Frozen (limited)
| release date | February 5 2010 |
| studio | Anchor Bay |
| director | Adam Green |
| writer | Adam Green |
| starring | Kevin Zegers, Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore |
| rating | R |
| tagline | No One Knows You're Up There! |
| site | frozen-film.com |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
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I was lucky enough to see this today while in Universal Studios for the day. I loved it, although I did think it was a tad overhyped. I appreciated the fact that the gore was sort of ‘rationed’ for lack of a better word, used sparingly in some parts and more generously in others. It added to the effect. I think it is also worth saying that Adam Green should be commended for not loading this up with CGI.
first off.. people who havent seen it and are making fun of the trailer have no idea what the final product of the movie is like.. people are saying it looks so dumb, unrealistic, laughable.. they are completely wrong and they need to honestly shut the fuck up.. this is one extremely intense realistic movie.. i was expecting a fun ride but I never thought this film would be this grueling and intense..
The acting – i love the fact that they chose 3 no name actors for this film.. all 3 of these actors did a great believable job and they never made me feel like they were actually acting.. if these moments did occur to someone in real life.. people would of acted the exact same way.. they facial expressions given off there faces were enough to make me eyes widen with terror.. Dialogue given was well suitable.. and it was needed to break some of the tension during the entire movie.. Shawn Ashmore did a great job.. Kevin Zegers ( looks identical to Zack Efron) also did a great job.. and the girl who I don’t know her name did an outstanding job.. you could actually feel her pain.
The direction – just perfect.. no complaints.. everything was set up perfectly.. The director came up with tons of ideas to torture these 3 characters.. no idea ever became stale or cheesy.. How often do you see a movie where you “actually” want the characters to survive..
Another huge plus of the movie was the music score.. it added another level of intensity.. this wasn’t some score some guy came up with.. the score was actually fleshed out perfectly for all scenes..
The violence in the movie was very hard to handle because the characters were likable.. not bad people.. best friends.. watching them struggle through this film was rough.. There is some really gross images that made me cringe. There was a time I looked over at my brother during this film and he looked like he was about to have a heart attack.. his arms were over his head gripping the back of his chair.. For me.. I don’t feel like a movie has been this intense since Eden Lake..
I can see exactly why this was a huge hit at sundance.. people who are judging this movie without seeing it are just stupid and they are going to miss out on possibly on the best suspense/horror this year.. and yes… we are only in february.. if its not the best then it will definetely be in the top 5 suspense/thriller/horror this year.. hands down.. not saying the movie have flaws but when something this rare comes along.. its hard not to give it a perfect score.
All i can say is that Adam Green is an absolute monster.. he impressed me with Hatchet.. impressed me again with Spiral.. and then just killed me with Frozen… BRING ON HATCHET 2… CAN’T WAIT
First off, everything once the ski lift stops was grade A. The way it was directed, the acting, the suspense, and the things I can’t get specific on because I don’t want to give away any twists. My only criticism was everything before that. The actors all seemed awkward with each other in the first 20 minutes. The dialogue seemed to come from bad improvising. And the actors seemed like they were channeling every young actor in a bad horror film. But once the plot kicked in they stepped their game up and the movie went from, “Who talks like this?” to “I can’t believe that just happened!” I highly recommend it as long as you can forgive the mini One Tree Hill episode in the beginning.
This will be short and simple…
The movie was hands down worth the 21 bucks for my girlfriend and I to watch. The story is on point, the acting is on point…directing and everything. There was maybe like 2 minutes out of the little over hour and a half flick that slowed the movie down but other than that it really was a good movie. For as much as you can do with 3 characters stuck on a ski lift it was good. It’s one of those movies that when you watch you’re like…”true…” or “yeah that’s about right…” I also dug it much more too because the whole time my girlfriend was like…”what would you do?” and all I replied with was….”that’s about pretty much what I’d do.” It’s very realistic too it’s not like over the top oh that shit wouldn’t happen type movie either….it’s a good flick defiantly catch it if it’s playing around you.
http://www.indee.tv/films/view/my-brothers-keeper-2/
This is such a simple movie.
But… great acting, great dialogue that really made the audience feel for the characters, SUSPENSE, tension, and pace.
The ending surprised me as well, I was expecting more of a The Mist/The Canyon type ending.
Adam Green is on the road to becoming one of the best horror directors out there.
I loved Hatchet, loved Frozen.
What would I do? This rolled through my mind constantly, the dread took hold and never let up. The fact this was shot all in a practical location, not inside a warehouse with a green screen and white painted corn flakes for snow slams home how real it all is.
What would I do?
I’ll skip the slopes and see this one again.
This film is very effective in so many ways. Aside from the horrible performance by the director’s girlfriend, the acting by the main three is almost pitch perfect. Emma Bell and Shawn Ashmore really stand out. There are moments that I actually felt myself on the verge of shedding a tear and I’m one cynical mofo. I respect the fact that they shot this film practically, and while it had some nice shots, the look of the film was bland and boring. Otherwise, I liked Frozen. It’s a nice addition to original horror.
We are LUCKY enough to live in Chicago and we got to see this movie opening night in the theater! This movie is Phenomenal! Its refreshing to see a movie like this being made these days. I agree with the saying ‘This will do for skiing what Jaws did for swimming’! Frozen went above and beyond our expectations (and they were high already since we are fans of Adam and Hatchet)! Adam could easily be crowned the new king of the horror genre! Go see this film if you can its worth every penny and second of your time!!
I just saw this movie and I loved it. It was really well put together and I thought it was amazing. And I now will never go on a ski lift at night haha. Everyone I was in the theater with was was enjoying the movie.
Adam Green’s Frozen truly shocked me. Having previously seen Hatchet, I knew that Adam was a good director (although Hatchet was heavily flawed), but not nearly THIS good. Frozen offers well rounded and likeable characters, fantastic acting, some intense and incredible dialogue (towards the end), and a realistic well paced story. You will truly be rooting for the characters to survive this situation, and the film never feels boring or stupid. People should REALLY check out this movie instead of seeing mainstream films like the Saw series. Frozen is one of the best of its genre (survival drama/horror) and shows that Adam Green is a name to look out for!
I’m not jumping up and down for this one but I thought it was a very well done survival/thriller that had some shocking, gruesome scenes as well as some thrills and definitely chills. The acting was pretty decent but the stand out here is newcomer Emma Bell who gave an heartbreaking performance as one of the stranded skiers on a ski lift, man I felt all of her pain. I thought the director did a great job using different techniques with the camera and used his one location effectively that makes you think and feel that you’re right there with them on that ski lift, the thought just terrifies me but doesn’t make me fear going skiing just makes me think twice about going on a ski lift. I think it’s a tad overrated saying it does for skiing what Jaws did for swimming, not really and to be honest it’s more Open Water than Jaws just with more action and a different situation, sorry it just didn’t put the fear in me, it just had me feeling sorry for them and rooting for them than actually being scared. It will have you thinking throughout questioning what would you do in that situation, what lengths would you go in order to survive and some of it to me wasn’t plausible while other scenes were very realistic and will have you on the edge of your seat. What makes this so special is the fact that they took a simple idea and went to great lengths to make it powerful and had three leads that could be anyone’s friend, sister, brother, lover and it makes you feel for them even more and makes the whole situation more unsettling and shattering with some scenes that will make you a little teary eyed, good effort. This film actually has a heart and is refreshing from most horror offerings lately but it’s more of a drama/thriller and I can’t wait to see what director Adam Green has up his sleeve next! Overall it could of had a slightly better conclusion and I don’t think it’s going to be the best genre flick of the year because I just don’t see that happening but if you want to see something different, new and bone chilling go support Adam Green’s latest effort Frozen, though more of a renter on a snowy night to me. Recommended!
This movie forced me to reassess my initial reaction to Adam Green. I truly disliked “Hatchet” but Green has redeemed himself in my eyes with this film. I’ll be eager to see how this filmmaker grows and learns but “Frozen” is a real step in the right direction. Where “Hatchet” was blunt, brainless and poorly written, “Frozen” is suspenseful, thoughtful and restrained. I thought the actors really rose to the occasion and that the perilous physical landscape was created efficiently and realistically. More importantly, I didn’t find myself cursing the characters for their idiotic behavior — everything they do in the film makes sense under the circumstances. This is a real gem. I’m lucky I got to see it on the big screen
This movie is awesome. It was what I hoped “Open Water” would be like and never was. It is so simple, but tense!! I was cringing throughout the whole thing. I certainly will never go skiing again without thinking about this movie. Go see it! I loved it.
Pretty cool movie. Do not be fooled though, this is not even remotely scary. Yeah maybe it will scare you if you actually ski. It is deft tense, some pretty cool gore scenes. But the movie isn’t suppose to be gory. It plays on your nerves. Like Mr. Digusting he said it got under his skin. Not me though. It didn’t leave me feeling much of anything. It was pretty good though. Not the best movie Adam Green did, Spiral was one of his best films so far. And of course hatchet. But be warned this movie is very very slow going.
Just saw Frozen and I must say I was quite impressed. Good character development, nice special effects, and great tension. I thought it was awesome how Adam Green used real wolves and didn’t fall into the uncontrollable urge that producers have to use CGI nowadays. Don’t be fooled…this movie IS good. Go see it.
Bad acting, bad writing and they should have called it Wolven!
bad ass, pretty much sums up this movie and adam green…. bring on hatchet 2
After seeing the trailer and reading the review (and others) on BD I decided to make the trip to Toronto to see this in theatres. Overall, I enjoyed the film but like other users said one thing that bugged me was that the scenery is kinda bland. However, the dialogue and events before getting stranded up on the lift were great, even up until what happens to Dan which got me really into it. After that I found it kind of dragged on a while, although still mildly entertaining from dialogue, I was waiting “something” else to happen. Then comes the ending, which like I thought was well done and finished this little ride up nicely.
I will NEVER dout a Movie by its cover
I really enjoyed this movie. Like most people, I went in wondering how they could make a movie about three people stuck on a chairlift. If you’re into a lot of gore than this isn’t for you, but it is definitely tension filled. I can’t wait to see this guys next movie.
Just watched this and what can I say, great!! It was tense and I loved they didn’t “show” everything. Just hearing whats going on can be amazingly scary! Not one to miss!
Who would have thought, a movie Mr. Douche thought was GREAT would turn out to be one of dumbest and most predictable “films” ever. and the line from Braddy girls review “Frozen is quite simply terrifying. It will do for skiing what Jaws did for swimming.” Did you think that up yourself? you didn’t get it from 3000 other reviews for shitty movies?
If you made it past 20 minutes of this MOVIE, congrats you are legally retarded. this sad excuse for moving film shouldn’t have lasted longer than 5 minutes.Seeing as how anyone with a full functioning brain would have gotten out of this in 10 minutes, if you thought it as good or great you must actually be a Special Person.
Last time i watch a moving picture show that Brad Piska says is good. To bad he wasn’t a real HORROR fan.
Excellent movie, well paced and well acted. It didn’t excite me as much as some reviews said it would but i still really enjoyed it.
I was lucky enough to meet Adam Green at Frightfest and he was uber cool, he spent alot of time with the fans and told us about some of his up and coming projects, which sound awesome so watch this space and horror as a new saviour.
HATCHET ARMY!!
Brutal, shocking and surprising. I have waited a long time to watch Frozen and I was far from disappointed. I have never been skiing myself so thought I was going to find it difficult to empathize with the characters. I Was soo wrong. You will them on through the entire movie and genuinely feel for them. The acting was believable , the movie and direction well paced.
The action starts after 15 mins of character building and does not slow down from that point on, building tension at a steady pace with some genuinely shocking moments to boot. You feel the cold, angst and complete helplessness for these unfortunate souls until the final frame of the movie.
Adam Green should be praised for making such a simple yet effective chiller (pardon the pun) I wish this had a theatrical release in the Uk as the cinematography would have looked stunning on the big screen. I urge people not to watch the trailer for Frozen as I feel it could potentially ruin some of the main set pieces.
One of my favorite movies of the year so far, just Bloody Brilliant!! 9/10
I can’t deny that Green has crafted a truly suspenseful film. The moment when our trio is stuck in the chairlift and the lights begin shutting off one by one as the crew closes up for the night is truly nerve-wracking. I haven’t squirmed like that since I was thirteen and watching Jennifer Connelly attempting to hack up poison in Argento’s “Phenomena”.
After that, the film continues to build the tension to unbearable heights. That for me, is it’s ultimate problem. I found myself almost unable to watch the film. For a majority of it’s running time, the characters are given no glimmer of hope. That means us as the audience are being asked to just wait for these people to die.
Since the characters and the performances of the actors are so strong, the situation came off as simply cruel. There’s no fun to be had in this horror show. I’m certainly not one to think all horror should be a rowdy good time, but this film just upset me. It’s like the “Sophie’s Choice” of horror movies.
“Frozen” is expertly crafted and despite what I’ve said, I do recommend it. It isn’t an easy film to sit through but one that should be appreciated from an artistic stand point. I wasn’t really a fan of the mindless “Hatchet”, but I hope Adam Green can apply the masterful use of tension he’s displayed here to something with a bit more of a payoff for his viewers.
brutal and suspenseful movie,but a little boring.
I went into this thinking it was going to suck even though im an Adam Green fan. It def surprised me. I think Adam Green really proves that he knows what hes doing.
Now onto the movie. It was alot better then I though but not great. I think Adam did as much as you could with the whole stuck on a chairlift idea. I don’t think many people could have made it any better. One thing that bothered me is the character didn’t use their brains. They could have prevented a couple major things that happened. Check it out if your a big Adam Green fan or even a skier.
Wow. I was blown away by this film. Such a shame it didn’t get a wider release. I would have loved to have seen it in theaters. While not very gory, there were several sequences in the film that were extremely hard to sit thru, and I’ll admit, I turned away a couple of times. Every single loophole my friends and I tried to find in this film was immediately covered by a great plot, which was highly believable and all too realistic. More films like this need to be made! HIGHLY RECCOMENDED.
Decent original idea, but just over all terrible. What is up with the fucking wolves, if this didn’t have blood in it, it would have just been another run of the mill drama movie. This damn thing was almost Sci Fi channel quality. I enjoyed Hatchet but Adam Green dropped a few notches to me. People can talk shit about the films Zombie makes but at least he makes actual HORROR movies and not damn films about wolves eating people. I was expecting something great along the lines of Cabin Fever with tension between the characters, I wanted the chicks flesh to just keep getting worse and peel off. I would have even been happy at the end if she just had a dream about being rescued. As you can tell yes I’m still very mad at myself for watching this film. WOLVES, FUCKING WOLVES REALLY??????????????????????????????????????
