The Thaw

After reading some of the comments on this movie, I was more than pleasantly surprised at how good this smart little bug feature was A definite step up from the usual B movie sci-fi horror crap that's been out in the cinemas this year. There were decent squirm effects and gore and a nice touch of tongue in cheek humour too. The cinematography was cool and eerie and the brooding atmosphere had echoes of The Thing and Near Dark (although it's nothing like The Thing) I thought the acting and direction were assured. I Liked the twist at the end too. Don't listen to some of the other reviewers on this forum as I doubt that they have actually seen the film.

Somewhere near the arctic circle scientists happen upon a mammoth, frozen in the ice. As it turns out the age-old creature itself maybe dead, but inside the mammoth there's something very alive...

"The Thaw" is following in the footsteps of "The Thing" (isolation scenario) and "Slither" (disgusting bugs). Clearly showing its low budget the movie still manages to get all its effects good enough to be convincing and its mostly unknown acting-ensemble pulls off their respective characters nicely. Val Kilmer does an OK job - something to be considered a pleasant surprise these days. If you are a fan of his, know that Kilmer gets only little screen time.

To me "The Thaw" really delivered. Just like "Splinter" it's one of those small productions that make you shiver and cringe by what you see on screen as much as by making you imagine how it would be to be confronted with the horrors they show you. Instead of "Highlight-Reel-Slashing" and a scare now and then you get constant terror till the end and a depressingly desperate and hopeless scenario.

Was everything great about "The Thaw"? No. But all it's shortcomings never hinder the emotional impact of the movie which is what I think movies are all about. I think the prominent (pushy) Global Warming theme of the movie has put some viewers off so much that they don't give this little gem enough credit.

Although it may resemble "The Thing" and "The Last Winter" the resemblance is superficial; those both relied on the audience feeling things (paranoia and dread, respectively)

Actually its closer to "Ghost Rig" and "Deep Freeze" and surpasses both easily. Gorehounds will probably be satisfied with many cringe-inducing scenes of which some almost enter gross-out territory. With critters burrowing into people that should be expected.

The characters however are almost caricatures and it quickly becomes apparent, with one exception I'm not spoiling, who will survive or die. That made the story kinda predictable but if you're into splatter flicks it might be worth renting.

A Ghosthouse Underground film with Aaron Ashmore from Smallville and Val Kilmer from Batman Forever. Batman, Jimmy Olsen and friends take on a prehistoric parasite that distroys every living thing in its path. A parasite that bites people and lays eggs under their skin. The parasite was frozen underground until now. N...ow it is unleashed and it will devour anything in its path including a pollar bear. With the threat of global warming is it possible for something like that to be unleashed. This film is a great companion peace to Cabin Fever with all of the infections, the big differerce is that people are infected by reanimated bugs not tainted toxic water. Both films are made to make statements about the polluted world around us. This film was amazing with all of the visual effects and make up. People cutting off limbs and getting strange infections after bugs have planted their eggs under their skin. A film full of scum bags and backstabbers fighting for their lives. A absolute guilty pleasure

There are many films which warn of Global Warming, this is one. In this movie called " The Thaw ", a research scientist, Dr. David Kruipen (Val Kilmer) working in the Artic discovers a prehistoric Wooly Mammoth frozen in ice. The bad news, as it begins to thaw, he also releases a deadly contiguous parasite which devours any host within hours. Into this hostile environment, a group of research students have come to help him including his daughter. One by one the students become aware of the parasite's deadly effect as each is exposed. Soon the entire station is under attack from the deadly creature and it becomes alarming just to survive. There is a substantial list of criticism aimed at this film, beginning with it major star. Val Kilmer is perceived as a major attraction with some of the finest movie roles in his past achievements. Time has elapsed and we now see him in shallow low budget films such as this one and ask why? The story is grudgingly plausible, but there is much lacking. Was this suppose to be a ecological awakening or a standard horror movie? In either case, it fell short. It does have a few interesting points in its favor, but are tiny in comparison with its detriments. As a result, Mr. Kilmer has traded his star status for trinkets and simple Waupun and like the film, it's sad. **