Frozen (Adam Green, 2010)

To the delight of many, US mainstream horror appears to be edging away from the grisly, quick gratification style of Saw/Hostel-esque torture porn flicks. Pictures such as Buried and the Paranormal Activity franchise have shown that minimalistic, tense chillers are also still profitable. This is where fourth-time director Adam Green’s Frozen comes in. The plot is simple. A group of thrill-seeking youngsters embark on a skiing trip, and take the ill-advised move of bribing a worker to let them onto the mountains via the chairlift after the complex has shut for the week. Inevitably enough, a mix-up between co-workers ensures things then start to turn ugly (and freezing) for Parker (Emma Bell), Dan (Kevin Zegers) and Joe (Shawn Ashmore), as they are left stranded alone against the force of a punishing snowstorm.

This unglorified premise may put some movie-goers off, but as opposed to pulsating, fast-paced action for 90 minutes, Frozen poses many of those “how-in-the-blue-hell-will-they-escape-this-one?” moments. The trio is greeted with a stomach-churning frostbite dilemma, werewolves, and their chairlift also begins to teeter dangerously when Dan and Joe try to escape at different times.

You might feel like the characters asked for trouble. In horror, sometimes you have to feel warmly towards those involved to be affected. Bell, Zegers and Ashmore spout out relatively wooden dialogue and should not be expecting any Oscars for their performances. However, Green is clever and leaves the three involved to discuss relatively innocent, tenuous, everyday subjects including their favourite Aerosmith albums, and why Dan does not call his girlfriend any pet names. This way, the audience identifies with the trio more.

The guilt and infighting which the characters suffer from later in the movie is a useful tactic seen many times in the less violent styles of horror. Events of course rewind back to whose brilliant idea it was to go up to the mountains one last time before the weekend was over, and Joe begins to interrogate Parker about her ostensibly damaging relationship with Dan.

Some of the most affecting moments of the film are the childhood pals reminiscing over memories from their youth, particularly one humourous recounting of a fat, unpopular child the group knew at school. These memoirs are decorated with Andy Garfield’s engrossing, melancholic score. Garfield knows his trade in horror, and escalates the faster action sequences with juddering, shrill strings.

As well as the music, the general setting is perfect for an encapsulating horror. Whilst battling against the elements, the group have nowhere to hide. They are left to fight desperately against nature, which does not have the power to reason in its uncompromising mood. The shots of the chairlift hanging unnoticed, unmoving against the oblivious paper-white backdrop and blinding sun are shocking images.

Verdict: Despite relatively static run-outs from the cast and your typical horror clichés, Frozen is an affecting thriller. Keeping the viewer gripped for an hour and a half with such a basic plot is skilful on Green’s part. His characters go to harrowing lengths to hopefully escape the reclusive setting and their exploits will draw heavy gasps. This is a victory for clean, inoffensive, low budget horror and is dangerously chilling in more ways than one.

4/5

By Alistair Hendrie