I dont know what PatrickBateman87 is talking about, I thought this movie was intensely creepy and nervewracking. The suspense and tension are great and the wolves were by no means a bad addition. Real ones instead of CGI ones a la Gaylight made it even more believable and eery. I cringed more than a few times and it had my attention the whole time. One of few movies i can describe as ‘gripping’. A great movie. Don’t watch it alone.
Damn. Frostbite and blood-thirsty wolves are a bitch. The filmmaker does much with very little in this intense movie.
Not really a horror movie, but definitely full of suspense. You cant help but imagine yourself stuck in the same situation (and thats the horrific part). There was quite a bit of unneeded dialog (although most of it was good) that could of been cut down. This movie kind of seemed like more should of came out of it, but ended up being worth the watch. Those wolves wouldn’t have done that to Kane Hodder. Haha.
Frozen is certainly worth watching. Its a tad slow and than some awesome screen moments suck you back in. If you like suspenseful, tense movies, give it a go.
For those who are looking for a gore fest, slasher film, this isn’t for you. I’ve been anticipating this movie since I first heard about it back in November of ’09. When it was released in January of ’10, much to my disappointed, it wasn’t released anywhere near me, not even in my state. I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for this film to finally be released on DVD to the general public, and it finally was. Normally when you hype about something so much (Cloverfield) it ends up sucking ass (Cloverfield again). That wasn’t the case w/ Frozen. This movie crossed all of my expectations and delivered a thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It’s not horror, it’s more suspense. The way the film was made, it makes you feel as though you are on the lift with them, sitting next to them (I swear I was shivering while I was watching it). This movie is a fantastic film, no matter what the others say. It’s even a tad bit gross, cringe-worthy. I highly recommend it to anyone. It was definitely worth the wait.
I still remember when I first saw the brilliant trailer, the awesome artwork… man, I was sooooo fucking excited about this film. Unfortunately, now that I’ve seen it, I’m pretty disappointed. ‘Frozen’ is just mediocre and wrongfully overrated.
Pros:
The first half is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Terrifically paced and built up, unbelievably atmospheric and suspenseful. The acting is nice, there’s some cool gore, some enjoyable dialogue and a couple of unforgettable scenes (the jump, the light shutdown…).
Cons:
The second half is lame: way too tedious and lengthy, hardly tense or suspenseful, filled with unnecessary and boring dialogue and the ending is pretty underwhelming.
Aside from that it’s illogical, extremely illogical. Whilst watching I was constantly thinking things like “Wait, that doesn’t make sense…”, “Wait, I don’t believe that…”, “Wait, this is impossible…”, “Rubbish!”, “WTF??”, etc…
I don’t wanna go into detail but, seriously:
a first class skiing area that closes on Sunday and opens on Friday?? a first class skiing area that’s packed with wolves?? wolves that attack in broad daylight??? no steam from the mouths in sub zero atmosphere???
Aw c’mon…
Overall, a very, very flawed movie and sure one of the biggest disappointments of the year.
THE FILM IS JUST AMAZING! I don’t usually agree with all the crtics but it is! DO NOT GO INTO THIS MOVIE THINKING ITS A HORROR MOVIE! Look at it as a deeply emotional, dramamtic film with SOME suspense and SOME gore! See it as a TRUE fight for survival! A deeply moving film that goes through a truly horrific experience that is at times, so moving it brings tears to your eyes. A masterpiece if you ask me! Absolutely amazing! Adam Green has done it again FOR SURE!!!!
bad ass flick,i just wish they make more movies like this
Now this is an Intense film right here, extremely well written and directed, with three excellent performances, and you really get attached to these characters throughout the 90′s minutes. Adam Green is really turning into one hell of a fantastic filmmaker, he’s made three films in a row that I’ve loved. I can’t wait to see what he does next. A great Thriller, highley recomended. I can definitley promise one thing, I don’t think I’ll ever be going on a ski-lift in the near future!
Entertaining in a very dark way, but not quite as good as it should have been. I’m sure the movie was made on a tight budget, but at times it looked a little TOO tight! The special effects with the guy on the ground with the broken legs was absolutely laughable, especially when he was trying to move himself. Not to mention you could always tell when they were really shooting on location, vs a studio lot by the magically disappearing cold air breath, and wind rocking the lift. Seriously…a storm scene and the lift sits there like a giant brick, not swaying at all? Freezing to death with zero breath in the wind? Again, a tight budget I’m sure.
But one of my biggest problems was the characters! The acting was ok, but the characters were completely unlikable. The guy with the broken legs? Yeah, he came across as such a smug douche bag that I really didn’t care what happened to him. The others weren’t as bad, but the chick got really annoying. And why the fuck weren’t they zipping up their hoods to protect as much as their face as possible? REALLY? Ok, maybe that was just bad writing.
Not a terrible movie, but I don’t see what all the high scores are for. Worth a rent if you lower your expectations just a touch.
Entertaining most of all. A tale that made me fear a lot more to be hanging on a mountain’s cable car when it stops. It’s a kind of ‘wath-could-happen-to-you-really’ movie. Nice picture, OK acting, lot’s of stupid decisions (mostly the girls part) annoyed me so much, I got mad.
Sitting hanging there, waiting for ‘Santa Claus’ to help them, was a way to develop the all idea of the movie: strugling between jumping to a certain death, wait for help that could never come, and die, try something else, and probably die as well.
Wathever your choice is, dying is the most certain ending.
Interesting.
surprisingly well done, had me grippin the chair a couple times. loved the end,decent acting,great camera work. i dug it.
If you are looking for a gorey, crazy, over-the-top horror flick to fit the mold of most others, than this movie most likely isn’t for you… Though there are some good moments and shots of blood and literally guts…
If you are looking for a suspensful, chair-gripping, REAL, character driven movie, than BAM this is for you!
I absolutly loved this movie and for counting down to its DVD release for months without ever seeing it before, I was NOT disappointed! I was actually frightened at several points and drawn into these characters somuch so I wanted them to get away some how, and the beauty was that this movie wasn’t predicatable! I never really knew what was going to happen next
I could go on and on as to why I liked it, but I will just leave it at “You must go watch this movie and show support for smaller filmmakers who REALLY know how to make a good strong film”!
Wow I was very surprised at how good this movie was. Very well made and very different. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and that doesn’t happen very often. Very good movie, check it out.
I loved this, as stressful as it was. Some of the decisions made by the characters were a little silly but overall I was emotionally invested in these people. Great, simple score and some fantastic cinematography. I forget where I read it (maybe here?) but some review reffered to the mountain as another character and I feel like that’s the best way to put it.
I’m sorry, but this movie was mediocre at best. Acting: blah, Dialogue: horrible, Makeup: unrealistic, First guy’s death scene: hillariously rediculous and stupid! I laughed more then anything else at this movie. I can’t believe the good reviews and 4 1/2 skulls from BD!!!
nice
Cool lil movie…
Better then i thought it would be. I loved hatchet and this is proof that Adam Green wasnt a one hit wonder and can mix it up. Tense good shit!
I havent been drained emotionally by a movie like this since I 1st saw ‘Inside’… and thats saying something. Definitely dont miss this one. Adam G is the man.
I’m with ThingFreak82 – unsure why this is getting so many accolades. Maybe folks haven’t been on a ski hill and a chairlift before so they figured this was real and actually plausible?
