'The Frozen' DVD Review

Atmospheric and well-acted but lacking in originality.

For some reason, young couple Mike and Emma think it's a good idea to head into the snowy wilderness for a winter camping trip. Unbeknownst to Emma, Mike heads away from the touristy camp site in favor of a secluded, romantic area. Romance is the last thing on Emma's mind, however; she just found out she's pregnant, and she's not too thrilled about it. In fact, she's thinking about breaking up with Mike. But all of that takes a backseat when the couple crashes their snowmobile, stranding them in the middle of nowhere. As panic starts to set in, they spot a man in the distance and call out for help, but he ignores them and moves on. Later, they see him again, and again he ignores their pleas. Day turns to night, and it becomes clear someone is lurking outside their tent. Mike investigates but doesn't return, leaving Emma alone to face the unknown.

Not to be confused with the trapped-on-a-ski lift thriller Frozen, The Frozen similarly strands people in the snowy wild, but this time around, there's a supernatural element that makes for some genuinely creepy moments, particularly when playing around with sound and shadows and the paranoia of being stuck inside a tent without being able to see outside. It's atmospheric and yet still manages to convey real human emotions in the couple's crumbling yet still loving relationship. On the downside, the simple storyline is unoriginal and builds to a groan-worthy twist ending, exacerbated by the fact that the film drags for stretches with no dialogue and repetitive scenes that don't further the plot. Still, The Frozen is an attractive, well-acted debut from writer-director Andrew Hyatt that's a cut above the average direct-to-video fare.

The DVD

No special features.

Movie: C+
DVD: F

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