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Common sense media reviewers.

Chilling tale is gory, but less so than other horror movies.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The film's main point is that bad things can happe

The movie goes out of its way to show that these c

There's a brief "pushing" fight on solid ground ne

Two of the main characters are boyfriend and girlf

We hear more than one use of "f--k," plus many, ma

We see a poster for Newbury Comics near the film's

One of the main characters is called a "pothead,"

Parents need to know that Frozen is a horror/thriller from director Adam Green, whose previous movie was the comic slasher movie Hatchet . This one is a good deal more serious; it's filled with very effective, excruciating suspense, but it's also not particularly smart. It's one of those movies in which…

Positive Messages

The film's main point is that bad things can happen to anyone at any time. These three characters did bribe the lift guy rather than buying lift tickets, but their punishment for that crime seems very severe. The characters generally show more stupidity than they do bravery, teamwork, or problem solving.

Positive Role Models

The movie goes out of its way to show that these characters have their good and bad sides. They pay a bribe instead of buying tickets, they smoke cigarettes and pot, use bad language, and are not in totally trusting relationships. But we also learn that one of them once fell in love, one of them has a puppy, and that they have devoted friendships. The fact that they do not deal well with this crisis tips the balance into the negative.

Violence & Scariness

There's a brief "pushing" fight on solid ground near the film's beginning. Later, a character jumps from the stuck chair lift and breaks his legs on the ground below. His legs are askew and bones stick out. Wolves devour him, but mostly off-camera. A character's hand is stuck to the frozen bar, and we see the skin peeling back as it is pulled off. A character gets severe frostbite to the face, with peeling skin. A character slices up his hands on the cable, and we see some blood. Finally, we see a bloody corpse in the snow.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two of the main characters are boyfriend and girlfriend, and they sometimes speak in intimate ways, but mostly playful and very little that's sexual. (She complains because he calls her by her real name, rather than a pet name.) In one scene, the boyfriend unzips the girl's jacket a few inches so that she can flirt with the chair lift guy and get cheap lift tickets. Another character meets a girl and flirts with her.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

We hear more than one use of "f--k," plus many, many uses of "s--t" and "ass." Other words include "dick," "hell," "douchebag," "asshole," "retarded," "piss," "Goddamn," and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

We see a poster for Newbury Comics near the film's beginning, and one character mentions his favorite breakfast cereals, "Crunch Berries," "Cinnamon Toast Crunch," and "Lucky Charms."

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

One of the main characters is called a "pothead," and he brags about smoking a lot of pot, although he is never seen doing so onscreen. Another main character smokes cigarettes, as does a secondary character. (She bums a cigarette from him.)

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Frozen is a horror/thriller from director Adam Green , whose previous movie was the comic slasher movie Hatchet . This one is a good deal more serious; it's filled with very effective, excruciating suspense, but it's also not particularly smart. It's one of those movies in which the audience is usually two jumps ahead of the characters. The movie has its fair share of gruesome blood and gore, especially in the second half. Language is fairly strong, with more than one use of "f--k" and many uses of "s--t." The characters, all college students, smoke cigarettes, and there are references to pot. Viewers may find themselves very anxious, and very annoyed at the same time. It's an intense movie, but also fairly mild compared to many other entries in the horror genre. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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• Parents say (10)
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Based on 10 parent reviews

Don’t recommend

What's the story.

College student Dan ( Kevin Zegers ), his best friend Joe ( Shawn Ashmore ), and his girlfriend Parker ( Emma Bell ) go for a weekend ski trip. Since Parker is a beginner, they spend most of the day on the bunny hills. As night -- and a storm -- approach, they decide for one last big run. Unfortunately, due to a series of misunderstandings, and the fact that they bribed their way onto the lift rather than buying tickets, they are left stranded halfway up the mountain as the resort closes down for the week. The lift is terribly high, and it's terribly cold. The cable is razor-sharp, and there are wolves in the woods. How will the trio get out of this chilling situation?

Is It Any Good?

Director Adam Green broke into the horror genre with the comic slasher film Hatchet , which was made with just the right attitude, and it's a good deal of fun. His follow-up Frozen is more serious and not as much fun. The suspense is definitely there, and it can be excruciating. But it's almost an empty exercise, as there's not much meat to the film itself.

For one thing, the characters never seem very smart, and they remain almost constantly two jumps behind the audience. (Some of the situations they get themselves into can be irritating.) Additionally, the idea of a stuck lift chair isn't very visually dynamic. So Green relies on a lot of sitting-and-talking sequences to break up the suspense, and while these are sometimes pleasant, they're not exactly Shakespeare. In other words, the movie has a good flow, and it understands how to generate thrills, but the characters, situation, and dialogue are stretched a bit thin.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the ways in which this problem could have been averted. Could better communication have helped? Better listening?

