THE FROZEN GROUND

US, 2012, 100 minutes, colour.
Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, Rhada Mitchell, Kevin Dunn.
Directed by Scott Walker.

The Frozen Ground is based on actual events. It is grim story of a serial killer operating in Anchorage, Alaska in the 1980s.

Nicolas Cage portrays Jack Halcombe, the detective who worked on the case – and there is a tribute to him and his work during the final credits. Rhada Mitchell has a rather small, even thankless role as Halcombe’s wife, ready to leave Alaska in two weeks when her husband is called into the case. Vanessa Hudgins, best known from the High School Musical films, portrays a disturbed young woman, victim of sexual abuse at home, an addict, prostitution and pole dancer in the city who was abducted by the serial killer but escaped and was central to his arrest and conviction.

Perhaps the surprise of the film is the eerie performance by John Cusack as Robert Hansen, a killer with over 30 victims, mentally unbalanced, seemingly respectable, able to argue himself out of the accusations until he is confronted by the young prostitute.

One of the difficulties with this kind of film is that at times it might seem exploitative, but, on the other hand, this is the risk of films which portray true crimes.

1. The film based on a true story? A serial killer? Police and detective work?

2. The Alaskan settings, the city of Anchorage, the surrounding mountains, forests, snow-clad? The musical score?

3. The title, the victims, buried in the snow?

4. The mystery of the disappearing women, deaths, finding the graves, the range of cases, the police authorities, DA, John called in?

5. John, his career, skills as a detective, his wife, daughter, leaving Anchorage in two weeks, responding to the case, becoming involved, some neglect of his family? His wife and her hostility, especially about having Cindy in the house? Her change of heart, apologising, sending things for Cindy? Information about John at the end?

6. Bob, John Cusack’s performance? His life in Anchorage, wife and children, dominating? His past, the sex cases, sentences in prison? Psychiatric tests? The fact that he could not pass in order to fly but did? His profile? Respectable, stammer, compulsions, sex addiction, violence?

7. Finding the bodies in the forests, in the frozen ground, the injuries? Forensic evidence?

8. The focus on Cindy, her life, relationship with her parents, the failure of her mother, the abusive uncle, escaping from home, prostitution, her friends in Anchorage, prepared to be a pole dancer, the customers, the pimp, his connections and indirectly linked to Bob? Bob, taking her, the torture, the gunshot hole in the wall? The getting away?

9. Cindy meeting John, his trying to help, her fears, attitudes, the dancing, the escape? Going to John’s home, listening to the quarrel and leaving? Her age, the pimp, the attack of the go-between, her getting away, the hospital, the fear, not wanting to give evidence? Listening to John, his kindness? Going to the room, Bob and his reaction, giving himself away, his violence?

10. The world of clubs, brothels, the women, their clients?

11. Bob, searching for women, following them, taking them, binding them, tormenting them? The girl taken in the plane, torture, hunted and her being shot? His flying the plane, getting the guns and the evidence, dropping them in the snow?

12. The DA, caution, over-caution, what evidence? John and officers, wanting the warrant? The searching of the house while Bob was being interrogated, failing to find the evidence?

13. The interrogation of Bob, his reactions, lies, excuses, explanations? Wanting his lawyer? His past, his arrogance? Cindy entering into the room and his aggressive attitude in giving himself away?

14. Audience emotional response to this kind of story, characters?

15. The final information, the dedication of the film to the victims?

16. Audience interest in this kind of story, the touch of the prurient, exploitative? Yet portrait of true crime?