarchy.” At least most of the confrontations are among their own. At any rate, the result is all macho posturing and violent brooding that quickly runs out of gas. (Rated R, 92 minutes).

Piercing

A throwback visual vibe elevates this twisted low-budget thriller based on a novel by Japanese writer Ryu Murakami. It takes place almost entirely inside of a luxury hotel room, where a troubled family man (Christopher Abbott) has some sadistic plans for his impending visit with a prostitute (Mia Wasikowska). But when she arrives and turns the psychological tables, their encounter spirals into bloody mayhem. The narrative momentum is uneven in the screenplay by rookie director Nicolas Pesce. Yet although the material might work better as a short film, the well-acted two-hander maintains enough suspense throughout its bloated middle section to justify its ultraviolent payoff. (Rated R, 81 minutes).

Then Came You

Agreeable performances are compromised by a contrived and predictable script in this overly quirky romantic comedy. It follows a hypochondriac airport baggage handler (Asa Butterfield) who gains a new outlook on life from the relentless optimism of a terminally ill teenager (Maisie Williams) after he agrees to help carry out her bucket list. Meanwhile, he also gains the confidence to approach a flight attendant (Nina Dobrev) on whom he has a crush. Despite some poignant moments, the modest charms are fleeting because of the familiarity of the material, which limits emotional investment in the characters or their plight. The result feels more calculated than genuine. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

The Unicorn

The balance between sweet and silly feels more awkward than authentic in this thinly sketched relationship comedy from director Robert Schwartzman (Dreamland). It chronicles Caleb (Nick Rutherford) and Malory (Lauren Lupkus), who have been engaged for several years but have trouble getting over the emotional hurdles of committing to marriage. So they pursue a radical alternative to drum up some courage by experimenting with threesomes, with mixed levels of success. The resulting misadventures produce some scattered big laughs, thanks in large part to its amusing cast, although the film stumbles when it attempts to dig deeper for genuine sympathy or meaningful insight about long-term couples. (Not rated, 88 minutes).