How did the movie's violence affect you? Was it scary ? Which was the most horrifying part? Did you notice if some of the violent events took place onscreen, or offscreen?

The three characters in the film have an awkward relationship . The two boys are best friends, and the girlfriend of one boy is trying not to come between them. Have you ever experienced this kind of romantic tension in real life?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 5, 2010
• On DVD or streaming : September 28, 2010
• Cast : Emma Bell , Kevin Zegers , Shawn Ashmore
• Director : Adam Green
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Anchor Bay Entertainment
• Genre : Horror
• Run time : 93 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : some disturbing images and language
• Last updated : January 3, 2024

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Ski Lift Survival Horror ‘Frozen’ (2010) Is Still the Best Cinematic Homonym in the Game

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On Friday nights,  IndieWire After Dark  takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age. 

First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of  film  that deserves our memorializing. 

Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation .

The Pitch: Blonde Chick Underestimates Her Powers in Icy Tribute to Being Single

Whether it’s British spies vs. American superheroes in “The Avengers,” or Noah Baumbach’s “Kicking and Screaming” not starring Will Ferrell, movies that share the same title are fun oddities that recall anecdotes of auditoriums mistakenly shown the wrong films. (Shout out to the “Peter Rabbit” patrons who bore witness to a trailer for “Hereditary” in 2018; still beats me how that one happened.) Related Stories Horror Overkill Dooms ‘Abigail’ as ‘Civil War’ Ekes Out Narrow Second Weekend #1 Pearl Bowser’s Work Is an Anchor That Keeps Contemporary Filmmaking Connected to the Past

To my knowledge, there isn’t a better case of films with the same title as the two “ Frozen ” movies: that’s writer/director Adam Green’s “Frozen” (2010) and Disney’s “Frozen” (2013). Both tell stories of blonde women suddenly cast into the icy tundra, forced to navigate their mortal fears, and coincidentally run from wolves, alongside their spectacularly inept love interests.

Without a princess in Green’s decidedly unromantic thriller, that’s about where the similarities stop. But there’s still a gleeful irony in pairing the permanently entangled but diametrically opposed “Frozen” films, released just three years apart and constantly at war for space in my mind, which is equally appreciative of animation and winter sports-related catastrophes.

The low-budget Sundance debut’s pacing leaves something to be desired (it somehow drags at just 93 minutes?), and its situation-based scares are nothing if not uneven. Still, one particularly hard to watch gross-out gag delivers a surprising amount of the film’s horror heft, and the small cast makes for a memorably awful trio to think of the next time you’re hitting the slopes.

“Frozen” fits the midnight movie classification if only because it’s a fringe fright fest that’s been hugely displaced by the House of Mouse. Plus, it takes big swings — riding its rickety premise to the end of its creative team’s abilities for an experience that’s memorable… if not one of a kind. —AF

The Aftermath: You’re Telling Me They Froze?! In ‘Frozen’?!

As any ski lift operator who has ever been graced with a $100 bribe from a young woman who was peer-pressured into conning him can attest, sometimes life just hands you an unexpected present. Such was the case when I watched “Frozen,” a movie that I enjoyed far more than I expected to.

I won’t vouch for every single aspect of “Frozen,” but I knew it was a midnight movie worthy of discussion from the moment a character said that there aren’t wolf attacks in New England because the region’s wolves are “pussies.” I figured it was some kind of unsubtle Chekov’s Gun for a movie that could only end in a handful of ways, but the blatant stupidity of the dialogue was so amusing that I decided I would gladly roll in whatever direction the film wanted to take me.

I was also predisposed to like this movie, because being trapped in a ski lift is an utterly terrifying scenario for me. I don’t like traveling in any kind of vehicle where I don’t personally know the person operating it, so roller coasters and airplanes are very much not my thing. My lack of skiing experience had prevented me from ever worrying about this specific scenario, but now I’ll have a new nightmare in the event that I ever give it a try. One thing is for certain though: I’m never planning a ski trip without first doing some research on the masculinity and assertiveness of the local wolf population. —CZ

Those brave enough to join in on the fun can stream “Frozen” (2010) on Tubi. In dieWire After Dark publishes midnight movie recommendations at 11:59 p.m. ET every Friday. Read more of our deranged suggestions…

• ‘Christmas Comes to Pac-Land’ Is the Chomp-Filled ’80s Christmas Relic You Never Knew You Needed
• The Late Julian Sands Blows the Lid Off Hulu’s Holiday Horror Comedy ‘A Nasty Piece of Work’
• ‘The Yattering and Jack’ Warns Against Satanic Turkey Preparation This Thanksgiving Eve

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FROZEN: One of the Most Unsettling & Effective Single-Location Horror Films

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* Editor’s Note: This editorial contains spoilers for Frozen . If you have not seen the film, consider bookmarking this page and revisiting it later.

In addition to being a jarring lesson on the importance of legitimately obtaining a lift ticket, Adam Green’s 2010 film, Frozen is also one of the most unsettling and effective single-location horror films of the past ten years.

Synopsis : As a winter storm approaches, three people become stranded on a chairlift high above the ground after a ski resort closes for the night.

Frozen stars Shawn Ashmore, Emma Bell, and Kevin Zegers.

After Hatchet (2006), audiences knew that Green was capable of telling a blood-soaked tale, reminiscent of the glory days of the slasher film. But with Frozen , the writer/director tells a very different story. This time around, Green opted to for a character-driven tale of survival over a flashy, effects bonanza that favors grotesque imagery above all else. The latter is certainly enjoyable but choosing the former really allowed Green to show versatility and growth as a filmmaker. And ten years after its initial release, the flick still evokes the same terror and sense of dread that it did the first time I watched it.

The thing that I love most about Frozen is that it is first and foremost a movie about the relationships between its three lead characters. None of them are a caricature or a stereotype. They don’t fit into conventional horror movie tropes like the sexually generous female or the douchey bro. They feel like real people and that connection is what elevates Frozen above enjoyable but perhaps less evocative horror fare.

You don’t mind spending time with these people. They are flawed and they say and do things to remind us of that. But that only adds to their humanity. And that is so important with a (primarily) single location horror film. If we have to spend ninety-minutes with these characters in a confined space, they need to be people that don’t make us want to get up and leave the room to get away from them. But Frozen goes a step beyond that and delivers characters with whom I actually enjoy spending time. In 2010, that wasn’t entirely commonplace in a horror picture. But as the genre continues to evolve and grow, we are seeing more and more of that, proving that Green was onto something.

Because the characters feel like real people, the excruciating circumstances in which they find themselves (stuck on a ski lift after hours when the resort is closing for the next several days) are much more traumatic for the audience. As we get to know Parker (Emma Bell), Joe (Shawn Ashmore), and Dan (Kevin Zegers) we come to identify with their plight and legitimately want the best for them. Parker selflessly worrying about her puppy (who is stuck at home) over her own self-interests not only serves to humanize her but makes the audience want to see her make it out of this ordeal in one piece.

Also effective is the way that Parker and Joe really go deep and talk about pretty personal stuff when they are alone on the lift. It’s not small talk. These are two people that know they’re probably going to die and are trying to make the most of what could be their final moments on earth. They’re coming to terms with their mortality but still holding out a shred of hope. That’s exactly how I would expect someone might feel in that situation and it shows that Green really put an extra measure of thought into his script.

In addition to a great screenplay, Green also shows much restraint as a director. He even cuts away from the carnage of the wolf attack sequence, eschewing graphic visuals to instead amplify the intensity of the situation by focusing on the two characters watching their friend being eaten alive by a pack of hungry wolves. The intensity of their response is far more frightening than any arterial spray or limb ripping could have been. That sequence is so haunting. Watching as one of the characters lays on the ground, screaming into the night with no one to come to his rescue is a visual that is hard to sit through (in a good way).

As well as being noteworthy for a great core cast, the film also deserves props for some terrific cameos. Frequent Adam Green collaborator Ed Ackerman is pitch-perfect as the lift operator and we also get to see Kane Hodder and Joe Lynch popping up during the film’s first act. I really admire Green’s commitment to working with the same collaborators on different projects. I enjoy watching almost anything he puts out because his work feels like a labor of love made with his favorite people. And there’s something very comforting about that.

Aside from palpable tension and great casting choices, another reason Frozen stands out is that it never underestimates the audience’s intelligence. The film isn’t just 90-minutes of college kids sitting on a ski lift and screaming. The characters defy horror stereotypes by making smarter choices than what the audience is expecting. They use logic and common sense to try and improve their situation. That eliminates the need to question their every decision and frees the viewer up to enjoy the film without distraction.  

Adam Green proves his mastery of single location horror with tight shots and lots of close ups that make the viewer feel a sense of confinement and unease. He tells the story in such a way that I feel like I am trapped on that ski lift with the cast. Green engages his audience and takes them on an hour-and-half long ride that is likely to have viewers gripping their armrest. All in all, Frozen is a taut and suspenseful single location film that still gets under my skin ten years later.

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Movie Review | 'Frozen'

A Nightmare on a Ski Lift

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By Jeannette Catsoulis

• Feb. 4, 2010

A minimalist setup delivers maximum fright in “Frozen,” a nifty little chiller that balances its cold terrain with an unexpectedly warm heart.

The location is a downscale New England ski resort, where three friends (Emma Bell, Kevin Zegers and Shawn Ashmore) are enjoying a weekend getaway. Eager for one last, ill-advised run before the slopes close for the week — night has fallen, and bad weather is approaching — the three are irritated when the chairlift grinds to a halt midway to their destination.

Their irritation rapidly turns to terror when they discover that frostbite, hypothermia and needle-sharp hail pale in comparison with the dangers lurking beneath them.

Assembled with greater economy than a Ralph Nader presidential campaign, “Frozen” gains traction from a credible premise, above-average performances and the kind of modestly intuitive editing (by Ed Marx) that showcases the story and not itself. Between jolts, the writer and director, Adam Green, establishes a relatable emotional dynamic that never feels like filler, bringing us as close to the film’s victims as time and the demands of genre allow.

Filming entirely in Utah, the director proves himself judicious with gore if reckless with everyone’s creature comforts. For Mr. Ashmore, the frigid high-wire shoot must have been particularly grueling: as Ice Man in “X2: X-Men United,” he probably learned never to underestimate the warm embrace of a studio — and the painlessness of computer-generated frost.

“Frozen” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). A peeking bra, a protruding bone and many gnashing teeth.

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Written and directed by Adam Green; director of photography, Will Barratt; edited by Ed Marx; music by Andy Garfield; production designer, Bryan A. McBrien; produced by Peter Block and Cory Neal; released by Anchor Bay Films. Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes.

WITH: Emma Bell (Parker O’Neil), Shawn Ashmore (Joe Lynch), Kevin Zegers (Dan Walker), Ed Ackerman (Jason), Rileah Vanderbilt (Shannon) and Kane Hodder (Cody).

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Frozen (2010) Review

Go skating, skating is nice.

Sometimes in horror movies, simplicity is key. Case in point: writer/director Adam Green’s latest thriller Frozen . The film follows three main characters, trapped on a ski lift several hundred feet in the air with no hope of rescue. It’s one of those simple premises that everyone can identify with, and has always secretly been terrified by. Despite some minor setbacks involving awkward characterization, Frozen promises to be one of the tensest cinematic experiences of 2010. Not to mention that it has garnered a surprising amount of positive press following its premier at the Sundance Film Festival.

Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, and Kevin Zegers star as three college buddies escaping homework for a weekend on the slopes. The first 20 minutes is dedicated to establishing their personalities, and unfortunately some of the writing is on par with a cheesy 80s ski comedy. The character types are well worn – the arrogant alpha male, the skeptical girlfriend, the socially awkward stoner – and Green does little as a writer to distinguish his characters from the cast of Ski School .

Fortunately, Green traps them on the ski lift quickly, and at once the film transforms itself into a gut-wrenching survival horror with very few missteps. From the moment the three leads realize the severity of their predicament until the lone survivor – come on, there always has to be one – stumbles to safety, the director skillfully increases tension on an almost second-by-second basis.

The horror in Frozen doesn’t rely on genre clichés like a hulking masked killer. Instead, director Adam Green ( Hatchet ) exploits identifiable day-to-day fears. As wide shots of the lift provide an unnerving sense of vertigo, you can practically feel the cold itching up your spine. While the carefully produced make-up effects will leave you with phantom tingles of psychosomatic frost bite. The simplicity of the film is a refreshing change of pace from the current horror climate. In many ways, this is a suspenseful genre throwback.

Yes, there are more conventional thrills, like compound fractures and the nauseating peel of frozen skin, but this is really a movie where the devil is in the details. When a character loses a glove, leaving a hand open to the elements, it tops the dramatic impact of most grisly horror genre death scenes. Some sequences are almost unbearably suspenseful, and it’s nice to see a contemporary horror director using simple tricks of audience manipulation rather than the shock and awe tactics that define most current genre outings like Saw .

That being said, there are a few flaws sure to put off some viewers. The dialogue can be a little lame at times and the characters never cease to act on bad ideas. But these are minor quibbles in what is an otherwise expertly crafted survival horror flick.

If ski lifts ever made you uneasy before, you’ll never go on one after this. Plus it’s nice to have a “warm flesh stuck on cold metal” scene that tops the discomfort of the tongue sequence in A Christmas Story . Anyone frustrated with the current state of horror movies can start their reevaluation here. Well, as long as you skip the first 15 minutes, anyway.

Final Thoughts

Phil Brown is a film critic, comedy writer, and filmmaker who can be found haunting theaters and video stores throughout Toronto.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, CGMagazine may earn a commission. However, please know this does not impact our reviews or opinions in any way. See our ethics statement.

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Screen Rant

Frozen (2010) ending explained.

Frozen (2010), not to be mistaken with the Disney movie, is a harrowing harsh winter horror movie, and here's the ambiguous ending explained.

• Frozen is a gripping thriller that explores survival instincts and the consequences of difficult decisions.
• Joe and Dan's attempts at self-rescue lead to their tragic demises, highlighting themes of desperation and the will to survive.
• Parker's fate is left ambiguous, leaving the audience to question whether she truly survives or succumbs to her injuries.

Frozen (2010) is a gripping thriller about friends trapped on a ski lift, and the Frozen ending is somewhat ambiguous. The film presents a starkly different narrative from the Disney animated feature of the same name, which often leads to confusion. Directed by Adam Green, this film is a nail-biting thriller set against a chillingly realistic backdrop. The story unfolds at a ski resort and follows three friends who find themselves trapped on a ski lift, suspended high above the ground with no immediate rescue in sight. As the resort shuts down for a week, the trio faces the harrowing reality of being left to endure the brutal winter elements.

Frozen is a great Adam Green movie that expertly weaves a tale of survival, fear, and the human instinct to persevere against all odds, as the friends ultimately have to decide between freezing to death or risk being torn apart by wolves. From the gripping setup to the suspenseful unfolding of events, Frozen offers a compelling exploration of survival instincts and the consequences of seemingly trivial decisions. The narrative's strength lies in its simplicity and plausibility, which makes the ordeal of the characters - Dan, Joe, and Parker - resonate deeply with the audience. The film challenges its characters - and viewers - with questions about what one might do in such a desperate situation.

10 Best Winter Horror Movies (That Aren't About Christmas), According To Reddit

What happens to joe & dan in frozen (2010).

In Frozen , the fates of Joe and Dan are marked by a series of desperate attempts to save themselves, ultimately leading to their tragic demise. The ordeal begins when they, along with Parker, are stranded on a ski lift, facing the harrowing reality of being suspended above a snowy abyss with no immediate rescue in sight. As the hours pass and the severity of their situation escalates, they grapple with the need to take action. Dan's attempt at self-rescue is the first pivotal moment in their struggle. Realizing that waiting on the lift could lead to a slow death, Dan decides to take the risk of jumping down .

The jump ends in disaster. Dan lands awkwardly, suffering severe injuries, and fracturing both his legs. Unable to move, Dan's left to the wolves, and Parker and Joe listen to the graphic noises of the wolves tearing Dan apart . Dan's fate is not just a physical loss but also a psychological blow to the remaining characters. Nevertheless, Joe's attempt to save himself and Parker follows. Driven by desperation and the need to avoid Dan's fate, Joe carefully plans his descent. His strategy is to slowly lower himself to minimize injury. However, the plan goes awry when he encounters a pack of wolves that have been attracted by the commotion.

The wolves, a lurking threat throughout their ordeal, become an immediate danger. Joe's encounter with the wolves is intense and terrifying, leading to a violent and fatal confrontation. Both Joe and Dan's attempts at self-rescue and their subsequent demises underscore the film's themes of desperation, the will to survive, and the unforgiving nature of their circumstances. Their tragic ends serve as a harsh reminder of the fragility of human life when pitted against the relentless forces of nature.

10 Winter Mystery Movies To Watch While You're Snowed In

Does parker survive in frozen (2010).

Parker's fate in Frozen stands as a poignant testament to human endurance, yet it is shrouded in ambiguity. After witnessing the tragic ends of Joe and Dan, Parker musters the courage to descend from the ski lift , embarking on a grueling journey for survival. Her resilience is palpable as she battles severe frostbite, exhaustion, and the psychological trauma of her situation. Her determination to survive is a focal point of the film's climax, showcasing a powerful depiction of human willpower in the face of overwhelming adversity.

However, the film's conclusion leaves Parker's ultimate fate open to interpretation. In the final scenes, Parker successfully climbs down the mountain and reaches a road, a display of sheer tenacity and survival instinct. Parker manages to flag down a car that takes her to the hospital , but the film introduces an element of ambiguity at this critical juncture. Parker's eyes closing as the film ends raises questions about her survival. This moment could be interpreted as a peaceful surrender to sleep after an exhausting ordeal, or it could signify something more dire, like succumbing to her injuries.

Moreover, the extreme conditions Parker endured, coupled with the trauma and exhaustion, open up the possibility of hallucinations. The appearance of the car could be a figment of Parker's strained and desperate mind , a last glimmer of hope imagined in her dire state. This ambiguity adds a layer of complexity to the film's ending, leaving the audience to ponder the true outcome of her journey. Did Parker truly survive and get rescued, or is the film presenting a more nuanced and uncertain conclusion? This uncertainty deepens the film's impact, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer and inviting various interpretations of Parker's fate.

Emma Bell has a cameo as Parker in Hatchett II, hinting that the character does survive.

The Wolves In Frozen (2010) Are Real

Unlike the CGI-enhanced wolves in The Grey , " The wolves in Frozen are as real as the danger they represent ," asserts director Adam Green (via The Crimson ). Contrary to some critics' assumptions that the wolves were computer-generated, Green clarifies that they were indeed real animals, intensively trained for the film. " All the wolves are real ," he states. Green added:

Critics assume that they must be CGI. We had six weeks of training with a pack of wolves with the wolf man. This was the same wolf man who trained the wolves in Dances with Wolves and The Chronicles of Narnia. They are wild animals. They are unpredictable. At any moment, they could snap.

This choice to use real wolves adds a layer of authenticity to the film, heightening the sense of danger and unpredictability. The presence of these trained yet inherently wild creatures contributes significantly to the film's tense atmosphere, underscoring the harsh realities of the natural world and the primal fears it can evoke in humans.

Is Frozen (2010) Based On A True Story?

While Frozen is not based on a specific true story, its roots lie in the realm of plausible scenarios, drawn from director Adam Green's personal experiences and fears . Green revealed that he grew up with a deep awareness of the dangers associated with ski resorts and the mountains. This awareness, combined with his own fears, inspired the creation of Frozen . The film, therefore, while fictional, is grounded in a reality familiar to Green. The authenticity of the setting and the scenario resonate with anyone familiar with skiing or mountainous regions, lending the film an air of credibility that enhances its impact. Green recalled his fears from his youth, explaining:

I grew up skiing in the New England area and not being able to afford to go to the real mountains up North. Not exactly real mountain skiing. And in the time periods when they were only open Friday to Sunday, and you were on that last run, and you hear the lift stop, you always had that scary thought that you were stuck.

How Realistic Is Frozen (2010)?

Frozen's realism is a key factor that sets it apart from other thrillers. The film's depiction of the stranded trio, their reactions, and the ensuing survival struggle is grounded in a level of realism that is both believable and relatable. The characters' psychological and physical responses to their predicament are portrayed with an attention to detail that resonates with real-world survival scenarios. Furthermore, the use of a real ski resort and the incorporation of actual wildlife risks, such as the wolves, add layers of authenticity to Frozen's harsh winter setting . The film's setting, isolated and suspended in the icy wilderness, creates a plausible scenario that could conceivably occur in reality.

Frozen's simple premise makes it scary , as its adherence to realism not only enhances the film's suspense but also provokes a deeper emotional response from the audience, as the characters' fears and decisions mirror what many might feel and do in a similar situation.

The Real Meaning Of Frozen (2010)'s Ending

Frozen's ending carries a meaning beyond the immediate narrative of survival. It speaks to the human condition, the instinct for survival, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. Parker's survival serves as a powerful symbol of hope and the will to persevere. The ending is also a reminder of the respect one must have for nature and the unforeseen dangers it can present. Moreover, it underscores the psychological impact of traumatic experiences, suggesting a lasting effect on those who endure them. Frozen is not just a story of physical survival, but also a deeper commentary on the strength and vulnerability of the human psyche.

Where to Watch Frozen Source: The Crimson

Frozen (2010) Review: A Fairly Tense Survival Horror

Deriving nail-biting chills from its minimal setup, Frozen (2010) is tense, thrilling & even terrifying when it gets all the elements right yet the film fails to cement its place amongst the first-rate examples of its genre due to shortcomings in the script as it required a tighter narrative to keep us on the edge of our seats & more fleshed out characters to make us care.

Frozen concerns a trio of young adults spending a weekend at a ski resort who find themselves in a perilous situation after getting stranded on the chairlift far above the ground. With the resort shut down for a week and a storm moving in, they are forced to take desperate measures that prove more dangerous than staying put & freezing to death.

Written & directed by Adam Green, the film attempts to acquaint us with the trio within the first act but all three of them & their interactions are so poorly written that they never earn our investment. What actually garners our interest instead is the predicament they later find themselves in, and Green does an excellent job at escalating the tension & amplifying the suspense from that moment onwards.

Similar to Frozen (2010) –   Greta [2019] Review: B-Movie Thriller with A-List Celebs

It certainly would’ve helped to have more realized characters on the chairlift than the cardboard cutouts that Green decides to go ahead with. Nevertheless, the film is gripping whenever it exploits the trio’s perils and effectively employs piercing camerawork, sharp editing & intense music during those moments to up the ante. But there are voids in between that disrupt its momentum and affect the overall flow.

Despite our lack of investment in the one-dimensional trio, the tension is palpable & unrelenting but only because the entire scenario is both relatable & believable to an extent. The cold color tones are aptly utilized, its 93 mins runtime feels a tad stretched, and performances from the trio is serviceable at best. The actors aren’t even remotely intriguing. However, their chemistry does work out in the film’s favor.

On an overall scale, Frozen (2010) is a competently crafted chiller that comes equipped with all the necessary resources to deliver a nerve-wracking & bone-chilling ride that isn’t for the easily distressed. All it really needed to nail the brief & catapult itself to a higher league was a taut structure & more evolved set of characters. While there are things it could’ve executed better, what it has in store will still manage to engage, thrill & appease many viewers. Go for it.

Frozen (2010) Trailer

Frozen (2010) Links – IMDb , Rotten Tomatoes

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Frozen Reviews

Don’t watch the trailers that reveal entirely too much. Don’t read anything about the movie. Just see it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 22, 2023

Plays out like a decent gimmick that could have been fully explored with a 5-10 minute short film.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4.0 | Sep 8, 2020

Frozen is an expertly crafted chiller that will send a barrage of shivers up the spine.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 24, 2019

There are moments of true terror and a fair dollop of tension, but it quickly became clear that Green may be boxing far above his weight.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 5, 2018

Disney is continuing its winning streak.

Full Review | Mar 5, 2018

Frozen is a tour de force, not because of exceptional performances by the actors, but rather the outstanding directing of Adam Green, who also wrote the script. The script gave Green a limited area within which to work, and he carried it off superbly.

Full Review | Jan 13, 2018

Overall, it's a one note premise, where the characters, stuck up on a lift, have nowhere to go and quite fittingly the movie in turn, goes nowhere.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 14, 2016

You'll definitely recall this freezing flick the next time you go skiing. For the next 15 years or so.

Full Review | Aug 26, 2015

Reinterpretation of The Snow Queen, Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale as an animated, female empowerment musical.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jan 19, 2014

Energy thaws kid-friendly Frozen

Full Review | Jan 2, 2014

Green avoids Hatchet's corny clichs and totally redeems himself with a harrowing portrait of humans at the mercy of the great outdoors.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 15, 2013

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 17, 2011

Characters possess serious lack of thinking ability and survival skills. Even when it comes to stuff like zipping up their coats all the way.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 4, 2011

Adam Green's fun 2006 horror film Hatchet revelled in the art of self-aware pastiche, but it is in his second major work that he has found a legitimately great concept out of which to wring more nuanced thrills.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 10, 2011

The parts of the film that work are flat-out fantastic. There just aren't enough of them.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jan 10, 2011

Like Jack London's 'To Build a Fire,' this is an exercise in extracting suspense from the circumstances of a harsh wintry environment and a bad situation rather than imposing danger in the form of an outside (and potentially vanquishable) foe.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 9, 2010

Greens nifty framing, dawning-dread pacing, and fixation on corporeal deterioration proves sturdy.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Oct 11, 2010

The characters, situation, and dialogue are stretched a bit thin.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 8, 2010

While making the occasional narrative misstep, this is effective low-budget filmmaking, and undoubtedly a notch better than what usually passes as suspense these days.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Oct 6, 2010

The movie has a good flow, and it understands how to generate thrills, but the characters, situation and dialogue are stretched a bit thin.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 1, 2010

Film Review: ‘Frozen’

Chilly scenes of widescreen winter and a scene-stealing snowman are the chief assets of Disney's accomplished but formulaic 53rd animated feature.

By Scott Foundas

Scott Foundas

• Film Review: ‘Black Mass’ 9 years ago
• Film Review: ‘The Runner’ 9 years ago
• Film Review: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ 9 years ago

Move over, Frosty. A quixotic snowman who longs to experience summer handily steals the show in “ Frozen ,” Disney ’s 53rd in-house animated feature and one of its most classical, with a Hans Christian Andersen pedigree, a full-fledged showtune score and little of the ironic humor that has become the lingua franca of most contemporary toons. But this always enjoyable tale of mysterious magic, imperiled princesses and square-jawed men of action proves longer on striking visuals than on truly engaging or memorable characters. With the family crowd pretty much to itself this holiday season, “Frozen” should generate considerable box-office heat, if not quite the same level of critical and audience affection that attended the superior “Tangled” and “Wreck-It Ralph.”

The result of a decade-long effort by the studio to fashion an animated feature from Andersen’s classic “The Snow Queen,” “Frozen” ultimately bears only the most superficial resemblance to its source, the haunting story of a young girl’s efforts to free her true love from the mind-altering effects of a cursed mirror and the icy lair of the eponymous snow spirit. Instead, writer-directors Chris Buck (a veteran Disney animator with credits dating back to “The Fox and the Hound”) and Jennifer Lee (who co-scripted “Wreck-It Ralph”) give us a more conventional tale of two sisters, younger Anna (Kristen Bell) and elder Elsa (Idina Menzel), heirs to the enchanted Scandinavian kingdom of Arendelle (also a return of sorts to Disney tradition after the dutiful PC dues-paying of “Pocahontas,” “Mulan” and “The Princess and the Frog”).

