Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is a Netflix documentary that celebrates Finnish freediver Johanna Nordblad&#039;s insane feats of endurance.

Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive- Netflix (Review): This Documentary Celebrates Human Endurance, Willpower, and Belief

Hold your Breath: The Ice Dive (Review): The cold is a brutal element, one that
can challenge you to the ultimate limits. Hold Your Breath is an apt name for
the documentary as it conveys what everyone involved is doing during The Ice
Dive. Johanna Nordblad, the people at the lake where she performed the
incredible feat, and the ones behind the fourth wall. While she held her breath
beneath the ice, the rest held their breath as she swam through the freezing
water. 



They held their breath and prayed that all would go well. And only once she
reached 103m and surfaced, may they have noticed a deep breath escape as the
cheers penetrated the cold surroundings at Lake Öllöri, Hossa. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQUg_Ht5sr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

After watching the trailer and doing some background reading about Johanna
Nordblad, I remembered this line in Titanic. Though James Cameron’s film was a
fictional take on a real-life tragedy, it had a line emphasizing the freezing
water. 

“Anyway, I fell through some thin ice. And I’m telling ya, water that cold. Like
right down there. It hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your
body. You can’t breathe. You can’t think. At least not about anything but the
pain.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdF5-PPthVd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Now think of this line as you watch Nordblad, clad in nothing but a standard
swimsuit, head into the water through an opening in the ice. Her immense control
as she dives in is a testament to her resilience and belief in her abilities. 


WHO IS JOHANNA NORDBLAD?

Johanna Nordblad is a Finnish freediver, who became obsessed with the sport. She
even competed at the freediving World Championships. Later, she set
[https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/11/video-classics-finnish-free-diver-sets-record-swimming-under-frozen-lake-451934]
a Guinness World Record in 2015 for ‘Longest swim under ice – breath held (no
fins, no diving suit) female’. Difficult? Not according to Nordblad.

In Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive, she says, “Just because something is
difficult, doesn’t mean we should not try to achieve it. This is the only way we
can learn something new about ourselves.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-C2ihtmRv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Besides freediving, she is involved [https://www.johannanordblad.com/] in the
creation of a breath-holding application and is a photographer
[https://www.elinaandjohanna.com/] both under and above the water. 

Read More: Bubble (2022): Netflix Review- An Anime for Those Who Crave a
Visually Spectacular Delight
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-review-bubble-2022-netflix-review-an-anime-for-those-who-crave-a-visually-spectacular-delight/]

For many, seeing a hole in a frozen lake is a sign that they need to be going in
the other direction. However, for Nordblad, it is a gateway to a beautiful
place. As she looks up, director Ian Derry and editor Julian Quantrill permit us
to witness and experience why being beneath the ice is beautiful.


WHAT WORKS IN NETFLIX- HOLD YOUR BREATH: THE ICE DIVE?

A story set around the ice in the north of Finland, Hold Your Breath: The Ice
Dive brilliantly captures the hues of blue. This Netflix Original
[https://netflixjunkie.com/category/originals/] documentary lives up to the
genre with a take on why Johanna Nordblad got into this activity and what it
means to her. This, combined with the visuals on screen, lends weight to her
words and helps transport the viewer into her world beneath the ice. 

There is an exquisite blue that penetrates the ice as she looks up; a blue that
gets darker with each passing inch, making way for the black of the depths of
the lake. This sight to behold may remain locked in your memory. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb3EqmQNXLy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

For Nordblad, it is a place where time stands still, and she is seemingly in her
element. A place of ultimate relaxation, where being calm is the key to being in
control. Looking at her feats may inspire many ‘bandwagon’ freedivers. Director
Ian Derry ensures that this documentary provides viewers with information about
the potential perils of this activity. 

Given that this Finnish Netflix [https://netflixjunkie.com/] offering is set in
the north and requires a thick enough layer of ice, it is great to see a subtle
global warming message thrown in. Derry didn’t let it dominate the story behind
Nordblad’s record-breaking feat, with the focus being on a person’s home-field
advantage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_IxstnTz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

We have seen this in sports, that when one is familiar with their surroundings,
they can perform at an elite level. A move away won’t really hamper anyone, but
it will certainly prove to be distracting. Could that have affected Nordblad’s
ability to stay calm beneath the ice?

Finally, I like that Derry and Quantrill refrained from using a created
background score for the seconds before Nordblad entered the water. The diegetic
sound serves as an apropos set-up for everyone to hold their breath. 