Annoying, unlikeable kids that I wanted the wolves (wolves on a ski hill? Seriously?) to eat ASAP – cardboard characters with bad dialogue that make idiotic decisions. Worst part is that it’s just plain boring – the ‘horror’ isn’t gory at all.
I hated it.
Seriously, how do people actually like this? It’s so unrealistic it’s not even funny.
I can go on, but just read my comments in the thread.
Terrible movie!
Stay far away.
Love this flick. Adam Green is the man. For the people who are saying it is unrealistic, um… It’s a movie? Is it that hard?
Frozen takes what could have been a predictable or even laughable idea and milks it for all the intensity it can.
Read more: http://badmovievirus.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/happy-hatchet-day/
I liked this..I saw the DVD release yesterday..I agree that this isnt HORROR but a THRILLER WITH HORROR ELEMENTS… It is plausible that this could happen..Wolves on a SKI MOUNTAIN..possibility..hungry..can smell the blood..yes.. The acting was good..too dramatic at times..I enjoyed this.
i really enjoyed this movie definetly different than Hatchet for Adam Green but really good.
Absolutley loved this movie, one of the better of it’s kind in my opinion. Adam Green has really made a name for himself, and I actually like this film a lot more than Hatchet, which I thought was great. I hope to see more of these type of movies in the future, great job. Must watch if you’re into the survival type horror.
A great movie that comes across realistically and frightening. Plays with emotions and character development that really help express the feeling of helplessness. Great pacing and great acting. Only problem was a bit dull sometimes. But honestly a great ride.
Frozen can be described in two words, Absolutely Terrifying. The atmoshere is incredibly scary and everything about the movie is pure terror. The cinematography is amazing. The acting was alright at best. And the screenplay was lacking a little but other than that, a very well directed horror film. Adam Green knows exactly how to tackle horror. All In All, Frozen is by far the scariest movie i’ve seen this year and probably one of the scariest movies i’ve ever seen.
Very good!
Thought it was very good, for a movie that takes place mostly on a chairlift. I kept putting myself in the chairlift with the characters, and wondering what I would do if I were in that situation.
a very well done realistic, very intense, man vs. nature thriller. it was so unnerving and chilling to watch the characters up there in the ski lift in a scenario that seems believeable. part of the reason why this movie is so intense is because during the whole time im wondering what i would do in that situation. usually i dont like the whole man vs. nature scenarios in movies but i rather enjoyed this one. the movie made me feel very uneasy as i was sitting on my couch watching this film, so kudos to adam green. and another kudos to him for being able to be very versatile in his work,if i didn’t check to see who writes and directs every film that i watch i would have never known that the man who made hatchet made this film. so that’s pretty awesome, hats off to adam green.
what a Great little shocker- I was Not a Big Fan of Hatchet 1 but this film is so well done- i had to pause it LOL Desolate & Very Suspenseful – Cant wait to see what else Green will do next…. Someone give this guy a big budget and set him loose.
Way better than I had expected. I HIGHLY suggest this film for all horror fans.
Great concept, adequate delivery. The fear comes from the isolation and having to determine if it’s better to wait and try to survive, or make a jump and be worse off. Check it out if you’re a fan of Adam Green, sicne it’s a little different than other films he’s done. More information here:
http://thewolfmancometh.com/2010/10/18/frozen-2010/
so good loved every seconed of it!
i totally loved this movie.NOT ur typical horror but some parts really got under my skin.the wolves in daylight was a bit much and i wish they showed the 2nd kill,but all in all i really liked it.
Great to finally see a movie that’s not a sequel or half baked remake. This is terrifying and edge of your seat stuff. The story isn’t the most original but the execution is near flawless. Everything is just so realistic. The characters are extremely likeable (a rarity in horror these days) so when bad things start to happen you are rooting for them, and when bad things really do happen you are shocked and saddened .I thought this would have been boring, as you can’t do much stuck on a ski lift but as their situation becomes more desperate the tension and fear keeps rising. This really is tense stuff. Another surprise is the restraint Adam Green shows in the gore department. There are scenes that could have been bloodbaths but they’re not and the film works better because of it. Also, it’s great to see real life animals used instead of CGI creations. Overall, this should do for skiing what Jaws did for swimming in the ocean. That’s how scary this film is. Big congrats to Green for showing us his more mature film making style. I hope he continues to put stuff out that’s as tense as this.
Not a bloodbath but very real. Hey, it could happen..I live in the mountains and yeah, coyotes and wolves do stalk for food. Thumbs up.
Ahg this movie made me wish i never saw it. Owes me a hour and a half of my life back. The broken bones looked like hot dogs. parts in the plot where very unrealistic. The wolves would have to be absolutely starving or rabid to do that. why didn’t he use his legs also for climbing the wire? Why didn’t the other guy wait for more blizzard to pass so their would be soft powder to land in? Come on, this movie was pointless to me.
Regardless of some wasted dialogue and perhaps lazily done effects/makeup (those broken legs after the fall did look bad–seriously, how hard would it be to make it look a bit more realistic), this was still entertaining just for the premise and situation the punks were in. The suspense of the options rendered, the cold, the frostbite, the potential of being chowed by wolves, etc, does make for an entertaining watch. If you like isolation-type movies where intense decisions have to be made that are life-or-death, then rent it for a night.
i like adam green and i loved this movie. very intense and after watching the special features i loved it even more. got in on blu ray and it was just fabulous
Like Mr. Discussing says… It gets under your skin. Well that is exactly right and nothing else can be said to strain it any further. We’ve all been there in one way or another. Because when something gets under your skin and attacks you from within you can’t do anything but wait and endure tingling rush panic.
I remember my first time skiing in Rockies, it wasn’t in Utah but Colorado has its fair share of frigid heights. I was always more afraid of the chairlifts than the actually skiing itself. The thought of being stuck up there or even facing the idea off falling probes into both of the most common phobias in the world. Claustrophobia and heights. This film is so simple that it’s a masterpiece.
I am a huge fan of blood and gore with a few possible decapitations here and there but sometimes I also enjoy the horror that is splatter free. This film deals well with personal fears in out minds and being in a state of shock is more terrifying than watching a man being chased by a knife. If you can relate then that should make sense. I fell through some ice in a small labyrinth like trail in some frozen cattails near a lake once. It was cold and numbing. No one was there to help either. I recall thinking that I was alone and couldn’t call for anyone so I better move or die. I eventually got out but it was a pretty intense few hours.
This film is great at delivering Horror without the splatter because I sometimes think that true Horror comes from a uncommon setting that fits too close to the comfort zone to call a friend…
This is something worth checking out!
BRAVO
Aside from the alarmingly terrible ending… it was overall pretty good. Definitely a step up from Hatchet. 6.8/10
I hated it! thee was nothing, I mean seeing the wolf acttack im wouldof improved it but you did not see ny gore what so ever, and people said it was jaws in the snow it blood wasent. I dont think i could of been so board in my life. Id rather watch paint dry then watch that agian. The ending was a load of toss too.
I was lucky enough to attend the Scottish premiere at Glasgow Frightfest. A remarkably simple, brilliantly efficient thriller which I found claustrophobic and incredibly tense. A big departure from Adam Green’s previous film Hatchet, I sat on the edge of my seat throughout.
