The film follows a tribe of Eskimos through hunger, marriage, betrayal, murder and revenge. It's the first fiction film done in the Inuktitut language, starring a completely Inuktitut cast and filmed by a crew comprised of 95% Inuktitut people.

The film starts out with Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq) and his older brother, Amaqjuaq (Pakak Innuksuk), as children and how their family gets ridiculed because their father is not a good hunter. When Atanarjuat and Amaqjuaq grow up they become great hunters to the envy of another young man, Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq).

Atanarjuat has been in love with Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu) since he was child, however her father has promised her to Oki. Oki is jealous of Atuat and Atanarjuat's relationship, which finally ends in an ancient fighting tradition to win her hand in marriage. The fighting is brutal where the men just punch each other in the temple until the first one is knocked out. Later on, Atanarjuat takes a second wife, Puja (Lucy Tulugarjuk), Oki's sister, who turns out to be selfish and lazy.

That description isn't even half of the film. There's an affair, a betrayal and a murder, which lead up to one of the most amazing chase scenes in film history where a naked man runs across the ice as killers pursue him. The film started out slow, but once the melodrama kicks in I was entranced. If you give the beginning a chance it really pays off in the end because you come to really care about the characters, making the story more believable. Additionally, the crystal clear HD cinematography makes the beautiful landscapes of Alaska pop off the screen.

Now I'll address my issues with the film. The acting is weak because the performers are not all trained actors. There are a lot of moments when characters get pushed into each other and they get mad that are so fake that it makes you think of a high school play. Another problem I had was that the beginning was filmed in a way that makes the plot completely confusing. The only thing that kept me from getting totally lost was knowing the title of the film, which is also the name of the main character.

The film is based on Inuktitut legends and plays almost as an Eskimo soap opera. The film captures a lifestyle that is so alien, but the story of love and betrayal is very universal. It's like watching NANOOK OF THE NORTH crossed with a Shakespearian love affair. This is a film that has flaws, but one that I will never forget.