Henrick Vartanian
Reviewed by: Harrison Cheung —
Keven Zegers and Shawn Ashmore are familiar faces to movie and TV audiences – Ashmore (X-MEN) doubly so as he is the twin brother to Aaron Ashmore (SMALLVILLE).
Zegers has yet to break out, but he’s been an indie film darling since his roles in TRANSAMERICA and DAWN OF THE DEAD. He co-stars with Hilary Duff next year in the highly anticipated BONNIE AND CLYDE.
These 2 Canadian actors combined their considerable talents in FROZEN, an indie film that’s going to be overlooked with the likes of 127 HOURS basking in Oscar gold. But if you like survival-in-small-spaces movies like 127 HOURS, BURIED, the underated DEVIL, or the 2003 surprise hit OPEN WATER, you’ll love FROZEN.
FROZEN’s plot sounds like a B-movie horror: three teens get stuck on a ski lift one night. and they have to survive during a snowstorm with hungry wolves circling below. The guys are joined by the very talented Emma Bell (THE WALKING DEAD).
Writer/director, Adam Green, makes his feature film debut into an intense and realistic drama about two young men dealing with initially an awkward third wheel situation. Parker (Bell) and Dan (Zegers) are dating, but Dan’s best friend Joe (Ashmore) chafes at the idea of a girl tagging along their traditional guys’ ski weekend.
Tension and frustration explode when their ski lift chair leaves them high and not so dry. The premise is very believable, the subzero temperature is palpable, and the three vivid young actors practically revel in playing against each other as they try to figure out how to survive.
It would have been very easy for Green to go campy or gory, but to his credit, FROZEN is a very good flick that’s more tense than horrific. You’ll never be comfortable getting on a ski lift ever again!