"The Frozen Ground" directed by Scott Walker

{Review by Nancy Snipper}

Serial killers come in all sizes, and this one is a seemingly sweet, helpful married man with kids who wouldn’t harm a fly. Inside his quiet demeanour lurks a monstrous murderer who hunts down prostitutes and young girls who believe he really is a photographer arranging a shoot with them. But the shoot he makes is a deadly one. He hunts them down but not before raping them in his Alaskan cabin, putting a chain around their neck and barely feeding them. Because this barbarian whose name is Robert Hansen is an upstanding member of the community, Alaskan State Trooper, Jack Halcombe can’t convince his boss that Cindy Paulson, the girl who escaped Hansen’s hands is telling the truth – that she was kidnapped, taken in his plane to his cabin and then raped. It’s up to Halcombe to expose the ruthless killer, and it takes the persistence of a great hero to finally bring the sub-human creep to justice. Robert Hansen is caught finally and put in jail for life and beyond. This is a true story and although over 14 bodies were recovered in the frozen ground – an X is marked on Hanson’s flight chart where he shot them – it is believed there are at least 17 more bodies under frozen ground. 

At the end of the film, they showed the photos of all the girls whose bodies have been recovered and those never found. This is a very important film, and it took the courage of Cindy Paulson to come forward and allow the film to be made. Jack Halcombe deserves more than this movie; he deserves a medal. Interesting to note that he had only two weeks left before retirement when he took on the case. This is a must-see movie that is well made. Vanessa Hudgens as Cindy was highly believable, and John Cusack as Robert was superb. He’s a fine actor. Nicolas Cage as Halcombe was powerful and sincere. 

(This film was viewed, compliments of Le SuperClub Videotron, 5000, rue Wellington, in Verdun,  Quebec.) 

(Ce film a été visionné, avec les compliments de Le SuperClub Videotron, 5000, rue Wellington, à Verdun, Québec.)