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Adam Green Redeems Himself With A Slice of Pure Human Horror!
-
Oct 19, 2010
- by woopak_the_thrill
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
Honestly, my first experience with writer/director Adam Green was the abysmal “Hatchet”; a movie me and my buddy @Dave79 have argued the quality of that movie again and again. Well, I am still strong in my stance that “Hatchet” is not a good film, but this time, I have to say Adam Green may have redeemed himself with the movie “Frozen”. The film is just frighteningly claustrophobic in the manner that it channels the feeling of helplessness. “Frozen” is a movie about the inevitable and what really got me into it was the sheer human drama that comes with its suspense. I love ghost stories and some blood and gore; but nothing ever gets me the same as with dramatic horror and the feeling of hopelessness.
+4
It all starts off when old friends Lynch (Shawn Ashmore) and Dan (Kevin Zegers) go up the mountains to do a little skiing and snowboarding. Tagging along is Dan’s girlfriend Parker (Emma Bell) and she isn’t exactly Lynch’s favorite person since she is still learning how to snowboard. It is not a perfect trip but Dan managed to bribe some guy into letting them avoid some lift tickets. Later that night, Lynch wants to go on one last ski and the trio manages to convince the chairlift operator into letting them go on one last run before the ski resort closes. But fate plays its ugly hand and the things go very unexpectedly for the worst. Dan, Lynch and Parker are now stuck in midair with nowhere to go, it is a Sunday and the resort only opens on the weekend. They are alone and slowly freezing to death; their chances for survival are slowly diminishing the more time goes by….
What would you do if you’re stuck in midair on chairlift like 30-50 feet from the ground? You have the elements as well as nature itself to contend with, and “Frozen” bring all the possibilities into exposition. The fear, the confusion and the feeling of helplessness would just come into your person, these emotions would play some part in making the wrong decisions, as well as making some desperate moves that can either be stupid or courageous. The film is a grueling experience as director Adam Green brings the viewer into the mindset of our three protagonists; unlike “Hatchet”, “Frozen” is straight-forward horror drama that brings desperate human emotions come to the viewer.
Ok, so the film starts off simply enough. Sure, I can even say that the movie does make some missteps along the way; one would think that ski resorts have safeguards (they do in some areas but I am not sure if it is enforced by a law to have them), that sometimes, folks need to respect rules and everything. Well, sure, “Frozen” isn’t perfect, but one thing I liked about the film is its ability to generate sympathy for them. Adam Green wrote some pretty real people in his screenplay; they stuck to what they were in the beginning. Dan is the one with the girl so he tries to keep the two most important to him happy as much as he is able. Lynch has the capacity to be a prick but he also has some guts to try and do the right thing. Parker is the needy, clingy girlfriend who tries to be a part of every aspect of her man’s life. These are real people in the way they are flawed, but they can be funny, clever, courageous and caring--yet they can be whiners and stupid at the same time. The direction also makes good in developing their chemistry with their backstories as they talk to each other. I felt that I was getting to know them as they were also developing a bond with one another. I was rooting for them to survive despite themselves; the good thing the direction did well was that it built an attachment to its characters.
I was impressed that Adam Green didn’t go for cheap green screens and shot his movie on location in a ski resort in Utah. The set ups feel very real, the snow is real and the hazards are real. I also liked the way the film took a moment to make the viewer aware of the passage of time. It makes the believability of the situation that much more easier to buy into. We feel the cold with the characters and we feel the fear that comes from being alone and isolated with nowhere to go; against the elements of nature that can kill them slowly. The film felt very realistic; since this situation can happen anytime and there is no room for fantasy in the film. The mistakes that the characters make are out of fear, desperation and hopelessness as they struggle to keep things together--it is not birthed of stupidity as we have often seen in horror movies.
“Frozen” is a horror movie with a low body count so don’t expect the usual thrill-a-minute ride. It is a grueling human drama whose appreciation could only come from how we are attached to its protagonists and feel its realism. “Frozen” is a simple film and there really isn’t much of a story, but it is an attempt to re-imagine and refresh emotional claustrophobia through horrific realism. Now the film is not perfect, the last act did somehow feel a little cheap. Sure, there is a valid explanation but I thought the climax felt very perfunctory and falls to usual Hollywood trappings. I thought that maybe Green couldn’t go all the way and held back a little. I was all applause until I saw that cheap ending, that all the suspense and investment to its characters, the film held back and took a 180 degree turn.Well, I still don’t like “Hatchet” and I doubt I’ll see “Hatchet 2”, but “Frozen” at least showed me a side to director Adam Green I liked quite a lot. The man is ambitious and has a vision for horror drama. Only, Adam, please….please…stay away from horror comedies, maybe it just isn’t your thing. I hope Green sticks to movies like this and proves that he is not a one-hit wonder.