WHAT’S NOT GOOD ABOUT HOLD YOUR BREATH: THE ICE DIVE?

It is quite disappointing that the documentary
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19373274/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt] lasted for just about
38 minutes. It ensured that they maintained a single-minded focus on the ice
dive. However, an in-depth exploration of the issue that plagued Nordblad in
2020 would have enhanced proceedings. More cuts in the scene where she swims
beneath the ice could have lent to the tense feel and raised the stakes for
those watching at home. 

The film is about 15-20 minutes too short. Hence, in the search to know more
about this incredible person, audiences may hunt for other documentaries about
her and drift away from the streamer. 


SHOULD YOU WATCH HOLD YOUR BREATH: THE ICE DIVE ON NETFLIX?

Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is a celebration of the human endurance and
willpower to push the limits. It also is an attempt by Netflix to cast a
spotlight on freediving and bring to light some inspirational stories. Tales of
extraordinary achievements by ones who have families and daily jobs, just like
many others. Watch it for the visuals, and to celebrate Johanna Nordblad’s
impressive feat. 

Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is now streaming
[https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81082317?source=35] on Netflix.

Read More: Don’t Look Up (2021) (Netflix)- Review: Powerful Performances and
Direction Help This Satire Thrive
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-dont-look-up-2021-netflix-review-leonardo-dicaprio-ariana-grande-meryl-streep-netflix-film-netflix-original/]

Reubyn Coutinho

Comment

Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive- Netflix (Review): This Documentary Celebrates Human Endurance, Willpower, and Belief - Netflix Junkie

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Reubyn Coutinho is an Editor and Film Critic at Netflix Junkie. This Mass Media Graduate from St. Xavier's has attended MAMI (2019) as a film critic. He hopes to be an official critic at festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Venice, and Cannes. As someone drawn to the craft of cinema, the stories brought to life through them, and the memories created through breathtaking moments on screen, Reubyn, in this role, combines his knack for critical analysis, love for writing, and watching films. His favorite films include It's a Wonderful Life, Black Swan, and Dead Poets Society. As a passionate consumer of Netflix content, Reubyn adores The Crown, Stranger Things, Cobra Kai and Daredevil. Away from the film world, he always has his eye on Manchester United in the EPL.

https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-johanna-nordblad-hold-your-breath-the-ice-dive-netflix-review-this-documentary-celebrates-human-endurance-willpower-and-belief

Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive- Netflix (Review): This Documentary Celebrates Human Endurance, Willpower, and Belief - netflix-junkie

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Hold your Breath: The Ice Dive (Review): The cold is a brutal element, one that can challenge you to the ultimate limits. Hold Your Breath is an apt name for the documentary as it conveys what everyone involved is doing during The Ice Dive. Johanna Nordblad, the people at the lake where she performed the incredible feat, and the ones behind the fourth wall. While she held her breath beneath the ice, the rest held their breath as she swam through the freezing water. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0_QWamRowc0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
They held their breath and prayed that all would go well. And only once she reached 103m and surfaced, may they have noticed a deep breath escape as the cheers penetrated the cold surroundings at Lake Öllöri, Hossa. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQUg_Ht5sr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
After watching the trailer and doing some background reading about Johanna Nordblad, I remembered this line in Titanic. Though James Cameron&#8217;s film was a fictional take on a real-life tragedy, it had a line emphasizing the freezing water. 
&#8220;Anyway, I fell through some thin ice. And I&#8217;m telling ya, water that cold. Like right down there. It hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can&#8217;t breathe. You can&#8217;t think. At least not about anything but the pain.&#8221;
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdF5-PPthVd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
&nbsp;
Now think of this line as you watch Nordblad, clad in nothing but a standard swimsuit, head into the water through an opening in the ice. Her immense control as she dives in is a testament to her resilience and belief in her abilities. 
<h2>Who is Johanna Nordblad?</h2>
Johanna Nordblad is a Finnish freediver, who became obsessed with the sport. She even competed at the freediving World Championships. Later, she <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/11/video-classics-finnish-free-diver-sets-record-swimming-under-frozen-lake-451934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set</a> a Guinness World Record in 2015 for &#8216;Longest swim under ice &#8211; breath held (no fins, no diving suit) female&#8217;. Difficult? Not according to Nordblad.
In Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive, she says, &#8220;Just because something is difficult, doesn&#8217;t mean we should not try to achieve it. This is the only way we can learn something new about ourselves.&#8221;
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-C2ihtmRv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Besides freediving, she is <a href="https://www.johannanordblad.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">involved</a> in the creation of a breath-holding application and is a <a href="https://www.elinaandjohanna.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographer</a> both under and above the water. 
Read More: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-review-bubble-2022-netflix-review-an-anime-for-those-who-crave-a-visually-spectacular-delight/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener">Bubble (2022): Netflix Review- An Anime for Those Who Crave a Visually Spectacular Delight</a>
For many, seeing a hole in a frozen lake is a sign that they need to be going in the other direction. However, for Nordblad, it is a gateway to a beautiful place. As she looks up, director Ian Derry and editor Julian Quantrill permit us to witness and experience why being beneath the ice is beautiful.
<h2>What Works in Netflix- Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive?</h2>
A story set around the ice in the north of Finland, Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive brilliantly captures the hues of blue. This <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/category/originals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix Original</a> documentary lives up to the genre with a take on why Johanna Nordblad got into this activity and what it means to her. This, combined with the visuals on screen, lends weight to her words and helps transport the viewer into her world beneath the ice. 
There is an exquisite blue that penetrates the ice as she looks up; a blue that gets darker with each passing inch, making way for the black of the depths of the lake. This sight to behold may remain locked in your memory. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb3EqmQNXLy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
&nbsp;
For Nordblad, it is a place where time stands still, and she is seemingly in her element. A place of ultimate relaxation, where being calm is the key to being in control. Looking at her feats may inspire many &#8216;bandwagon&#8217; freedivers. Director Ian Derry ensures that this documentary provides viewers with information about the potential perils of this activity. 
Given that this Finnish <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix</a> offering is set in the north and requires a thick enough layer of ice, it is great to see a subtle global warming message thrown in. Derry didn&#8217;t let it dominate the story behind Nordblad&#8217;s record-breaking feat, with the focus being on a person&#8217;s home-field advantage.
https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_IxstnTz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
&nbsp;
We have seen this in sports, that when one is familiar with their surroundings, they can perform at an elite level. A move away won&#8217;t really hamper anyone, but it will certainly prove to be distracting. Could that have affected Nordblad&#8217;s ability to stay calm beneath the ice?
Finally, I like that Derry and Quantrill refrained from using a created background score for the seconds before Nordblad entered the water. The diegetic sound serves as an apropos set-up for everyone to hold their breath. 
<h2>What&#8217;s Not Good About Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive?</h2>
It is quite disappointing that the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19373274/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documentary</a> lasted for just about 38 minutes. It ensured that they maintained a single-minded focus on the ice dive. However, an in-depth exploration of the issue that plagued Nordblad in 2020 would have enhanced proceedings. More cuts in the scene where she swims beneath the ice could have lent to the tense feel and raised the stakes for those watching at home. 
The film is about 15-20 minutes too short. Hence, in the search to know more about this incredible person, audiences may hunt for other documentaries about her and drift away from the streamer. 
<h2>Should you watch Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive on Netflix?</h2>
Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is a celebration of the human endurance and willpower to push the limits. It also is an attempt by Netflix to cast a spotlight on freediving and bring to light some inspirational stories. Tales of extraordinary achievements by ones who have families and daily jobs, just like many others. Watch it for the visuals, and to celebrate Johanna Nordblad’s impressive feat. 
Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is <a href="https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81082317?source=35" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now streaming</a> on Netflix.
Read More: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-dont-look-up-2021-netflix-review-leonardo-dicaprio-ariana-grande-meryl-streep-netflix-film-netflix-original/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener">Don’t Look Up (2021) (Netflix)- Review: Powerful Performances and Direction Help This Satire Thrive</a>

Don’t Look Up (2021) (Netflix)- Review: Powerful Performances and Direction Help
This Satire Thrive

Bubble (2022): Netflix Review- An Anime for Those Who Crave a Visually
Spectacular Delight

https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/netflixjunkie-logo-2.jpg

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Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is a Netflix documentary that celebrates Finnish freediver Johanna Nordblad's insane feats of endurance.

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Review- Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive is a Netflix Documentary That Celebrates Human Endurance, Willpower, and Belief

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Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive- Netflix (Review): This Documentary Celebrates Human Endurance, Willpower, and Belief

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