The Frozen Ground

2013 "The hunter becomes the hunted"
6.4| 1h45m| R| en
Details

An Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice. Based on actual events.

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Reviews

Bardlerx Strictly average movie
Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
mcpatti It is an interesting commentary on the subject of crime and the treatment of victims. I hope many take the time to see this film.
XweAponX I actually enjoyed his first ghost rider episode rather than his second, even though I love Neveldine/Taylor's work especially in Gamer and the Chelios "Crank" duology. But this one is a nice authentic murder mystery and I love films that take place in Alaska. And I don't remember seeing John Cusack play a really nasty bad guy as well as he does here, the creepiness makes me shiver: and the character is doubly malicious as he is hiding behind the guise of a righteous, Christian individual- A facade that hides more evil in this modern age than any other. One of Paul Verhoeven's character actors, Dean Norris takes on more than just a background cameo role to actively assist Nicolas Cage character which appears to be a State Trooper Sergeant . And I do believe there is a Radha Mitchell in the house, who has not aged since she was gobbled up by blind monsters in Pitch Black. Very nice, I enjoyed this quite a lot thank you. Vanessa Hudgens (from machete kills) didn't really stand out but she did have the character perfectly, and by watching her performance we can understand why some women do not speak up when abused or threatened. Like, what good would it do? And apparently based on a true story. As hideous and gruesome as this film is, it is no match to the original events on which it is based.
Stephen Abell This is the story, based on true events, of Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe's search and conviction of serial killer Robert Hanson, who killed women in the late 70's and 80's.There's a lot of story crammed into the 105 minutes runtime. Though, on the whole, it's satisfactorily presented and keeps the viewer entertained and entwined. The direction by Scott Walker, who also wrote the story, is tight and well crafted. He does a great job of recreating the eras, both in sound and vision.Nicholas Cage portrays the trooper Jack Halcombe, and though we know he can really act, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, World Trade Center, and Joe, here we have the usual Nicholas Cage being Nicholas Cage (though I have to say I am a fan of his work as his films are enjoyable).John Cusack gives a subdued performance as the killer Robert Hanson. Though, this makes the character more believable; on the outside, Hanson is a quiet man with a family who goes to work to provide - an ordinary man, Though on the inside and in private moments he allows the psychopath to take the reigns. Cusack does a good job of showing the frustration, anger, and desperation caused when the police net draws in closer.The best performance is that of Vanessa Hudgens, who plays Cindy Poulson, the only survivor of Robert Hanson. She expertly shows us Poulson's vulnerability, confusion, anger, distrust, and fear of her life. There is a lot going on in this character's life as she's a runaway become prostitute. Hudgens deftly handles the complexities and develops a believable character, giving the viewers someone to relate to.Brad William Henke does an outstanding portrait of a criminal thug, come, henchman, Carl Galenski. His formidable size is foreboding. You would not want to go up against this man.The rest of the cast also do a great job of keeping the feel of this movie, though I do think that Radha Mitchell, who plays Jack Halcombe's wife Allie, is much underused. She's a talented actress, but here she only has a few scenes.The story is a strong one and needed to be told. The story does not glorify anything at all and in this case, it works well. Everything is nitty gritty truth and reality. No character shines above any of the others; this is not a Nicholas Cage film; it's not a John Cusack film.I really enjoyed this movie and would watch it again. If you like true tales of crime and justice this is for you.
Paul Magne Haakonsen Now, I can't really claim to be much of a fan of Nicolas Cage, especially since his movies have an overwhelming tendency to be overly generic and come a dime a dozen. However, it was because of the synopsis and because of John Cusack that I decided to purchase this movie with the intend to watch it.And now having had the chance to sit down and watch it, I must say that I am actually genuinely surprised with the outcome of the movie. Not so much on John Cusack's deliverance, but because Nicolas Cage was actually fair in this movie, and he proved his worth opposite John Cusack. But to be blunt, then it was John Cusack who carried the movie and stood out in "The Frozen Ground".The story, which is based on real events, takes place in Alaska, where young women fall target and victim to a heinous abductor and serial killer.Nicolas Cage did a good enough job with his role as an officer of the law. But especially John Cusack was shining in this movie, in the role of the serial killer. There was just something deviant and cruel about his performance and portrayal of the Robert Hansen character. Vanessa Hudgens also did a good job with her acting and really did bring something to the movie."The Frozen Ground" turned out to be an enjoyable movie which, albeit following a straight forward script, did offer some good moments. And the characters in the movie seemed to be well-detailed and equally well brought to life on the screen by the acting talents.I am rating "The Frozen Ground" a solid six out of ten stars, and it is a movie that is well worth watching if you need some fair entertainment for a single viewing. The movie, however, doesn't really sustain more than a single viewing; you watch it once, then bag and tag it.