Review of The Frozen Ground (2013) by Eyal D — 25 Oct 2013

More grim and gruesome than dark and atmospheric. Although there's plenty of ambience in TFG, mostly of the Alaskan cold kind, the film's real strength lies in its showcasing of one of the more recent, better low-key performances from Nicolas Cage and an against-type part for Cusack as a real life serial killer.

TFG is so matter-of-fact that it is hard to actually enjoy, especially given that it is "inspired by the incredibly true story," a pedigree that, in fact, works against it. As a result of being true to its source material, there's little opportunity for layered character development in this discomforting film, and as a thriller, it is devoid of any complexity or depth that made the fictional SILENCE OF THE LAMB, a piece of art.