Frozen (2010) - A Movie Review

Trust me, very bad things will happen if you get stuck on a chairlift.

Frozen is a 2010 film. Three friends bribe the lift operator for one last run when it is closing time. Unfortunately, the trio gets trapped on the chairlift fifty feet above the ground in treacherous freezing weather. Survival is thin as they try to work out a plan.

This is a movie that my family and I constantly reference when we are on our ski trips. Frozen is a cross between an awful film with the dumbest characters, and yet it is a suspenseful story that warns curious skiers to never get trapped on a chairlift.

Despite how incompetent, useless, and dumb they are, Shawn Ashmore, Emma Bell, and Kevin Zegers manage to develop a genuine friendship. That’s what I did not focus on the first time I watched this film. The trio does an excellent job selling the dangers of the situation. But, I would not befriend these people for their lack of survivalist skills.

Out of the trio, Parker (Bell) was the most useless. Crying about the situation the entire time, I’m surprised that the film decided to focus on her. She says dumb things, is unhelpful and even puts unnecessary blame on another character. I will give Bell credit for a grueling and emotional performance.

The only character that is given depth is Joe (Ashmore). Because Ashmore and Zegers are close friends in real life, I bought their friendship. Out of the trio, we get to know who Joe is. The film felt like it was focusing on his journey of growth. I would have picked a different outcome for the characters in the climax.

I give the film credit for the dialogue. You can have any conversation on a chairlift. To take their minds off the frigid cold, the trio has conversations about the worst ways to die. Dialogue also helps get to know the characters and their dynamics.

By the middle half, the film starts to lag, adding in scenes of filler to drag out the story. We could have gone without some dialogue sequences.

The story is bad, but the special effects and the way the film was shot make it worth the watch. Filmed in an actual ski area in Utah, filmmakers really shot the film, fifty feet from the ground on an actual chairlift. No CGI was used. Because most of the production crew had a fear of heights, the director had to capture most of the scenes himself - and he feared heights, too.

I will admit that the cinematography is excellent. The skiing moments are fun. I never noticed how filmmakers were able to capture shots of the chairlift that felt like impending doom. The music also a tremendous effect on the tone. I felt chilled to the bone.

Adam Green shot Frozen as realistically as he could. However, he failed to accurately portray how ski regulations work. All ski areas make sure that situations like what happened in the film don’t occur. Nevertheless, Green made sure that his actors were safe and comfortable at all times.

Frozen is grotesque. No, really, it is hard to watch. It is intense, agonizing, and unbearable. Plus, it makes your head hurt each time a character does or says something stupid which is a lot. Hopefully, you will learn never to jump from a high location with your legs straight. And don’t keep your jackets unzipped in frostbite temperatures!

I would not recommend Frozen for the faint of heart, but if you’re a curious skier, I won’t stand in your way.