The Frozen

I'd like to be honest before I begin my review. Actually I was trying to find movie entitles something like "Frozen" because I found an article saying that the movie is good. I didn't get much information about the movie other than the title contains the word Frozen. So picked it up and later I realized that I got the wrong movie. The title I want is actually Frozen River.

So I decided to watch it alone, in the middle of the night because I wanted to get scared. And I did. But then I got mad because it was just a dream. I didn't happen only once, but almost all the time. Why??? I think it would be cool to make it real. I kinda tired with this kind of twist.

Right off I knew that there was conflict between the woman and her man. She was distant and the man was trying to energize the situation somehow. The reason for the conflict is revealed a few minutes into the movie and ties in later especially at the end. The scenery was not spectacular although I live near the mountains so I might be spoiled. However, the setting was just right for this kind of movie It did not need to be spectacular; it needed to fit the plot and. I believe it did. The female lead is not a likable person and this works well with the plot as things change. There is a French or Swiss movie I saw several years ago and I believe writer of The Frozen has seen this movie. They are similar but sufficiently different. I liked them both which proved to me that variations on a theme can be successful. Don't expect to be horrified or bloody freaked out. It won't happen. Go with the flow and you might find yourself satisfied at the conclusion. The acting worked for me. Obviously, others do not agree with my assessment but hey, that's life.

I am partially deaf so I watch movies with the captioning. Therefore, my experience is likely different from those who can hear well. I miss the vocal nuances and pick up on other physical queues.

Fun fact, I fell asleep while watching this. I had sense enough to pause; when I resumed, it turned out that I'd stopped mere seconds before the course of events first takes a turn, right around the 15-minute mark. Under the circumstance I don't think I can meaningfully blame the movie for me passing out - but on the other hand, I'm not sure that 'The frozen' wouldn't have inspired such a reaction after all. It's not that this is bad, per se, but there's rather a lack of eventfulness, or anything to help the picture stand out. A camping trip goes bad; creepy nightmares, sounds, or happenings pop up - and that's a wrap. However much we sympathize with the stranded couple, major suspense is not forthcoming, and the tale becomes one of many about survival in the elements. I discern no specific fault otherwise, and filmmaker Andrew Hyatt created a fairly sound feature for his debut as both writer and director - only, chances are low that one might stumble across it, and there's no special reason to seek it out over comparable features.

Stars Brit Morgan and Seth David Mitchell are fine. The filming location is gorgeous. I think this is well made from a technical standpoint, and the contributions of those behind the scenes are swell. Hyatt demonstrates competence in his direction, and there are some good ideas in the screenplay. Yet more than anything else what most makes an impression in 'The frozen' are the sound effects, and the original music of James Grundler. Whether ambient themes, light and ethereal guitar chords, or more immediately tense strings or distorted guitar, the score provides a tinge of atmosphere, and is pretty fun of its own accord. Would that the rest of the film came off so strongly, because what we get is only fleetingly and irregularly compelling - and not always convincing, as protagonist Emma sometimes makes choices that raise a skeptical eyebrow.

Only within the last half hour does the story become more interesting, but it's still not enough to stand tall in a crowd. This is especially true as we've been able to guess for a long time an approximation of how the movie would end, and the realization of that ending seems sadly pedestrian. More than that - given certain overtones, seemingly in line with Hyatt's other films since, the ending is altogether hokey and tiresome. I had mixed expectations at the outset, and I suppose they were kind of well met considering that 'The frozen' never makes the best use of its potential. Unremarkable exposition, a middle portion that oscillates between unremarkable and "almost interesting," a third act that comes close but not close enough, a sorrily maudlin ending - I guess there are worse things you could watch, but there's many far better movies than this, too. Watch it if you like; just don't get your hopes up.

Kind of a strange movie. You think its going one way but its really going in another. I'm not sure what I think of it. It was frustrating to watch people fumble around in nature. It's actually not the easiest thing in the world to start a camp fire yet the two main characters were able to do that easily time and time again yet they weren't capable of doing easier stuff like driving a snow mobile in an area where there were no obstacles. Thats what I mean by I don't know what to think about this movie. Maybe I am being too picky. It really isn't easy to get a campfire going in winter...I find many horror films these days are achingly derivative of other previous horror films so much so I can almost count off the other films the producer has seen and incorporated into his personal cinematographic monologue. So many horror films these days fall into the category of see it if you are stuck for something to do rather than go and see it because its a good film. Its not a total yawn but its close.

A couple drive to the snowy woods to spend their holiday adventure together. After driving a while they take a snowmobile and go further into the mountains. Suddenly they see someone between the trees and after taking their eyes off the road they crash.

Now, I can understand why the ratings are so low for The Frozen. It doesn't contain much action, no special effects really, dialogues are honestly poor and choices of protagonists seem irrational. However, if you love films like The Edge with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins, you will probably like this one as well. I love films taking place in the nature. They are simple. There are no intrigues, gang violence, corporate competition and cops chasing bad guys. It's all about surviving and this is what The Frozen is about. The couple has to survive in harsh conditions and they can only count on themselves.

From the start to the end of the film I could feel the tension. There is hardly any music, so most of the sounds you hear come from the nature, which makes you feel on edge. The acting is fine. You can probably remember Brit Morgan from True Blood series. She plays a hardly likable character, but it's fun to watch her.

All in all, it's probably not a masterpiece of cinematography, but if you like films taking place in the nature, you will enjoy it. I give it 7 out of 10 for the unexpected ending which changes everything.