In 2013, Scott Walker, who shot the Ordan's Forest short about a boy tormented by a recurring nightmare, decides to debut in a big movie. Speaking at once in two guises - the director and screenwriter, he removes the criminal thriller "Frozen Land". Critics' reviews characterize the project as an intricate tangle of metaphors packed into the shell of a detective investigation. IMDb feed rating: 6.40.
The first pancake is not lumpy!
According to the experts of the cinema, the thriller is made quite academically, the author's signature of the debutant is felt in it. The plot structure, the manner of shooting, the atmosphere, the characteristics of the characters - all comply with the laws of the genre. Moreover, among the advantages of the picture is the almost complete absence of naturalism, the author does not relish the bloody details, relying on the documentary history. Spectator reviews of the film “Frozen Land” are full of admiration for the landscapes, which clearly work for the general atmosphere of the picture, and not plugging plot holes. The cold in the cinema is perceived not as a decorative tool, but as the main force, but not moving, but immobilizing.
Reconstructing the story of a maniac
Many reviewers in reviews of "Frozen Land" (2013) recall the thriller K. Nolan's "Insomnia", emphasizing the similarity of the two paintings. However, the Scott Walker thriller, unlike the creation of Nolan, is based on real events that took place at the end of the 20th century in Alaska. The author intentionally did not change the names of the victims and the maniac, as he wanted to make a movie in a documentary style. But according to the verdict of cinema experts, the director failed to realize his idea, having gone too far with artistry. Many critics position Frozen in reviews as the canonical confrontation between a police detective and a dangerous serial killer.
Moreover, in the thriller there are no attempts to understand the psyche of a maniac, the reasons that prompted him to commit violence and killings. It is also impossible to call the project a police anthem, putting personal life on a professional altar. In the end, Walker’s work cannot be ranked either as a tense detective or suspense horror - the film’s narrative is based on dialogs, the action boils down to regular escapes of the main character from the police. Naturally, the picture is far from "torture porn", all the horrors in it occur exclusively behind the scenes.
Star Acting Ensemble
In the creation of a low-budget thriller of a New Zealand director-debutant, a star cast took part, which, according to critics, expressed in reviews of "Frozen Land", the main advantage of the project. The role of detective Halcomb was played by Nicolas Cage. He perfectly got used to the image, his hero wants to believe. After a series of, to put it mildly, unsuccessful works, the actor finally found himself in his place. During the preparatory process, Cage talked to a real prototype of his character - retired police officer Glen Floof, who was investigating the Hansen case.
Vanessa Ann Hudgens, the very impressive Blondie from the legendary "Prohibited Reception" by Z. Snyder, played the minor prostitute, the surviving victim of Cindy Paulson. The actress realistically portrayed an ambiguous character.
Among the second-rate performers are Curtis James Jackson (50 Cent). The co-producer of the picture turned into the image of a pimp Clate.
The image of the maniac went to John Cusack. Maniac psychopath Robert Hansen in his performance is not particularly scary.
Successful debut
Summarizing the available reviews for the film “Frozen Land” (2013), it should be noted that Scott Walker's debut work in the big movie was a success. Despite the fact that he did not succeed in the pseudo-documentary film, Walker managed to remove the highly social tape. The special atmosphere of the project, created by the director, as well as the delightful musical accompaniment of the composer L. Belf, was awarded the most praise. The successful combination of all the components provided the necessary tension reigning in the snowy Anchorage. Among the shortcomings of the film is protractedness, in the first half hour of timing the main events of the story unfold, and after that - continuous stagnation, although the climax episodes add dynamics. In general, the director, having borrowed the original visualization style from independent cinema, did not become wise with the plot component, which is made from a set of Hollywood semi-finished products, despite the fact that the film is based on real events.