Frozen Ground - Blu-ray

Content: Alaska in 1983: Actually, special investigator Jack Halcombe (Nicolas Cage) is about to quit his job and move to another city with his wife Allie (Radha Mitchell). But then the statement of young prostitute Cindy (Vanessa Hudgens) lands on his desk, in which the woman claims that blameless Robert Hansen (John Cusack) kidnapped her and tried to kill her. The police have given no credence to Cindy's account, but Jack sees connections to the unexplained discovery of a woman's body. He is convinced that he is on the trail of a serial killer and that Cindy could provide him with the vital information to catch Robert Hansen. So he puts aside his plans for the future and takes up the investigation against resistance within the police force, but quickly finds that Hansen is one hell of a cunning adversary who should not be underestimated...

Frozen Ground is the directorial debut of Scott Walker, whose screenplay is based on true events surrounding the serial killer known as The Flying Nightmare, Robert Hansen. Walker largely sticks to the facts that emerged from the investigation, but has altered some events and characters for dramaturgical reasons. Overall, his production comes across as very conventional, as Walker repeatedly makes use of some nevertheless very well-worn clichés. Still, all in all he succeeded in making a very thrilling and involving thriller. The fact that the film works so well despite the less than original clichés is partly due to the basic dark atmosphere, which is maintained from start to finish thanks to the atmospheric camerawork and the moody 80s look. Visually, the film is extremely engaging, which of course has an effect on the dramaturgy.

Equally, the production can benefit from the mostly convincing cast. While supporting actor Curtis 50 Cent Jackson once again reveals that he's simply not a born actor and his miming abilities are clearly limited, Nichols Cage and John Cusack in particular deliver more than solid performances. While Cage delivers the dedicated investigator with convincing aplomb, Cusack provides the odd goosebump moment with his slightly psychopathic portrayal of the calculating killer, especially in the beginning. And High School Musical beauty Vanessa Hudgens also manages convincingly to play against her clean Disney image.

Good actors, a gritty atmosphere, and a story that is very suspenseful at its core make Frozen Ground a thriller that, while not outstanding, is definitely gripping, not boring for a minute, and one that keeps the viewer rooting along to the end despite a certain predictability. A promising directorial debut, which also reveals that the two main actors could have deserved roles in bigger feature films once again. Who appreciates entertaining American thriller fare, should definitely grab here! Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The undercooled-dark atmosphere of the film comes to the Blu-ray well. This is ensured both by the good image sharpness, as well as the coherent color scheme. Although the action often presents itself rather gloomy and dark, there are only rarely minor blurring or minimal image noise to discover. The audio, available in DTS-HD 5.1, also supports the thriller's engaging atmosphere with its accomplished, if somewhat restrained, soundscape. Good!

Extras: As a bonus, the Blu-ray has, in addition to the trailer, five short promo featurettes about the story, the actors, the director or even the filming locations to offer, which together make a pretty decent making of (about 20 min.). Not much, but well worth watching!

Conclusion: Frozen Ground is an atmospheric thriller that is not entirely free of common genre clichés, but offers decent suspense thanks to the engaging visual aesthetic and the good acting of John Cusack. A successful home theater premiere that fans of serial killer films that present themselves as a mix of thriller and drama can safely take in. Technically, the Blu-ray also leaves a good impression. The bonus material is short, but decent. All this together is enough for a more than satisfied: recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp