Frozen (2005)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Juliet McKoen

Writers:

Juliet McKoen (screenplay) &
Jayne Steel (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 January 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes finding someone is even worse than losing them

Plot:

It's two years since the mysterious disappearance of Kath Swarbrick's older sister Annie, but Kath remains haunted by a need to know what happened...

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Shirley Henderson	...	Kath
Roshan Seth	...	Noyen
Ger Ryan	...	Elsie
Richard Armitage	...	Steven
Ralf Little	...	Eddie
Jamie Sives	...	Jim
Shireen Shah	...	Vellama
Sean Harris	...	Hurricane Frank
Lyndsey Marshal	...	Tracey
Rebecca R. Palmer	...	Irene (as Rebecca Palmer)
Karl Johnson	...	Coastguard Bill
George Costigan	...	P.C. Pike
Richard Ridings	...	Lorry Driver
Maxine Peake	...	Ticket Attendant
Stephen Lord	...	Diver Kenny

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Liminal Films

'Frozen' can drag, but it's worth the wait.

I recently saw 'Frozen' at the 2005 RiverRun International Film Festival, and I must say I enjoyed it. However, I don't think it's a film you'll watch over and over again... explanation: The basic synopsis of 'Frozen' is a girl, Kath, is curious about what happened to her sister, Annie. Is she alive? Dead? Living a new life? When Kath finds some evidence showing Annie the day she went missing, she becomes almost obsessed with finding her. It's not the most original plot you've ever heard of, but it is pulled off very well for what it is.

Along Kath's "journey," you'll meet a few central characters, though after all is said and done, I find some of the characters --or more importantly, the one emphasized most (a therapist/priest character)-- has little to no real relation or development to the plot and could've been done without or built upon in many areas. Though the acting is convincing throughout, it's because of this that some of the exchanges can feel as if they're unnatural or dragging (even at a 90min. runtime.) What the previously mentioned slacks on, 'Frozen' more than makes up for with visuals and sound. The film uses lots of blues and dark greens, which give it a very cold feeling. This pulls you in to relate to the character, who describes herself multiple times as feeling "frozen." The camera work itself is good as well, with some very good shots scattered about. The sound is equally cold as the visuals. There's not much use of music here, which further helps with the feeling of isolation.

Overall, the movie is nothing amazing, but even considering the flaws, 'Frozen' is a very good and interesting watch in the thriller category (especially considering what's been passing as "thrillers" lately.)