Aahana Swrup
The Hallmark romance film ‘Polar Opposites’ presents a story about a love found in the most unexpected of times—and places! The protagonist, Emma Rivera, is on a mission to travel to Antarctica, from where her penguin researcher father has recently sent her a distress signal. However, the only problem is that she fails to acquire a visitation permit in her rush to board the cruise ship to the Land of Penguins. Nonetheless, she doesn’t let the same stop her and ends up sneaking onto the vessel, essentially becoming a stowaway.
Fortunately, during this ill-advised venture, her paths cross with Andy, an engineer bound for the same destination, who might just become Emma’s knight in shining snow coat. On this trip to Antarctica, the unlikely pair find themselves taking on various snowy adventures that bring them closer together. Consequently, despite its below-freezing setting, this Colin Theys rom-com promises a heartwarming story. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Polar Opposites is a Compelling Love Story With Penguins and Pining
‘Polar Opposites’ pitches a quirky premise that is perfectly suited to the equally quirky protagonist, Emma Rivera. Although a courtroom artist, Emma actually yearns for a different outlet for her art but hasn’t found any yet. She sports a similar problem in matters of the heart, as a long string of bad first dates exhausts her to the idea of finding true love. However, she doesn’t always let the idea of impossibility stop her, as it soon becomes evident through her illegal trip to Antarctica. On the other hand, there’s Andy—the engineer who would like to stay by the book but quickly gives in and becomes Emma’s partner in crime. Through montages and intervals of hijinks, the film efficiently establishes a dynamic between the two main leads that is worth rooting for.
Therefore, it’s easy to suspend your disbelief regarding matters of International travel in favor of the growing chemistry between Emma and Andy. Furthermore, once the story actually arrives in Antarctica, a subplot of a penguin couple separated due to a drifting iceberg swiftly steals the thunder. Even though this divides the movie into what seems like two parts, Emma and Andy’s continued and not-so-subtle pining manages to keep the narrative united and afloat. Thus, the Hallmark rom-com checks several boxes of a magnetic central couple, charming setting, and intriguing plotlines. Even though certain instances may lead you to question the plausibility of the movie’s events, the same easily becomes background noise to a captivating romance. Ultimately, this tale hits the target and delivers a snowy love story that will melt your heart.
Polar Opposites Plot Summary
As soon as Emma receives a jumbled call from her father, Ian, suggesting he might be in danger, she’s on the first flight to South America, where she hopes to catch a cruise ship to Antarctica. Nonetheless, the ship’s captain, Ingrid, swiftly informs her that such a last-minute trip would be impossible since Emma would need a permit to visit the continent. Nonetheless, she doesn’t let that stop her and sneaks into the vessel with a group of engineers headed by Andy Jackson. Her initial attempts at hiding away in the supply closet are soon found out, though thankfully only by Andy.
Since Emma sneaks into the vessel under Andy’s negligence, she manages to convince him not to report her. As such, the engineer ends up helping the woman hide from Ingrid and her vigilant right-hand man, Martin. As such, the pair spend the cruise together and inevitably grow closer. Along the way, they face a few close calls, particularly when cabin fever compels Emma to venture out, accidentally alerting Ingrid of her presence on board. Nonetheless, the cruise reaches its destination without any incidents.
Thus, Emma is able to sneak away and reach out to her father’s research center to find out if he’s safe. In turn, she only learns about his radio silence—an otherwise common occurrence. As such, she decides to ride the snowmobile out to her father’s cabin. In doing so, her path crosses with Andy again, who offers to help Emma, given her complete inexperience in operating the snowmobile. Thus, the duo heads to Ian’s cabin, where they learn that his distress signal is actually about Lola, one of the penguins he observes. Lola has gotten separated from her pack and her partner, Hugo, due to a rift in the iceberg.
Consequently, Emma’s mission quickly changes into one about rescuing Lola by fashioning a device that can pull the iceberg back to the mainland. Lucky for her, she has just the engineer for the job! For a moment, things look bleak when Ingrid catches onto the duo. Yet, Emma is able to talk her way out of trouble by appealing to the pureness of the penguin pair’s love. As such, in the end, Emma and Andy save Lola and reunite her with her mate, who has been keeping their egg warm for her all this time.
Afterward, Emma has to take her leave from Antarctica. However, during her goodbye to Andy, the two finally figure out the other reciprocates their growing crush on each other. Thus, sealing their feelings with a kiss, they promise to give their, however unlikely, romance a chance. Four months later, Emma returns to Antarctica—this time with a permit—to spend time with her boyfriend and work on her latest artistic endeavor: a book about the persisting love between Lola and Hugo.
Read More: Polar Opposites: Filming Locations and Cast Details