After watching the film, it’s funny to read negative reviews about this film. I think if it was another director, some people wouldn’t have been so hard on it. Hatchet was decent at best, the kill scenes were cool…that’s about it. Moving along to “Frozen” and my respect for Adam Green grows. People expected the film to be a lot gorier and that’s where they get the film totally wrong. This film isn’t about the gore, this film is about the environment and suspense. Someone was upset that they didn’t have smoke comming from there breathe in sub below temperature…haha watch the special features and find out. At the end of the day, I hope Adam Green makes more films like these.
Really good movie. Very intense. I will thinking about this movie for a long time. Must see. Nice appearance by Kane Hodder.
I did not want to see this film in the beginning, I am “highly” afraid of heights and ski lifts are no exception. My curiosity got the better of me, so I watched this film and I did not like it. The characters were not ones I cared about, so I fast forwarded through most of the film and was surprised by the ending. My only thought was that the will to live is very strong.
Pure Garbage, I tried to just ignored the silliness of the plot and just go with the amount of positive reviews this movie had, but… UGH was that stupid and painful to watch… all me and my friends could do during the movie is yell at the stupid choices and actions taken by the main characters. It shows that whoever made the movie never actually went to any country that actually has winter, or ski, or has wolves in it… Movie is utter waste of time.
Ok, maybe I’ve been a little bar-hum-bug of late, let’s face it, it’s more fun to write a bad review, stick your claws in and draw blood than write “Fuck, that was awesome”. Doesn’t leave much room for any further commentary now does it? Ok, so, while Adam Green’s Frozen doesn’t quite fall into the afore mentioned awesome category, I did really like it. I’d have to say that Frozen also redeems Mr. Green for me. I was one of those who couldn’t see what all the fuss was about with Hatchet (nothing happens for half-the-movie!!!). I liked Frozen immediately, that is, in the first handful of shots. Through images and atmos sound alone, a menace is conveyed in regard to the ski lift at the center of this story. No words. No exposition. Actual film-making. You go Mr. Green! The story is a simple and effective one. People stuck in a seemingly futile situation of which the only escape maybe their death. This, of course, describes the basic storyline of thousands of movies, but it’s what you do with it, how you treat it and your audience that matters. The characters are likable but not twee and their banter is reasonable for their age without being like you know, like totally annoying. The biggest asset this film has is the absolutely inescapable position these characters are placed. Not since Open Water has a predicament been so futile… these characters are fucked! Big time! Throw in some hungry wolves in place of sharks just to make things worse and it’s all practically unbearable. The natural acting from our trio in peril adds greatly, they are all uniformly good. For example: when Emma Bell gives a tearful speech concerning her realization that if she were to die her dog back home would starve to death. This could have easily been corny, but is delivered so well that you start to get all worried about her dog too. While a small criticism would be that the three characters do spend a little too much time talking about their friendship and it feels like padding, Frozen ticks a lot of boxes.
Good film. I’m sorta in the middle on this one. Story was nice and eerie. For me what would have made this a lot better is the acting. I just didn’t find it all that solid. It’s Grade A “B” acting if that makes any sense….but just not that strong of performances from the 3 actors. Otherwise, a nice addition to my horror library from a really fun and talented director!
After seeing this movie on so many “Top 10″ lists recently, I was delighted to find that it’s now on Netflix instant play. I watched it last night and was NOT disappointed.
The atmosphere, story, and characters were all great. I was trying to snack on some chips, but the heavy feeling in my gut once they really get stuck up there just wouldn’t let me eat anymore. It really is scary, because you feel like you’re with them and it makes you wonder how in the world you would get out of it.
There are a couple of things that don’t make perfect sense, (wolves wouldn’t IMMEDIATELY come at you minutes after you hit the ground, and I’m pretty sure you would freeze to death once you feel asleep on that first night) but for some reason those things don’t really bother me.
The movie as whole is beautiful and effective. I can’t believe it was directed by the same guy that did Hatchet, as they could not be more opposite.
I loved this movie.If Adam Green is not careful he may turn into a director after all.
WTF?? Who the hell likes this POS? I think it’s the under 25 crowd… This is one of the most hyped crappy movies since Paranormal Activity. It was so bad it was funny! Uh, they were stuck like a minute and the idiot guy is already jumping off AND trying to land on his FEET?? You deserve to die for being a duche! Like seriously, how f**kin’ lame is that! The girl was sooooooooooooo annoying and the guys were worse! I wish they all jumped at the start so I didn’t waste my time watching this crap. It’s worse than, shit, ANYTHING! If anyone thinks this is Jaws in the snow, you need an ass kickin’ and after watching this POS I’m down to give it! Jesus F-in’ F**K! WORST MOVIE EVER! If I could give it a negative 500 skulls I would!
One big flaw about being a horror movie fan is that eventually, horror films loose their scare factor and most new horror films that are released don’t have that factor at all. But sometimes there’s a horror film that comes along that packs a horrific punch, this year, one of the best of that small group was Frozen. The film is extremely intense and works on a very realistic fear. Some films such as this fail to truely terrify (such as Open water and Black water I felt), but Frozen hit pretty close to the mark. The whole movie held an intense atmosphere, and some scenes such as the scenes with the wolfs were down right horrific. Frozen is a rare gem. We horror fans don’t get to see many of these films made nowadays. So if your a true horror fan, do yourself a favor and check out this little survival film. It’s one of the best that 2010 had to offer, and it’s one of the best in years as well.
I really loved the simplistic nature of the film and how successful it was at developing relationships between the characters and engaging the audience. the performances are strong all around especially emma bell. I liked how Green wasn’t afraid to go there in some areas such as the Bell character urinating on her self the degradation, desperation and helplessness really came through in that scene. The film is an emotional roller coaster. That being said I have to say in the end although it was a great film with just a little more going on the film could have been a genre masterpiece instead of just a great movie.
I don’t get it. I was pumped for this movie but was rather disappointing. There are just to many things to overlook.
How about zip up your damn jackets and put your hoods on.
The first time I saw Frozen I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Hearing one of the characters scream “don’t let her look” before being devoured by wolves is something I will never forget. However, after watching a second time I found the film to be depressing and a bit of a chore. I would recommend seeing it but it’s not something I would watch again and it’s certainly not going to be added to my DVD collection.
First off, what a great film. The acting, production, story, atmosphere, everything about it was done so well. The story is extremely tense from start to finish, and I found myself thinking “what would I do in this situation”? Thought-provoking and intelligent, Adam Green’s “Frozen” proves he can do more than hack ‘n slash. Green has a bright future indeed.
this movie was dumb.
not that good. I honestly dont see how this movie can “do the same for skiing that jaws did for swimming.” The story is ridiculous.
not bad! just long in parts and kind of dumb to be honnest. this scenario would never happen in real life. there is no way a ski resort doesn’t employ staff to groom the trails during the week even if the resort is only open on weekends. so it’s an original idea that just fails to deliver the CHILLS!! Pun intended!!!!!
Finally got a chance to watch this on Netflix, and I really enjoyed it. It was refreshing to see that our three main characters were relatively intelligent and made pretty good decisions (reminded me of The Ruins).
I only have one gripe. Where were all those wolves during the day when the slopes were filled with skiers? Well, now that the wolves have tasted blood, they’ll surely attack the skiers the very next weekend, right?
Although I have to give Green credit for using real wolves (or dogs, whichever they were).
