Frozen Ground (2013)
AKA: –
Directed by: Scott Walker
Starring: Nicolas Cage (Sgt Jack Halcombe), John Cusack (Robert Hansen), Vanessa Hudgens (Cindy), 50 Cent (Clate), Radha Mitchell (Allie)
Country: United States
Language: English (Eng Subs)
Runtime: 01:45:31
Genres: Serial Killers, Based on a True Story, Detective, Sexual-Violence against Women
Plot – Spoilers:
A young prostitute Cindy is found handcuffed in a motel claiming to have been raped and tortured by Robert Hansen, a mild-looking baker. The police aren’t keen on taking the word of a hooker and let Hansen go, convinced this was a hookup that turned rough. But one of the cops is suspicious and mails details of the case to the State Troopers. Trooper Jack Halcombe is set to retire soon, but the prospect of nailing a potential serial killing case in the Alaskan cold, warms him up nicely.
Frozen Ground, based on real-life serial killer Robert Hansen, is more concerned with how the case against him was built and Sgt Halcombe’s relationship with Cindy, than it is with Hansen’s actual crimes.
A good movie, good story, good pay off.
This is a decent movie, which ironically would best be viewed on the big screen given the visually arresting shots of the Alaskan landscape except that it had a very tiny release on the big screen, and has most certainly been seen more on-demand and now through the DVD format. In case a viewer of “The Frozen Ground” is left unsatisfied with the necessary compression of events, composite characters, etc. that are necessary to produce a movie of less than two hours in length, and want to learn more about the Hansen case that inspired the movie one could do worse then read “Fair Game” by Bernard DuClos that was recently republished. Reading it as a companion to the
movie will help the viewer of “The Frozen Ground” realize the liberties that were inevitably taken to make it suitable for the silver screen as well as understand elements of Hansen’s life and killing spree that the picture did not have time to delve into such as more of Hansen’s background (which early on indicated a propensity toward crime) and the back story of the whole oil pipeline boom that produced the mafia controlled prostitution/strip bar scene that Hudgen’s character is entangled in.
Good plot, plenty of drama, fine acting and an all round good film.
Excellent serial killer thriller, lovely weather and great cinematography. Great performance by ‘Cindy’.
The subtitles though were too annoying in addition to the sound, so I had to watch the film muted and just read the titles.
I’ve gotta say I agree with Sundance. Cage and Cusack was/is a winning combination. 8 out of 10 all the way around. I enjoyed it very much.
Trivia. Nicolas Cage in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” using his real name – Nicolas Cappola. You can easily recognize him in the “No shirt. No shoes. No dice” scene with Sean Penn and Eric Stolz (all kids)
Cage and Cusack were great together. A true story about an American serial killer. A solid 8/10
Love Nick Cage, he is one of my favourites, Thx for this movie.
Time stamp what I can jerk off to