There's only one type of movies that I personally appreciate even more than dark & disturbing horror films, and those are factual thrillers based on real-life serial killers. The reasons for this are simple; the disturbed minds of actual maniacs are often far more engrossing than anything scriptwriters could come up with and these films are almost automatically suspenseful & dramatic because you know it involved the suffering of real victims and their families. Some of the most harrowing and unpleasant films ever made are inspired by real serial killers, including "Henry: Portrait of a serial killer", "The Honeymoon Killers", "10 Rillington Place" and "The Tenderness of Wolves". Ever since I found out of its existence I wanted to see "The Frozen Ground" because this is also based on one of the most depraved killers in American history. Robert C. Hansen raped and murdered approximately 30 women in Alaska from the seventies until the early eighties. One of Hansen's peculiar trademarks included that he often took the girls to remote forestry locations, where he set them free and hunted them down like game. Debuting writer/director Scott Walker chose to stick very close to the facts, and wisely so. The events as they occurred are terrifying enough already and don't need any sensational twists or additional sub plots. "The Frozen Ground" begins with the discovery of a handcuffed and severely traumatized young girl named Cindy Paulson. Her escape and testimonies eventually led to Hansen's conviction, but the film specifically depicts that it took a frustratingly long time before the Alaska State Troopers could arrest him. In spite of several run-ins with the law before, Robert Hansen was considered a respectable citizen of Anchorage, with a lovely wife and two sons, while his victims were merely lewd girls.
"The Frozen Ground" isn't a very spectacular film, but it thrives on genuine tension and superior acting performances. The tension primarily comes from the facts, but also from the uniquely desolate Alaskan filming locations and weather conditions. I visited Alaska some years ago, including Anchorage and Seward, and – depending on the circumstances – it is either the most beautiful or the most sinister place on earth. In this case, it's sinister of course. For a debuting and inexperienced director like Scott Walker it also must have been amazing to be able to work with Nicolas Cage and John Cusack. Regardless of what anyone says, I still rank Cage among the greatest actors currently active, and his performance here is very subtle and professional. Even more impressive is Vanessa Hudgens' performance as the escaped victim Cindy Paulson. I never heard about Hudgens before, but apparently she's a former Disney Club starlet, so good for her that she demonstrates a wider range of talent. Perhaps the absolute most praiseworthy role comes from John Cusack. It's never easy to depict a serial killer but Cusack does it exactly right, as his performance of Robert Hansen effectively balances between intimidating and pitiable. The end credit bring a respectable tribute to the victims, that they may not be forgotten.