Frozen was a movie I expected to be great, because of the casting. Sadly it was disappointing for the lack of realism and actual things to keep the plot moving. By realism, I mean the stupid idiotic choices made by the characters. Seriously, the guy who jumped from the hanger for the heck of it was asking for a painful death. There were more stupid decisions made than smart decisions. Completely unrealistic to what would actually happen in this kind of scenario.
Now this is one hell of a horror flick! Three skiers getting trapped on a ski lift in a ski joint that doesn’t open for another week.
It’s these kinds of movies that actually creep me out! Stories that can actually happen in real life.
(Moderate Spoilers)—-A near-perfect, vertigo nightmare. What a superb film. Being someone who actually suffers from an intense fear of heights with a bit of clausterphiobia, this more than “got under my skin.” As for the wolves, yes…I know wolves don’t normally behave like sharks…but they’re still predators. And if wolves are hungry, I don’t care what amount of logic you pull out of your ass, they will attack a human. Especially a several injured human, spilling blood all over the goddamn place.
There are parts of this film that I absolutely wanted to die. I forgot I was in my cozy, heated apartment several times, for several minutes on end and felt like I was right there with them. And then when severe frostbite started to set in and the poor girls bare hand was literally frozen to the metal guard in front of her, I was reminded that I didn’t know SHIT about the kind of frozen hell these poor kids were in.
Speaking of the character–at first I had absolutely zero attachment to them. They weren’t particularly annoying or obnoxious, just didn’t really care for them. Once they get stuck, I immediately sympathized and wanted all of them to survive, once shit started getting bad. I also hear a lot of gripe about the dialouge…yes, the dialouge wasn’t written by Quentin Tarintino. I get it. I don’t think it was horrible, though. I found it very realistic. I’ve been standing alongside people in the past few days having conversations that sounded exactly like those of the characters in this film. It was all very realistic…if they were spouting off Pulp Fiction monologues the entire time, I probably would’ve been taken out of the movie. Not completely, since it still would’ve been 50 feet above the goddamn ground…but taken out a little.
When it came down to the predictable (yet still captivating confrontations between the two survivng characters) I was completely enthralled. That is something that would unavoidably happen and I felt emotion for both characters. A man just lost his longtime best friend and I could completely understand how easy it would be to lash out at the “only going steady for one year” girlfriend. I’m glad they made amends right afterwords…because what else is going to get them through this nightmare.
Once the hero character is on the ground (through an excruciatingly painful lookign scenario he had to undergo) and immediately met by wolves, I almost shat my pants. I wanted BOTH of these surviving characters to survive so badly. I felt like the ski-lift breaking was a tad too convenient, but I was so invested in this that my disbelief was immediately suspended. It is a thriller I’m watching after all. Not a documentary in ony of my Sociology classes.
When the credits roll, I sat in awe. An awe I’ve only expereinced with two other films so far this year (Black Swan and Let Me In). Struggling so hard to survive, and for what? Those are the exact thoughts I imagine were running through her head.
I see other user reviews giving them this film a low score of a half to one skull. I would point out how retarded these people are, but some go so far as to point out what isn’t realistic about this picture…yet they have an avatar for Orphan, a MUCH more realistic film (sarcasm). That says enough for me.
Frozen
*May Contain Peanuts & Spoilers*
“Frozen” is one of those high concept nature survival stories that test the limits of human endurance. It’s the story of three friends that go skiing and end up getting trapped on a ski lift for the rest of the weekend while the slopes are closed. It’s a very small movie in scope as the majority of the action takes place in the ski lift with just the three characters. This presented wrier/director Adam Green with several technical challenges as they were really at the actual location and not in a studio. Then there is the problem of how you make it as terrifying as possible given the limited resources?
“Frozen” stars Shawn Ashmore (X-Men), Kevin Zegers (Dawn of the Dead remake) and Emma Bell who now can be seen on the AMC show “The Walking Dead”. All three actors give incredible performances. Unlike a lot of horror/suspense movies you actually get to know and feel something for these characters. How do they deal with being stuck a hundred feet off the ground in sub zero weather? Some of the choices they make might seem a little strange, but they are freezing and in a state of shock and panic so you can sort of forgive some of their more idiotic choices.
As they try to figure how to get down, Dan (Zegers) decides to jump. With the ground being as hard as concrete this does not go well. It is also one of the nastier gore scenes in the film, and Dan’s situation doesn’t get any better as a bunch of hungry wolves hear his cries for help. This creates a sort of problem as wolves really aren’t the blood thirty predators they are always made out to be so it’s just another instance where the film has taken certain liberties to make the story more terrifying. Which can be distracting, but with in the context of the film it can be forgivable. Of course I’m a little bias and willing to let these things pass.
This is the kind of movie where you either really like it or think it’s pretty stupid. In my opinion “Frozen” is a pretty cool movie (pun intended). It gives you deep character development, psychological tension and suspense and I love the fact that everything was shot on location with the actors stuck in the freezing cold for hours at a time. Yes I’m rather sadistic I like to see actors in real physical pain. They are then able to give a more authentic performance. Suffer for your art! “Frozen” is available on blu-ray and DVD and is packed with tons of glorious extras include a commentary by Green and the actors. Check it out.
This film is awesome. I had never heard of it until I was this at Target in November 2010, but I decided to pick it up right away b/c it looked promising. I was not disappointed, I was blown away by this. One of the best horror films I’ve seen in the past couple years.
” “Frozen” is a notch above other movies of its kind. I think the closest parallel is “Open Water” with its sense of dread, and the apparent hopelessness of the situation. The set-up is that three young friends take the last ski lift up the mountain at a New England ski resort, the very night it is shutting down for a week. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, the lift is stopped before they reach the top, the lights are doused, and the resort staff takes off, not knowing that the trio is left behind, dangling in the cold night, with a winter storm approaching.
What ensues may seem like interminable agony, the effects of the cold begin to be felt, and there’s an added gothic touch… a pack of wolves comes out of the woods to wait below in hungry anticipation. Aside from some dangerous and fool-hardy attempts to escape their predicament, the film is somewhat lacking in action, transforming itself slowly into an almost intimate character study of how different personalities react to what seems to be a slow and painful death. This is nail-biter, excruciating at times to watch, I hesitate to term this flick entertainment at all, but if you make yourself sit through it, there are some rewards. New-comer Emma Bell, and the ever-dependable Shawn Ashmore give admirable performances in the more difficult roles, while Kevin Zegers offers effective support as Emma’s handsome boyfriend.
Not really a horror movie, difficult to categorize, a challenge to sit through, but ultimately rewarding. Once it starts, you will be “frozen” to your seat.
(Caution: Not a “feel-good” movie.)
This move was a waste of time. From the terrible acting, to the nothing happening, to the utterly inane, where’d they come from pack of wolves, there was no build up of drama or tension. It was utterly predictable and lifeless. The premise is utterly ridiculous and there are so many flaws in this story I’m not even going to begin wasting my time again by listing them. I am completely lost by the other reviews saying how good it was, how realistic it was, blah blah blah. One reviewer even said its easier to write bad reviews than good ones. Only when a movie is so bad it clearly deserves to be shredded – and that is just the case with Frozen. Blech!
I never planned to go snow boarding or skiing but i sure as hell never will now. I thought this was one of those movies where there wasn’t alot going on but there was. As far as showing certain things you may not have seen alot but the sense of dread and despair is what makes the movie work. I really liked the cast and the way things go down and the relationship they all have with each other it just keeps you interested all the way till the end. Probably the only downfall is the ending was a little flat but everything else was pretty damn good. I can see some people might not like it and might consider it boring but if the cast didn’t work then yeah this movie would have sucked. I highly recommend seeing it.
A bunch of kids get stuck on a ski lift and the ski resort will be closed for a week. How awesome does that sound? It’s a genre film, for sure and a pretty good survival horror tale. Watching a film like this you can’t help but scream at the characters for doing stupid things and you wonder to yourself what you would do in this situation. Frozen manages to cover a lot of bases, but it irritates the viewer at times because a lot of decision were stupid and used for the sake of ‘entertainment’.
The most of the film takes place on the ski lift, so if you are not a fan of single setting films, I would advise against this one. Frozen is a simple idea that asks, what would you do in this situation. Two friends go to their traditional place to let go and ski/snowboard. One of them brings his girlfriend, much to the disappointment of his friend. They try to con their way onto the ski lift by bribing and flirting with the operator, so they don’t have to buy their tickets. It’s successful, they have their fun. They want to go up one more time before they close, an ice storm is coming in. The operator advises them not to, but allows them to go up one more time. Due to some contrived plot advances and confusion, the three of them get stuck near the top and the place closes down for the week. The three of them are left alone, high above the frozen ground in the dark cold.
First thing that comes to mind, is to jump. One character does this. He breaks his legs. Why did he decides to land on his feet and not try to tuck and roll and lands on his side or back is beyond me. He lies at the bottom there motionless and bleeding. Uh-oh, this attracts some hungry wolves. Why not try climbing the lift and shimmy across using the giant cable above? One character tries this, yet those cables are razor sharp and cut through his gloves.
A couple things, yes I know this is a movie so their faces must be visible for the camera, but why in the hell did these characters not zip their jackets up all the way? It would help with the frost bite one character gets. Or how about using the lighter you have to keep warm or signal some kind of fire? Many things these characters don’t do will have you either screaming at the screen or wanting them to die for their stupidity. For the most part they did what I would do, jump or climb across the cable, so some props from me.
While the film is not scary, it does make you uneasy because this is something that could happen. A crazed serial killer that is immortal and has super strength and wears a hockey mask? Not so much. The realism is what makes this film scary. For what it sets out to do, it accomplishes the task. I can recommend Frozen for those who are interested in the concept.
I have so many complaints about this movie I don’t even know where to begin. It’s positives include a “what would I do here” sort of feeling, but the characters seem to do everything you can think of in a very poor fashion. The wolves are really a pathetic piece of added horror that didn’t need to be there, and the last thing I’ll say is that gloves can be worn with the back on your palms just incase you need protection after shredding the front of them.
Really wasn’t that great.
Fantastic acting, and the scares were real rather than the usual torture porn we get these days. For some reason, this movie effected me MUCH deeper than other films. I had to pause it because at one point I just started to sob because I was like “okay… NO FUCKING WAY IS THIS HAPPENING!!!” hahaha. I loved it
Great character vs the elements film!
I enjoyed this film it had alot of suspense and excellent camra work. A must see.
A very haunting and depressing, but exciting horror/thriller. I really liked it and I recommend it..
Great story, acting, score and photography.
I really like this movie. One of my favorite horror films in the 21st Century since Saw 3D. And one of the most scariest and the most frightening horror films in 2010 since The Crazies and Devil. This movie has more updated scares and it is a really intense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed this movie and it is suspenceful and scary at the same time. The scariest scene in this movie is when Kevin Zegers breaks his legs and he gets eaten alive by a group of vicious dogs that was an intense scene. This movie isn’t gory but it’s still a good film because of it’s unflinching suspense and great acting from the casts. Direcor Adam Green is not only a gorefest director but he showed proof that he is the master of suspense as well. He really is a talented horror director. Overall Frozen is a nonstop, heart pounding suspense horror film.
FANTASTIC film. It’s more well done than people think. I often hear of how they could’ve easily saved themselves, but after discussing this film with many people, I realize there WAS no easy way down. I’d say the film is an accurate depiction of what would happen if someone was placed in this situation.
The acting is flawless, you really grow attached to the characters, which makes the end even harder to watch.
It’s an amazingly well done movie. It grows in intensity, it flows well, and I loved it.
Written/Directed – Adam Green
Starring – Shawn Ashmore, Emma Bell and Kevin Zegers
It’s been written by other reviewers that FROZEN will do for skiing what JAWS did for swimming, and in a perfect world that would be true. Unfortunately, we live in a world where shiny Vampires and computer generated owls out draw anything decent at the American box office. That being the reality, FROZEN will never have the chance to make the cultural impact that the film its most compared to did and it’s a shame because it’s good enough to.
Written and directed by Adam Green, FROZEN is more of a character study then a horror film. Many will remember Green as the force behind the great 80′s themed horror flick HATCHET, but FROZEN bears more a kin to his sophomore release, the criminally underrated SPIRAL. However whereas SPIRAL generously strays into the Argento/Hitchcock “wait what did I just see” territory, FROZEN sticks squarely in the “I can’t believe what I’m seeing” realm.
Ashmore, Bell and Zengers are tremendous as three skiers who scam there way into “one more run” only to get stuck high on a Vermont ski lift after the resort closes for the week. Each one of the characters runs the gambit of emotions, but what’s great about Greens script is that they don’t all hit the same emotion at the same time. Green is not only able to capture the direness of the situation, but the characters reaction add a second level of uneasiness that keeps a movie that’s extremely dialogue heavy from becoming boring and repetitive.
Despite the fact that it’s shot on an actual ski lift in Park City, Utah, Green is able to keep the scope of the film so tight it’s almost claustrophobic. Over half the film, is spent as a third or fourth wheel on the lift chair. Greens the ability to present a trapped, confined space in the midst of a wide open area is testament to his skill as a director.
It’s a shame Lions Gate didn’t believe mote in this picture and basically dumped it in a few theaters before giving it a small DVD release. It’s a shame that too many of these types of films are now brushed aside in favor of anything with big explosions, 3D, or Reese Witherspoon.
http://riotonsunset.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-day-presents-frozen-2010.html
Iâe(TM)ve only been to a ski resort once in my life, and my time there ended on a stretcher. Along for the ride on the best-funded Girl Scouts field trip Iâe(TM)d ever attend, I didnâe(TM)t really know what I was in for. Everyone else in my troop had previous experience on the slopes. A sturdy dozen golden-haired children from happy middle-income homes, the assortment of girls from Troop 1100 were well-prepared for our Winter adventure. I, on the other hand, was a foster brat who haphazardly obtained my recreational winter wardrobe as a series of ill-fitting hand-me-downs and thrift store finds. I stood out like a sore thumb in a crowd of brand new neon snow suits with matching accessories; I think my pants were salmon. As in salmon-colored.
