The Frozen Ground

Name: The Frozen Ground
Genre: Biography, History, Thriller, Crime
Released: August 23, 2013
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 37

2013

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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The Frozen Ground

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: August 23, 2013 | R

Summary: Based on a true story, an Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice.

Director: Scott Walker

Genre(s): Biography, History, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick

Aug 22, 2013

Cusack and Cage — who don’t have any scenes together until halfway through — do their best work in years, while erstwhile “High School Musical’’ star Hudgens shows off acting chops missing in “Spring Breakers.’’ Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

Aug 1, 2013

This is an unambitious, old-school thriller, nothing more and nothing less. Read full review

Josh Winning

Aug 1, 2013

It’s handsomely lensed, and when Cage and Cusack finally go nose-to-nose, the fur does fly. Read full review

John DeFore

Aug 26, 2013

Unfortunately, writer-director Scott Walker's film is a muddled and strangely inert one, generating little of the suspense or anguish its subject requires; despite its high-profile cast. Read full review

Gary Goldstein

Aug 22, 2013

Although writer-director Scott Walker seems committed to not overly exploiting his lurid subject matter, the movie is just too dreary, disjointed and generically creepy to be persuasive. Read full review

Matthew Kassel

Aug 20, 2013

A vague and forgettable crime thriller that would have benefited from more character development or at least a grounding of the narrative in one central protagonist. Read full review

The Telegraph Tim Robey

Jul 18, 2013

Fans of Cage and Cusack, previously paired as unlikely allies in Con Air (1997), may be looking forward to a bit of deranged actorly combat once Hansen is cornered in the interrogation room, but it’s here that this hopeless flick comes up especially short. Read full review

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User Reviews

Ishafriend10

Apr 1, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Frozen Ground James Maslow James Maslow as Daniel O’ Brian (Easy A) Excellent Extreme Extremely Like Likely… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CommGhost

Sep 21, 2013

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie i found the story captivating and the acting refreshing i would definatley recommend viewing.
Big thumbs up to both Cage and Cussack job well done.
Scary stuff it was a true story

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Roxie1971

Aug 25, 2013

Excellent movie, very well directed. I myself could not have picked a better cast of actors or actress to do the parts in this movie. Would love to see Nicolas Cage and John Cusack do future movies.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

ydnar4

Feb 8, 2015

Nicolas Cage has been more risk than reward over recent years but I'd give him props in this movie. I think he gave a pretty solid performance. Serial killer movies have always been films I've enjoyed. Robert Hansen is one of the most deadly American killers and I really didn't know thatNicolas Cage has been more risk than reward over recent years but I'd give him props in this movie. I think he gave a pretty solid performance. Serial killer movies have always been films I've enjoyed. Robert Hansen is one of the most deadly American killers and I really didn't know that much about him. John Cusack was a character that wouldn't expect to see playing Hansen. He improved more and more as the film went on. I was not a fan of Vanessa Hudgen's role, she was sort of in the wrong company and they could've gone with someone else. She had two much camera time for the first hour and that is one of the major reasons I gave this movie a seven. The last half of the movie when Nick Cage took was what saved it.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

atabeyordekci

Aug 18, 2021

An Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice. Based on actual events. (5)

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jan 4, 2017

In the 21st century, John Cusack and Nicolas Cage do not purposefully make a good film. Instead, they accidentally stumble onto a set where people are making a good film. The Frozen Ground is not necessarily a good film, but it is an okay one. Telling the real story about the hunt for brutalIn the 21st century, John Cusack and Nicolas Cage do not purposefully make a good film. Instead, they accidentally stumble onto a set where people are making a good film. The Frozen Ground is not necessarily a good film, but it is an okay one. Telling the real story about the hunt for brutal serial killer Robert Hansen (Cusack), the film fits him against John Halcombe (Cage), the cop who tracked him down. A pretty straight forward police procedural movie, The Frozen Ground is a largely entertaining and compelling film that is just too cliche and lacking in mystery to be a truly good film.

With Cage and Cusack both turning in good performances, this straight-to-DVD release is off to a good start already. Cage is largely a normal person here with a wife who gets two scenes and is a hard nosed cop who loves his job and family. Typical, but Cage does well. He is a great actor and this material is still beneath him, but it is closer than his traditional fare. Cusack, meanwhile, plays a well adjusted psycho. Seen as a normal guy with a Christian wife and two kids, Hansen is a regular guy except when he looks for oral sex. At this point, he is a monster and hungry for hunting prostitutes. Cusack plays this difference incredibly well, using a largely cool and icy demeanor in both. He seems to be going through the motions and is only in his element when killing somebody. Cusack, in the violent moments, keeps this icy demeanor but has a subtle twisted and dark element added that clues you into just how demented of a person Robert Hansen was.

However, The Frozen Ground is largely unchallenging. Halcombe protects a young prostitute and victim of Hansen, Cindy Paulson (Vanessa Hudgens), with cliched scenes involving her pimp (50 Cent) and a strip club. These moments add nothing to the film other than an excuse to hire girls with large breasts to appear nude briefly in the film. Otherwise, nothing is added to the film, even including a scene where Cindy sees Robert in the club. Maybe it was a real scenario, but of course he is scared of him and that is the only thing the scene communicates. The case is largely compelling, however, and scenes of Cage and Sgt. Lyle Haugsven (Dean Norris) tracking Hansen. With clues and close calls along the way, the film is largely engaging in these moments. Sure, it is stereotypical, but as somebody who mildly enjoys films of this type, it does work.

What does not work, however, is the camera. Director Scott Walker channels that scene of Liam Neeson jumping over a fence in Taken 3 during any scene with a degree of chaos. This includes the beginning and it made me want to question my decision to watch the film at all. Good directors do not need to use nearly as many cuts in quick succession as Walker does, leading me to conclude that the average status of the film is likely a fluke.

With a largely compelling true story to tell, The Frozen Ground is a cold and icy film about a cold and icy man. While largely feeling like an episode of Forensic Files or Deadline, the film is pretty engaging due to very good performances from Nicolas Cage and John Cusack. Honestly, they must have been so appalled by the fact that the film turned out okay they had to fire their agents. How could they not give a horrible script instead? Compared to their usual films, The Frozen Ground is like an Oscar winner. Compared to other films, however, it is merely a run-of-the-mill true crime story that has good acting and follows the cliches closely enough to become passable entertainment.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Thegodfatherson

Aug 23, 2013

It's been so long since Nicolas Cage has starred in a straightforward thriller playing a realistic character that "The Frozen Ground" feels like a shock to the system his, and ours. And Cage, without having to play a ghostly motorcyclist or hot rod driver from Hell or sorcerer or sci-fiIt's been so long since Nicolas Cage has starred in a straightforward thriller playing a realistic character that "The Frozen Ground" feels like a shock to the system his, and ours. And Cage, without having to play a ghostly motorcyclist or hot rod driver from Hell or sorcerer or sci-fi hero or kinky cop, reminds us that he used to know subtlety. So even if "Frozen Ground" breaks little new ground in the serial-killer thriller genre, there's hope Cage will leave the ham behind before Alaska freezes over.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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