Ice (1998) (TV)

Director:

Jean de Segonzac

Writers (WGA):

Roderick Taylor (written by) &
Bruce A. Taylor (written by)

Release Date:

22 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

After the whole North of the Equator freezes below zero, a group of people in Los Angeles risk their lives while trying to "escape" from the city's hostile conditions, in order to take a ship to a hotter place on Earth. |

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Looting | Architect | U Boat | Los Angeles California

Cast

Grant Show	...	Robert Drake
Udo Kier	...	Dr. Norman Kistler
Eva La Rue	...	Alison
Flex Alexander	...	Kelvin (as Flex)
Audie England	...	Julie
Michael Riley	...	Greg
Kyle Fairlie	...	Max
Art Hindle	...	The President
Diego Fuentes	...	Zapata
Kristin Booth	...	Jessica
Gordon Michael Woolvett	...	Soldier (as Gordon M. Woolvett)
John Bourgeois	...	Dr. Golding
Elias Zarou	...	Dr. Tyson
Peter Virgile	...	Chief of Staff
J.C. Kenny	...	Newscaster

Also Known As:

Eis - wenn die Welt erfriert (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Company:

Alexander/Enright & Associates

Movie Connections:

References Dirty Harry (1971)

Great Writing, Acting

I recently saw ICE on the Sci-Fi channel and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The writing is superb. The characters are unique and believable within the science-fiction disaster context of the rapid cooling of the atmosphere.

Several scenes are extremely similar to scenes in THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, in particular the final scene with the president, and using books to fuel the fire. Tiny details are what make a script work, and this one is chock full of them, the interplay between Officer Drake and his ex-wife and current girlfriend, the ex-wife's new husband, Greg, an intellectual who cannot accept the loss of civilization, the various people met along the way as established order breaks down and as the characters fight for one last hope of survival. The scene in which Officer Drake convinces his girlfriend to join the others rather than stay with him (and presumably die) is extremely moving. This film is one of the best character studies in a disaster context I have seen. All the characters are vivid, three-dimensional portrayals, bickering, arguing, conniving, negotiating, being courageous and self-sacrificing, and ultimately depending upon one another for their survival.

My only disappointment with the film is that the producer decided to dub Udo Kier's voice to give his character a more American accent. This is a deep flaw in an otherwise tremendously satisfying film. Udo Kier is a cult-film hero, and his voice, as sibilant and Germanic as it is, is a pleasure to the ear. "Kistler" sounds German enough to justify a German accent, so why the dubbing?