"“Enjoyable in parts and intense in others, sadly The Frozen Ground ends on something of a sour note...”"

There can't be too many first time filmmakers who can boast writing and directing a debut picture to star the likes of Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and Vanessa Hudgens – yet Scott Walker can claim to have achieved just that. However what he may have achieved in securing this all star cast, is regrettably not matched in what is a substandard, generic crime thriller that offers little originality.

We delve into the disturbing case of serial killer Robert Hansen (Cusack), who although living a seemingly ordinary life with his wife and children, keeps young prostitutes hostage in his flat, beating and torturing them before murdering them out in the Alaskan wilderness. However when one of his victims Cindy (Hudgens) manages to escape from his clutches, she informs the local police of what occurred, as State Trooper Jack Halcombe (Cage) leads a case to try and secure enough evidence against the murderer to lock him away – a task somewhat harder than he had originally envisaged.

The Frozen Ground is not your typical murder mystery plot, as intriguingly in this instance we know who the killer is. There is no ambiguity as to his identity, as both the audience and police alike know that it's Hansen behind these gruesome killings. Instead it's a matter of proving his involvement, as a compelling game of cat and mouse transpires. Such a harrowing tale is well placed in such cold surroundings, as the Alaskan setting compliments the chilling atmosphere of this tale, enhancing the cold and heartless actions of this deranged serial killer.

The performances are sufficient, with Cage and Cusack brilliantly cast in their respective roles, as the pair bring a streak of unpredictability to proceedings, as you're never quite sure of what they may be capable of. This is most impactful for Cusack, who, in a similar vein to The Paperboy, masters the crazed, psychopathic killer role, with a coldness behind the eyes and an overstrung nature that has you on edge throughout. Hudgens also impresses, steering as far away from High School Musical as humanly possibly, portraying a crack addicted prostitute, in what proves to be another triumphant step in her changing of image, away from the wholesome, Disney appearance she had previously held.

Though enjoyable in parts and intense in others, sadly The Frozen Ground ends on something of a sour note, with an upsetting final montage picturing all of Hansen's real life victims. Though the intention is to be poignant, it feels out of place, as Walker hasn't quite warranted the right to turn towards realism, in what is a hugely cliched and cinematic thriller. It simply feels uneasy to tie this tale to real life, while the ill-conceived soppy, rock song to accompany the montage enhances such a notion, merely undoing much of the good that came before.