When we arrived at the venue, several girls paired off and went their separate ways. They were familiar with their surroundings and what was expected of them, and as are result I quickly found myself alone in front of what can only be described as a âeoecurious-child killing device.âe It was essentially a lift for the bunny slopes; red rubber triangles connected to a long cable would run up the length of the snowy hill transporting skiers to the top. The idea behind this mechanism was that I would be able to grab the rubber triangle, hold it tight and slowly be led up the hill by the cable, as though a very strong person were holding my hand and pulling me to my destination. I donâe(TM)t know if I was simply uncoordinated, or if my gloves were so shitty they would grip, but instead of gently ascending, I tripped and stumbled for roughly forty feet before finally losing grip and letting go. My body fell backwards with such force that I began rolling down the hill behind me. Every time I tried to stop myself, I instead seemed to push and bounce myself upward, causing me to build even more momentum. I continued rolling down the hill until hitting a large tree-bush (I donâe(TM)t remember if it was a tree or a bush, as I blacked out immediately afterward). On of my Girl Scouts chaperones had been apparently watching in horror the entire time. 20 minutes into the trip, and one kid was already seriously injured. The trip was immediately cut off, and when I went home from the hospital and returned to a troop meeting the following week, I was told by several perfect-looking young girls in brand new flare-legged jeans how much I had ruined everything. I quit Girl Scouts pretty quickly after that.
Frozen tells the story of Dan, Joe and Parker, three college kids out for a weekend ski trip in New England. After bribing the lift operator to give them free tickets, Dan and Joe spend most of their day socializing with the locals and trying to teach Parker how to snowboard. Looking to end their fun-filled day with a bang, the trio once again haggle the lift operator to let them have a final ride in the house before the resort closes for the weekend. Unbeknownst to them, though, a shift change causes their hook-up to leave the lift in the hands of another operator who turns it completely off while they are in mid-ascension. 30 feet in the air, lights out and with the knowledge that the lift will remain off for the following four days, the three friends realize they must find a way down before together before they all freeze to death.
In a world of films with way too much going on (see Jerry âeoeFucking Explosions!âe Bruckheimer), Frozen is a refreshing offering of simple, long-form storytelling. The majority of the movie occurs as a still-shot of a ski lift chair in front of a green screen; CG blow-ups and action-packed chase scenes are replaced with tense dialogue about fear and building hopelessness. Instead of being limiting, the claustrophobic nature of the setting allows for intimate body horror that is as shocking as the best of high-budget Hollywood gore. These gross-out moments are created with the use of excellent practical make-up effects; I assure you, frostbite has never looked more horrifying.
Admittedly, Frozen isnâe(TM)t the greatest film Iâe(TM)ve ever seen. There are several glaring plot no-noâe(TM)s that detract from its intended hyper-realistic tone. For example, the long periods of bickering between Dan, Joe and Parker grow exhausting; when the characters should be focusing on much larger issues (not dying), they are instead engaged in pointless arguments that seem to be put in place only to add length to the picture. Also, the fact that not one person zips up their coat and tightens the drawstring on their hood constantly reminds the audience that, âeoeOh right, this is just a movie and these are just actors, so we need to be able to see their faces. Otherwise Parker would have avoided 90% of her frostbite.âe And donâe(TM)t even get me started on the wolves. In the name of The Day After Tomorrow, do not get me started on the wolves.
The question & answers of what you would do in a situation like this, well this is that kind of movie, which probable the best of American survival thriller of the decade & to come out in Sundance film festival, with its plot/story about three friends go skiing, doesn’t sound scary or thrilling, but when you watch this film oh dear, its gripping on every level of what that situation would be like. The director was outstanding really like the shorts & movement of this movie, the acting was brilliant, really was believable. There was no surprise on the survive, but me and my sister couldn’t stop talk through this movie of what it would be like and the situation & motives through this ordeal, basically I’ve never to go ski, 1. I know I wouldn’t like it anyway & wolf and night with the blizzard no way would I cope.(I also love on the DVD it has Brad Miska Bloody-Disgusting.com), saying ‘Terrifying! Will do for skiing what ‘Jaws’ did for swimming’, I do agree with this).
The trio of protagonists in Adam Green’s “Frozen” – Parker (Emma Bell), Dan (Kevin Zegers), and Joe (Shawn Ashmore) – find themselves in a sticky situation. They’ve hit the slopes for a few days to spend some time skiing and/or snowboarding. They insist on leaving all electronics back at wherever they are staying for the time being; and they’re ready to embrace the snow, the ski lifts, and those who are just as passionate about their pastime as they are.
However, this trip to the mountains is different. After a normal – but thrilling – day of doing what they love to do whilst in the mountain regions; it is now night and the slopes must shut down for another week. After persuading the man in charge of operating the ski lift to allow them one last ride down the mountain; they board the lift once again, only this time, they are left behind by the arrogant operators who eventually tire and leave their posts.
This means that the three are stuck in the lift together until somebody can make an effort to get them back down. They await help for a few hours, and that’s enough to make them snap. Soon, it becomes perfectly clear that nobody is going to come and rescue them from this risky, dangerous situation; not until the next week, when the ski resort opens yet again, that is. If they want to get home any earlier, they’re going to have to gamble with both nature and themselves.
And that’s not going to be easy; especially with a pack of hungry wolves on the prowl below in the nearby snowy forest. So if one of them is to, say, jump; he/she is putting herself/himself at the risk of being eaten alive. Plus, you either don’t survive the great fall from the lift to the ground at all, or you break a few limbs. That’s how it seems to work.
“Frozen” does about all it can do with its premise; it is a film that spans a good 90 minutes, and I imagine that given its central concept, that will be more than some movie-goers can handle. If you are easily bored by situations in which all action takes place in the same place for more than ten minutes, you’re probably going to want to stay far, far away from Green’s latest horror offering. However, if you’re willing to kill an hour and a half without killing all your brain cells; I’d say this is a good way to go about doing just that.
After seeing his debut, the hit horror-comedy “Hatchet” – and being very impressed by it – I kind of knew what Green had in store with “Frozen” and at the same time, kind of didn’t. It’s a very different movie from the aforementioned one in the sense that it takes itself completely seriously. While the extended scenes of dialogue and character development that take up the film’s first twenty minutes (or so) are laced with an unexpected sense of humor; I think that it was Green’s intent, among other things, to prove that he can actually stage horror that is real, genuine, and stomach-turning.
“Frozen” plays with our fear of heights, the danger of the relentless cold of winter, and nature itself. This is a real horror movie; sometimes, it is frightening, and other times, it is merely scary. Nevertheless, I find it kind of ingenious – how a filmmaker known for his smooth balancing of horror and comedy – could make something so utterly realistic and disturbing. It isn’t a great film, but it plays on our phobias and wins the dark side of our hearts. I liked how this time around, Green sticks to his undying love for the horror genre but leaves his intent to pay homage at home. Unless you count his “Spiral” (which he co-directed with Joel David Moore); this is Green’s first film that is, more or less, almost entirely original. I don’t know about you; but I have yet to see another film centered on the horrors of Mother Nature and what they can do to our bodies and our souls when we’re stuck on a ski lift from night-into-day. But I’ll check back in with you all on that one.
damn good film, unbelievable tension, great dramatic scenes, awesome
very well executed movie, good suspenseful and dramatic scenes. thats a fucked up way to go.
Very solid horror film. I was surprised at how entertained I was considering how little took place throughout the whole movie, but I guess that’s just a testament to how well it was made. It has a realistic feeling that most other horror films don’t have and makes you think about what you would do if you were in that situation.
I was really impressed when I watched it, picked it up blind cuz it was on sale on Blu-ray & I
had seen all of Adam Green’s other movies and I loved it.
I love that he made it realistic and how he didn’t go for full on gore, just watching the actors emotions unfold was awesome and at the same time made me think about what i’d do in that situation.
Also I love that he used real wolves and not CGI ones.
Emma Bell deserves more attention and recognition for her acting in this, she was amazing.