If the recent Buried gave the impression that being stuck underground wasnt much fun, then Frozen suggests the great outdoors can prove an equally unappetising prospect. Much like the creaky mechanisms that move (and stop) the ski-lift on which the central characters find themselves stranded, Frozen clunks and grinds in its early stages, laying out some ghoulish deus ex machina designed to lead to the most awful scenario imaginable. Once thats out of the way though, the fear sets in like the proverbial frostbite and never ceases its grip.
Kevin Zegers (Dawn of the Dead), Shawn Ashmore (X Men) and Emma Bell (Death in Love) star as, respectively, best friends Dan and Joe, and Dans current girlfriend, Parker. Joe is annoyed that Parker has decided to tag along on his and Dans trip to the ski resort of Mount Holliston; and Parker herself is on a slippery slope when it comes to snowboarding experience. This still doesnt stop her being useful in deploying feminine wiles to get the group free access to a ski-lift to the top of the mountain. One late night trip and a fatal oversight later however, and the three end up stranded, hangin in the open air, with a snowstorm coming in. The bad news is the resort happens to have shut for a week. And thats not mentioning the pack of hungry, baying wolves waiting below…
Its a terrific premise, very much in-vogue with the current trend of low-budget, high concept horror. But while Rodrigo Cortes was forced to rely on his directorial wits inside Burieds coffin, Frozen helmer Adam Green (Hatchet) gets his jollies in a perversely ironic way, maximising the sense of outdoor space and cleverly reversing the oft stated horror mantra that claustrophobia works best. Here, the breath of encroaching wind has never sounded more fateful, and the always winning trick of lights shutting off unnoticed behind the characters, never scarier. Its not so much a new approach as a clever spin on genre tropes. Come the second half, Frozen wrenches the heart in its smooth mix of both visceral and psychological terror.
True, it never entirely escapes from its rote screenplay (also by Green): the exposition at the start makes one impatient to get to the meat and drink, and theres no denying it follows as predictable a journey as a ski-lift itself (one character of course has to make the standard, dire life or death decision, with horrifying consequences). Yet the performances help enormously, with Bell a tour de force as an ordinary youngster caught in the most dreadful nightmare, visibly eroding both physically and mentally in front of us.
As a gripping spin on the usual genre fluff, its pacy, witty and frequently nasty (Green shows his exploitation roots in excruciating moments involving broken limbs and frozen hands stuck to the lift). Genre fans will also get a real kick out of an appearance from Jason Vorhees himself, Kane Hodder. But the directors real skill lies in transcending the gimmicky moments to craft vital, realistic characters that completely pull viewers into a gut-churning battle against the elements. You may not be frozen while watching in the relative comfort of your own home, but come the last reel that icy feeling on the back of your neck is hard to shake off.
Overall Verdict: Implausible and silly it may be, but Frozen nevertheless compels in its ruthless, pared down vision. Once the baggy first act has passed, youll be riveted in place. One might say, frozen.
Special Features:
Audio commentary from cast and crew
Catching Frostbite: The Origins of Frozen
Three Below Zero
Shooting Through It
Beating the Mountain: Surviving Frozen
Deleted Scenes
Trailer
Reviewer: Sean Wilson