Review of The Frozen Ground (2013) by Todd N — 05 Sep 2013

The Frozen Ground is a watchable movie but it isn't an overly good one which is disappointing as it is based on a horrific true story with a lot of cinematic potential. The film is based upon events involving the Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen from the early 1980s (although he'd been abducting, killing and burying young women since 1971 and its been alleged he had 21 slain victims) who was caught in late-1983 after one of his abducted victims -- a teenage girl named Cindy Paulson -- escaped and made her way to authorities and reported Hansen.

Although the girl's testimony wasn't taken as gospel and the authorities waited to make any arrests because they believed the named suspect was too meek and timid to be a serial killer. Ahem. For real.

These events are all depicted in The Frozen Ground as the film follows an Alaskan State Trooper, Sgt. Jack Halcombe (Nicolas Cage - The Rock, Leaving Las Vegas) who actually believes Miss Paulson (Vanessa Hudgens - Spring Breakers, Sucker Punch) and is worried about her safety just in case her abductor still wants her dead.

The quiet-crazy psycho killer is played by John Cusack (High Fidelity, One Crazy Summer) who does have some menacing glares here. His killer here is a bit more restrained and somber when compared to the last crazy killer he played in last year's The Paperboy.

Cage might not have a single over-the-top theatrical moment in The Frozen Ground as he plays Sgt. Halcombe as a respectable straight-shooter ... and it is nice seeing that Cage can still do tranquil. This is the directing debut for Scott Walker (not that one) and it is adequate for a first-timer.

The film gets most of the gist of the story correct and the acting is all credible but the pacing is a bit off and there is little actual suspense. It feels a bit more like a TV movie than a theatrical one but all directors have to start somewhere and there are many who probably wish their first one could be this "good".