Movie Review: ‘FROZEN’

I was skeptical about this film. I will have to admit. I’m a big fan of Adam Green, more for what he did for Spiral then what he did with Hatchet. I liked Hatchet and thought it was fun but a little over hyped. I am looking forward to Hatchet 2, but that’s not what we are discussing. We are talking about Frozen. Frozen is the story of three friends on a ski trip for the weekend that have intentions of getting onto the ski lift without having to pay the high ticket price. As a person who snowboards, I totally get why you would try because of the outrageous rates. Though, sometimes being a little too greedy can get you in a whole lot of trouble. Trouble that is so intense that it could lead to a cold and miserable death.

Editor’s Note: WARNING – Some spoilers ahead

Frozen stars Emma Bell (Final Destination 5, The Walking Dead), Kevin Zegers (Dawn of The Dead, Wrong Turn), and Shawn Ashmore (X-Men, The Ruins). The two guys, Dan and Joe, normally hit a weekend retreat at one of their favorite mountains for some ski and snowboarding action. Dan has a new girlfriend (Bell) named Parker that has been occupying a lot of his time lately. Joe is happy to get Dan away until he finds out Parker is accompanying them on the trip. The boys use Parker’s presence to their advantage as they convince her to go to the ski lift operator to con him into letting her hitch some free rides on the lift for a little monetary bribe. Of course he obliges because who can turn down a pretty face, right? After a couple of rides on the bunny slopes so that Parker could work on her snowboarding technique, they have some lunch. They soon decide after complaining and bickering from Joe about Parker ruining their trip that they would go out for one more run. Now it’s late and it’s almost time for the mountain to close but they convince the same lift operator again to let them up for their final run. I have no idea how this guy still has a job because obviously he is a push over and I’m sure would let any cutie up with no reserve whatsoever. Earlier on their first run, they encounter a small delay by the lift which had them stopped for a short while but eventually resumed. The unfortunate thing for the three is this time when the lift stops it’s not because of a mechanical error, it is because of human error. The operator got called in to speak to his boss and had another watch the lift. When the co-worker asks is anyone still up he fails to mention that he just sent three people up the lift but instead tells him that he has three coming down. The problem is that there are three guys snowboarding while our three are going up the lift and of course the new operator thinks these are the last few and turns off the machine to close up the mountain for the day. Thinking it’s another mechanical error like earlier, the three wait for a while sorting through reasons of why this happens all the time and keeping Parker calm that it will eventually be over. One of my favorite quotes from the movie is by Joe when he looks at Dan and says “What happened to night skiing anyway?” I’ll tell you what happened to night skiing, three bratty kids that have no business riding a lift at the end of the night are about to soon realize that maybe they should have cut their evening short.

After half an hour or so panic starts to set in with the three This is where Green and staff excel. See earlier in the review when I said I was skeptical about this movie it had to do with a film that’s a little similar to this concept called Open Water. I hated that film and never plan on watching it or the sequel ever again. What makes this movie different is, plain and simple, an excellent cast and a very well written screenplay. The pace of the film is good as well. I had a friend that watched this with me ask, “How long is this movie?” because they were thinking the same thing I was that we maybe in for two hours of three people on a lift arguing with each other. Not the case at all. Instead the characters realize they are in some trouble because if they are stranded, the mountain does not reopen again until the end of the week! Mr. Kane Hodder makes a cameo in the movie as an employee that is out taking care of the mountain but is told to come back in due to a heavy storm that is on the way.  He drives his vehicle directly under the three but fail to see them. When told to leave the area, he backs up and doesn’t notice they are throwing things down to him on the ground. Unfortunately, one of the items that falls is Parkers glove. Dan being ever so optimistic believes their only chance is to jump which is amazing because while watching the film I was thinking the same thing. What’s wrong with that idea is they are seventy-five feet up in the air! But after brief consideration and rejection from the other two, Dan decides it is the only chance they have and he, well, jumps! Not the best thing to do as he lands feet down first and breaks his legs on impact. It’s one of those parts in a movie when you say to yourself, “I know he didn’t, oh my god yes he did,” and then most people look away so they don’t see the aftermath. Not me though, because if you know Adam Green’s work then you know he has no problem with blood and gore and it does not disappoint and this is no exception.

Now the film takes a turn because not only must they get off the lift but now Joe and Parker need to find a way to help Dan who is bleeding to death below them. Then if matters can’t get any worse, the mountain is occupied by a pack of wolves that probably haven’t seen this much fresh meat in ages. The wolves commence to tear Dan apart limb from limb as Joe distracts Parker from watching so she doesn’t see her boyfriend becoming a wolf buffet. After Dan’s death, tension starts to build between the two as Parker places the blame of Dan’s death on Joe saying he should have stopped him. She also insinuates that she wishes it was him. They soon realize that it’s not worth the fighting and they must find a way to get off the lift as frost bite is also becoming a problem for them to handle. By this point of the film I’m locked in and wondering what’s next. You assume that someone will make it but it is so hard to tell because of the great job they do of building the sense of despair, that there is no way the two of them are going to survive this. Before Dan died he informed Joe that the only way he could make it off is to climb the lift cord to a post that has a ladder attached to it that he can use to climb down. After many failed attempts due to the cord shredding Joe’s hands they give up for the night and pass out not aware of what the next day can bring.

In a state of desperation, Joe moves again to get himself over to the post as complete frost bite has taken over Parker whom fell asleep with her hand on the crossbar has to rip her hand off because it was frozen to the bar. It’s just great because every time you think it can’t get any worse for these kids, boom it does. With the wolves back for more, Joe makes his way across to the post and makes it down to the ladder and goes for help while the pack is on his trail. After hours of nothing Parker is left all alone and is unsure what to do. Good thing for her that while Joe was trying to get off the chair his weight stripped a bolt holding the chair up and it’s just a matter of time before it gives. Pretty soon it does and Parker gets flipped over the crossbar and hangs onto the chair for her dear life. The bolt breaks even more and the chair drops down to an almost crash then eventually does land on Parkers leg. Unable to walk she makes the climb down the mountain to freedom looking out for the wolves. I’ll stop right there because I’ve spoiled enough of the movie and it’s one that I want you to see.

This film has a Hitchcock type feel to it because it immediately puts you in the mind frame of human survival where you ask yourself what to do next.  The film was so intense, there were patrons at certain movie theatres during its limited release that fainted because they could not handle the tension. This movie gets my nod for a best of for 2010 and it makes me happy that an American director can come up with great concepts and make a very pleasing movie to horror goers here in the USA. This flick hits the DVD shelves this Tuesday the 28^th and I strongly recommend you check it out and even add it to your collection.