From the start, you can tell that "The Frozen Ground" has some competency behind it. The slow, eerie shots of the snowy Alaskan climate during the opening credits immediately instill a sense of foreboding, and set a good precedent for the atmosphere of the film as a whole. The loud, booming score adds to the atmosphere, creating a pervading sense of dread that lingers from scene to scene. And the acting from the main cast is excellent, with Vanessa Hudgens especially giving a standout, show stealing performance. "The Frozen Ground" has been crafted with care, and an obvious passion in regards to the story being told - which is fantastic, as it adds a layer of watchability onto what would otherwise be a mediocre film.
Director and writer Scott Walker obviously has an affinity for the subject matter, and deeply cares about getting this story out into the mainstream. And what is the story? "The Frozen Ground" tells the real-life tale of killer Robert Hansen, played by John Cusack in the film, and specifically the story of how he was brought to justice. Robert Hansen was especially prolific, murdering upwards of 17 girls throughout his life; the film covers his career as a serial killer right as the walls are closing in on him because of the fact that one of his victims, Cindy Paulson, played by Vanessa Hudgens, escaped his clutches. "The Frozen Ground" follows Cindy as she partners with Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe, portrayed by Nicolas Cage, to try to catch Robert before he can kill again. It's a true, tragic story - but does it work well on film? In my opinion, yes.
Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and Vanessa Hudgens give fantastic performances, with Vanessa being the fiery, emotional character, while Nic and John take a more quiet and reserved approach for the most part. All of them elevate this material above what it would've been if in the hands of less capable actors, making even the most cliched lines effective and believable. The movie moves along as you'd expect, never throwing in too many surprises or curveballs. However, the acting from the main trio is so good, that you can't help but be glued to the screen. Vanessa especially gives a vulnerable performance that I could have seen getting some award recognition, if the movie was more widely known.
The movie takes on a handheld directing style, which I found very effective for the material. It wasn't overly shaky like something Paul Greengrass would create; instead, it's just shaky enough to add a sense of realism, pseudo-documentarism, and intensity to each scene. Also, the movie moves at a very brisk pace, making it impossible to be bored. I can honestly say that I was constantly entertained while watching this movie, never pausing to check my phone or get up from the couch once. That said, the quick pacing does make the beginning of the movie feel slightly rushed, but I imagine that was to throw the viewers into the chaos that the police suddenly found themselves in.
There were some things about this movie that I didn't like - tonally, there were points of inconsistency. For example, for a movie that takes such a serious approach to the topic at hand, I didn't appreciate a scene where we saw a woman pole-dance, the camera lingering on her body. While it made sense thematically, I found it exploitative and inappropriate. Additionally, 50 Cent was in this movie wearing a hairstyle so ridiculous that every time he was on screen the movie felt like it was turning into a parody. Also, as I mentioned earlier, there was some cliched dialogue in here that probably could've been script doctored to a more believable degree. That said, the actors deliver their lines with intensity and professionalism, and so the cheesy dialogue didn't bother me too much.
"The Frozen Ground" is a surprisingly good true crime film, with Cusack, Cage, and Hudgens giving amazing performances - when Cage and Cusack are in the same scene, they demolish the screen, and the film is worth watching just to see them together. This may not be the freshest crime movie out there, but if you're at all a fan of this genre, this is definitely worth your time.
Director and writer Scott Walker obviously has an affinity for the subject matter, and deeply cares about getting this story out into the mainstream. And what is the story? "The Frozen Ground" tells the real-life tale of killer Robert Hansen, played by John Cusack in the film, and specifically the story of how he was brought to justice. Robert Hansen was especially prolific, murdering upwards of 17 girls throughout his life; the film covers his career as a serial killer right as the walls are closing in on him because of the fact that one of his victims, Cindy Paulson, played by Vanessa Hudgens, escaped his clutches. "The Frozen Ground" follows Cindy as she partners with Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe, portrayed by Nicolas Cage, to try to catch Robert before he can kill again. It's a true, tragic story - but does it work well on film? In my opinion, yes.
Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and Vanessa Hudgens give fantastic performances, with Vanessa being the fiery, emotional character, while Nic and John take a more quiet and reserved approach for the most part. All of them elevate this material above what it would've been if in the hands of less capable actors, making even the most cliched lines effective and believable. The movie moves along as you'd expect, never throwing in too many surprises or curveballs. However, the acting from the main trio is so good, that you can't help but be glued to the screen. Vanessa especially gives a vulnerable performance that I could have seen getting some award recognition, if the movie was more widely known.
The movie takes on a handheld directing style, which I found very effective for the material. It wasn't overly shaky like something Paul Greengrass would create; instead, it's just shaky enough to add a sense of realism, pseudo-documentarism, and intensity to each scene. Also, the movie moves at a very brisk pace, making it impossible to be bored. I can honestly say that I was constantly entertained while watching this movie, never pausing to check my phone or get up from the couch once. That said, the quick pacing does make the beginning of the movie feel slightly rushed, but I imagine that was to throw the viewers into the chaos that the police suddenly found themselves in.
There were some things about this movie that I didn't like - tonally, there were points of inconsistency. For example, for a movie that takes such a serious approach to the topic at hand, I didn't appreciate a scene where we saw a woman pole-dance, the camera lingering on her body. While it made sense thematically, I found it exploitative and inappropriate. Additionally, 50 Cent was in this movie wearing a hairstyle so ridiculous that every time he was on screen the movie felt like it was turning into a parody. Also, as I mentioned earlier, there was some cliched dialogue in here that probably could've been script doctored to a more believable degree. That said, the actors deliver their lines with intensity and professionalism, and so the cheesy dialogue didn't bother me too much.
"The Frozen Ground" is a surprisingly good true crime film, with Cusack, Cage, and Hudgens giving amazing performances - when Cage and Cusack are in the same scene, they demolish the screen, and the film is worth watching just to see them together. This may not be the freshest crime movie out there, but if you're at all a fan of this genre, this is definitely worth your time.