Frozen Ground

I have been interested in serial killers for some time now and I am familiar with the real story upon which the movie is based.

Although Cage and Cusack have starred in some sub par movies over the last few years, they are both quite talented and give excellent performances in this effort. However, the real star of the film, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, is Hudgens, who makes her character look very real and believable.

Although the plot has been heavily misused in other films in the past and is not in itself very original, this is not your typical serial- killer movie. The movie manages to be compelling without going over the top with too much gory details. The atmosphere it creates is very authentic - it really takes you back 30 years ago in Alaska, when these gruesome events unfolded.

This film hasn't received a lot of press or a wide distribution. Sadly, that's probably due to Nic Cage, which is a shame. First, he's very subdued and focused (there's no wild-man Nicholas Cage in this movie). In fact, he plays a deeply decent, dedicated Alaska State Trooper who becomes convinced that a serial killer (also very well played by a creepy John Cusack) is stalking women in Anchorage. The film downplays the gore, while showing the seedy and soul-crushing underworld where Cusack finds his victims. A very nice bonus is that almost all of the police officers shown in the film are hard-working people who want to catch this killer, but know they have to work within the law to ensure he doesn't escape them in the courts. Vanessa Hudgins turns in a very nice performance as one victim who escaped and was instrumental in identifying the killer. The director does a fine job of capturing the ghostly silences of the frozen north, where so many of the man's victims were buried. All in all, a fine, atmospheric film that is both thrilling and sad. Well worth your time.

An authentic thrilling atmosphere, a solid cast and script, a true story based movie. I need no more for entertainment. This is not a documentary and is not intended to be. The movie doesn't investigate the serial killer relationships, the background, nor try to explain the exceptional investigating work of the police. Most of the negative reviews I have read point on these shortcomings, but this is simply a thriller and it does what it has to do: it thrills you, from the beginning to the end. Considering what is being proposed usually as thriller, this is worth to be watched and it is entertaining. Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a good movie? Yes.

The Frozen Ground tells the chilling story of a aerial killer in Alaska, who targeted young women, but let one slip.

It's an incredibly dark, sombre film, with an intensely bleak tone from start to finish. It's pretty good, it lacks some of the subtleties that you may have hoped would be here, however it's there to tell a story, and it gets the job done.

Not often can I stick with a film starring Nicholas Cage, I'm not really a fan of his, or the roles that be tends to take, but credit where it's due, he's pretty good here, it's a subtle performance, he's better than most of the other cast.

Very gritty, it needed a few lighter moments to have made it work better.

A decent watch, 6/10.

'Frozen Ground' undeniably has promising storyline because of it's based on true story factor. It makes audience (who doesn't know the tragedy) curious of what happens next although from the start we already know who's the killer. Scott Parker as director has succeeded to pack this low-budget movie into something's still enjoyable to watch. Also some familiar actors seems helpful to lift this movie. Cage and Cusack act convincingly as a cop and a calm mental disorder killer. Unfortunately, 'Frozen Ground' feels repeatable from other serial killer movie that could bored fans of this kind of genre. Overall, 'Frozen Ground' is a satisfying movie and above average of crime thriller. The recognizable cast somehow increases tense in this movie. I think it's too good for DVD's direct though.