Highly Recommended! [4+ Out of 5 Stars]
This Review is a Movie Hype Community Exclusive @lunch.com
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QUEENBFLIX
October 22, 2010
It's okay but nothing to write home about. I would have preferred a bear to wolves since attacks by wolves are not at all common, bears on the other hand do like a good nosh once in a while. Secondly I hate it when animal behavior isn't portrayed accurately. Wolves don't growl. I know, I know. It's only a movie and they need to be menacing. I also hate it when sharks gowl as they always seem to do in movies.
woopak_the_thrill
October 22, 2010
Dave talked me into buying this movie. I guess the reason why I liked it because of the characters. You do make a good point there about the wolves but bears hibernate during winter. The one thing I didn't like about this movie was the final act; I thought it was cliched.
woopak_the_thrill
October 22, 2010
I am excited to see PIRANHA 3D though!
QUEENBFLIX
October 23, 2010
I put PIRANHA on the cult list last time because I liked the review. I suspect I won't like the flick though. lol. I'll check it out though when I can catch it for free.
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FM_ALEX
October 19, 2010
Sounds great man, I actually got this the day it came out and have yet to watch it. Now I will watch it tonight.
woopak_the_thrill
October 20, 2010
Alex, this surprised me. I hated "Hatchet" but this film made me respect Green's abilities as director.
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More Frozen (movie) reviews
*** out of **** 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. … more
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FROZEN may contain spoiler Adam Green is a good filmmaker from what I have come to gather, some people love him others not so much. You may remember a little Slasher movie maybe you have heard of it, a kick back to the days of Slasher glory called "Hatchet". I have heard both sides on that film from those who like it and those who don't, as for me, that is a review for another day. Maybe you have heard of "Spiral" … more
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We've seen so many thrillers in which the threat comes from something unnatural, be it a ghost, a zombie, or a masked serial killer that cannot himself be killed. This is partly why "Frozen" is such a refreshing experience - nature itself is the threat. Human beings are capable of withstanding a great deal, but there's always a breaking point, and this movie does a pretty good job of searching for it. It begs the question: What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Is there … more
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I say go ahead and get this movie it is worthy of your collection, but try out the rental, it may lead you to seeing his other films.
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review by JediShaman.
October 06, 2010
This film has the feel of a TV movie. The acting is decent and the story is OK, yet the film is unsatisfying. The characters don't get developed that well until the drama is fully unfolding, and the film is really just focused on the trauma of the 3 young adults trapped on the ski lift and their diminishing hopes for survival. When the final rescue scene comes to its quick conclusion the viewer may also be saying "thank God this is over." Unless you are a real fan of this type of cinematic terrorizing … more
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William (woopak_the_thrill)
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Please "Like" Film and Movies and Keep the Economy strong....LOL!! My Interests: Movies, Anime, History, Martial … more
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About this movie
Frozen is a 2010 American/British horror film directed by Adam Green and stars Emma Bell, Kevin Zegers and Shawn Ashm
Opened February 5, 2010 | Runtime:1 hr. 34 min. A typical day on the slopes turns into a chilling nightmare for three snowboarders when they get stranded on the chairlift before their last run. As the ski patrol switches off the night lights, they realize with growing panic that they’ve been left behind dangling high off the ground with no way down. With the resort closed until the following weekend and frostbite and hypothermia already setting in, the trio is forced to take desperate measures to escape off the mountain before they freeze to death. Once they make their move, they discover with horror that they have much more to fear than just the frigid cold. As they combat unexpected obstacles, they start to question if their will to survive is strong enough to overcome the worst ways to die? Cast: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers, Ed Ackerman, Rileah Vanderbilt Director: Adam Green Genres: HorrorPsychological Thriller 
Snow-sport enthusiasts, take note: Adam Green's unsettling thrillerFrozensuggests that abiding by the rules and regulations of your local ski resort might not only be polite, but essential to your health. Green's hapless heroes--nice guy Dan (Kevin Zegers,Transamerica), his best ...
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R
for some disturbing images and language
Cast:
Shawn Ashmore,
Emma Bell
Director:
Adam Green
Genre:
Horror
MPAA Rating:
Unrated
Screen Writer:
Adam Green
DVD Release Date:
September 28, 2010
Runtime:
94 minutes
Studio:
ANCHOR BAY
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