Hypothermia - The Coldest Prey - DVD

Content: It was supposed to be just a normal weekend at the lake for Ray Pelletier (Michael Rooker), his wife Helen (Blanche Baker), son David (Ben Foster) and his girlfriend Gina (Amy Chang). While ice fishing together in complete isolation, the tensions that are currently between Ray and David should finally be eased. But the trip is not under a good star. First Ray collapses in the ice during an evening walk and can only save himself with the greatest of efforts. And then he also learns that his son wants to leave the USA with Gina to work as an aid worker. As if that wasn't enough, their peace is also disturbed the next day by the boorish Stevie Cote (Don Wood), who, together with his son Stevie Jr. (Greg Finley), sets up a mobile fishing hut right by the Pelletiers' ice hole. Ray already believes this weekend will be a disaster. But he has no idea then that the real horror is yet to come for them - for beneath the ice lurks a dark danger just waiting to break through...

Hypothermia was filmed back in the spring of 2010 in New York State, with most of the footage shot not in the studio but actually in the freezing cold on or near Great Scandaga Lake. The concept of the film isn't bad and makes for a great premise for a classic monster movie. That's what director James Felix McKenney seems to want to offer his viewers, as he relies primarily on practical effects and largely does without CGI shots. This is really an advantage when the monster, which is still invisible to the viewer, leaves some unsightly wounds on the protagonists, which have really been implemented very effectively.

Negative are the practical effects in conjunction with the low budget when the monster is actually visible. Although it is then mostly very dark and the quick cuts also allow only brief glimpses of the monster, what is to be seen seems arguably trashy and unfortunately also a little ridiculous. The good intentions and the dedication of the makers in all honor, but this rubber-stamping robs the film of any suspense and turns the solid monster movie into an unintentionally funny laughing stock. The somewhat confused ending doesn't really help to make up for this damage.

But since the monster is only really on display in the last ten minutes of the already very short 70 minute running time, and up until then the pace, atmosphere and effects are also spot on, lovers of classic monster movies can definitely give this one a look. Even though the actors, with the exception of Michael Rooker, really only have B-movie qualities and the script is arguably cliché-laden, the icy horror actually works quite well in the first hour. And for this there is then at the end of a very limited, but still decent: worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Since only a data-reduced press sample was available for testing, no rating can be given about the final picture and sound quality at this point.

Extras: Also the bonus material could not be sighted on the press DVD. Announced are a making of, two featurettes, a picture gallery and a trailer.

Conclusion:Hypothermia offers a good basic idea, which is also implemented quite atmospheric at the beginning. The somewhat poor script and the somewhat clichéd characters are not really disturbing. Only with the appearance of the monster, which sets an inappropriate counterpoint to the seriousness of the staging with its rather ridiculous appearance, the film loses almost all of its suspense potential in the last act. If you like classic monster horror, you might still be able to enjoy this horror thriller, because the movie has some good moments of suspense and decent bloody effects to offer. But if you're expecting an effective shocker, the suspense will be replaced by bitter disappointment at the latest when you see the monster from the deep. Therefore: despite a good atmosphere and a good cast only conditionally recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp