Review of The Frozen Ground (2013) by Zachary N — 02 Jan 2014

"The Frozen Ground" is based on the true story of Alaskan detective Glenn Flothe (called Sgt. Jack Halcombe in the film). Halcombe (Nicolas Cage) sets out to end the murderous rampage of Robert Hansen (John Cusack), a serial killer who has silently stalked the streets of Anchorage for more than 13 years. As the bodies of Anchorage women start to add up, Halcombe goes on a personal manhunt to find the killer. When 17-year-old Cindy Paulson (Vanessa Hudgens) escapes Hansen's unspeakable violence, she believes the law will take him down. Instead she finds herself, once again, fighting for her life. With Paulson as his only ally, Halcombe is determined to bring the serial killer to justice...

I was not familiar with the real-life 1980s Alaskan hunt for the serial killer Robert Hansen. He stalked and murdered between 17 and 21 young women, kidnapping them and taking them out to the Alaskan wilderness where he shot and buried them. I reckon these sort of stories have some sort of frightening vibe to them and at the same time an intriguing feeling that makes you want to know how things actually happened. But, at the same time a movie like this has a surprising factor of zero in most cases and that goes for "The Frozen Ground" too. Cage is ok as Halcombe (but nothing more). Cusack is yet again doing a character in the shades of life after "The Paperboy", and he succeeds here as well. The stunning Hudgens is going from clarity to clarity, but I still think she was a tad bit better in "Spring Breakers". "The Frozen Ground" is ok, but nothing more.