In 1909, a Danish Arctic expedition led by Captain Einar Mikkelsen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) seeks to refute the United States' claim to northeastern Greenland, a dispute that was based on the assumption at the time that Greenland was two islands. Mikkelsen leaves his crew on board and sets out on a journey through the ice with his inexperienced crewmate, Ivor Iverson (Joe Cole). The two successfully find evidence that Greenland is an island, but getting back to the ship takes longer and faces more difficulties than they could have imagined. Suffering from extreme hunger, fatigue, and attacks by polar bears, they finally reach the hull, only to find their ship wrecked and their camp abandoned. Hoping to be rescued, they must now fight for their lives. As time passes, their grasp on reality begins to weaken, and distrust and paranoia grow in their hearts, becoming dangerous factors that hinder their fight for survival. Based on a true story, "The Quest for the Poles" tells the amazing power of friendship, love, and mutual support.