The Frozen Ground (2013)

Nicolas Cage and John Cusack have both been pretty much hit or miss for about the last 6 years.  Oddly enough, their downfall started around the same time.  I have been a huge fan of both actors ever since I can remember.  Even though they are both not consistently in great movies any longer, I still give them the benefit of the doubt every time I watch one of their new movies.  I guess I just hope that one day they will bounce back from whatever funk they got themselves into and start making great movies again.  One can always hope right?

So, that is the attitude that I had before watching The Frozen Ground.  I would have been less enthusiastic about wanting to see the movie if it was only Cage or Cusack in it.  But, it’s not just Cage or Cusack, it’s both.  If both of these struggling actors are in the same movie then it is bound to be awesome right?

The film is based on actual events that took place in 1983.  It’s about an Alaska State trooper who teams up with a woman who was able to get away from a serial killer named Robert Hansen.  Together the duo works to find Hansen and bring him to justice for the murders that he has committed.

The movie was written and directed by Scott Walker and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Vanessa Hudgens, Dean Norris, Kevin Dunn, Radha Mitchell, Michael McGrady, Matt Gerald, and 50 Cent.

The Frozen Ground has an overall dark tone which is fitting because of the dark subject matter.

The movie was missing a lot.  It was hard to follow and full of wasted talent.  There was hardly any character development, so you couldn’t really feel anything for the characters.

It is yet another letdown from Cage and Cusack.  The list of bad movies that each actor continues to make just keeps getting longer.

It really felt like both Cage and Cusack were just going through the motions.  However, the writing and filmmaking overall, really did nothing to help their cause.  Occasionally both actors would show a slight spark that would quickly go out.  I think that if they keep making movies like this one, their careers could be doomed.  It’s a real shame.

The film started out like it could have potential, and then it got boring quickly.  The scenes were choppy and the acting and dialogue all felt forced.

Don’t waste your time or money with The Frozen Ground.  If you would like to try to preserve the memory of when Nicolas Cage and John Cusack both made good movies, don’t watch this one.

I rate this movie a 3 on a scale of 1-10.

Buy, rent, or run?  Run.