As seen in the movie’s opening moments, the girls are the closest of childhood friends, their playtime enhanced by Elsa’s unexplained ability to conjure a wonderland of ice and snow at the literal waving of her fingertips. But like Midas’ golden touch, Elsa’s powers soon seem more curse than blessing. When an errant icicle nearly proves fatal to Anna, the King and Queen seal the castle gates, while Elsa further cuts herself off from that circumscribed world, coming of age in solitude even after a shipwreck leaves her and Anna orphans.

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Only as Elsa’s coronation day draws near does she emerge from her seclusion, still uncertain as to whether or not she can control her “gift” (which, like the telekinetic rage of Stephen King’s Carrie, seems to be triggered by intense surges of emotion). Meanwhile, Anna has had all memory of her childhood trauma wiped, “Men in Black”-style, by some friendly neighborhood trolls, leaving her all the more miffed by big sis’ literal and figurative cold shoulder.

These early passages play out pleasantly enough, enhanced by nice detail work showing the bustle of daily Arendelle life and an amusing turn by Alan Tudyk (last seen as “Ralph’s” megalomaniacal Turbo) as the nosy, diminutive Duke of neighboring Weselton (which, to his great consternation, everyone mispronounces as Weaseltown). But the narrative of “Frozen” only really kicks into gear with the palace ball following the coronation, where everything seems to be going hunky-dory until Anna makes the mistake of asking her sister’s permission to marry the dashing Prince Hans of the Southern Isles (Santino Fontana) — whom, admittedly, she only met earlier that same day. To say that Elsa’s reaction puts a chill in the air would be an arctic understatement. (Think Carrie’s prom crossed with the Ice Capades.)

With her secret laid bare for all to see, a devastated Elsa flees into the surrounding mountains, enveloping all of summertime Arendelle in a thick permafrost as she does. Anna gives chase, but proves ill equipped for the rugged and frigid terrain, eventually stumbling upon a small trading post (run by a hulking Swede named Oaken, voiced by “Bolt” co-director Chris Williams) that has wasted no time in jacking up prices on its minimal supply of off-season winter provisions. It’s there that she crosses paths with Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), a flaxen-haired ice seller somewhat lacking in social graces (his best, and possibly only, friend is his trusty, sleigh-pulling reindeer, Sven). But with his own bottom line taking a sizable hit from the sudden climate change, he agrees to help Anna search for Elsa in the hope of once again bringing sunshine to the land.

Which is around the time Olaf enters the picture. An anthropomorphic snowman brought to life by Elsa’s magic, with a row of buck teeth and a few twigs of would-be hair atop his head, this irrepressible optimist (marvelously voiced by “Book of Mormon” alum Josh Gad) likes “warm hugs” and possesses a most unhealthy fascination with the summer — a season he’s never experienced, and whose dangers to his person he seems blithely unaware of. This leads to “Frozen’s” most inspired musical number, “In Summer,” as Olaf imagines himself bounding through blooming meadows, soaking up the sun and engaging in other flights of seasonal fancy, all wryly visualized by Buck and Lee and expressed in playful lyrics by the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (the latter a Tony winner for his work on “Avenue Q” and “Book of Mormon”).

The tactile, snow-capped Arendelle landscape, including Elsa’s ice-castle retreat (imagine Superman’s Fortress of Solitude with a more feminine touch), is “Frozen’s” other true marvel, enhanced by 3D and the decision to shoot in widescreen — a nod to the CinemaScope richness of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Lady and the Tramp.” That’s almost but not quite enough to make up for the somewhat slack plotting and the generic nature of the main characters. Neither princess here is a patch on “Tangled’s” babe-in-the-woods Rapunzel, while both Hans and Kristoff are cut from pretty standard-issue hero cloth until a reasonably surprising third-act twist somewhat ups the ante. Only Olaf is unimpeachable: Get this snowman a spinoff feature to call his own.

“Frozen” goes out accompanied by “Get a Horse!”, director Lauren MacMullan’s utterly dazzling five-minute short starring Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Peg-Leg Pete and other vintage Disney characters in a “Sherlock Jr.”-style adventure that finds their hand-drawn 1930s avatars bursting through a movie screen and into the 3D/CG era. Though the animation is all new (including impeccable re-creations of the black-and-white Disney/Ub Iwerks style), the sound is predominately archival, including Uncle Walt himself as the voice of his iconic alter ego.

Reviewed at AMC Empire 25, New York, October 26, 2013. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 102 MIN.

• Production: (Animated) A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Walt Disney Animation Studios production. Produced by Peter Del Vecho. Executive producer, John Lasseter.
• Crew: Directed by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee. Screenplay, Lee; story, Buck, Lee, Shane Morris, inspired by “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. Camera (color, Deluxe prints, widescreen, 3D), Scott Beattie (layout), Mohit Kallianpur (lighting); editor, Jeff Draheim; music, Christophe Beck; songs, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez; music supervisor, Tom MacDougall; executive music producer, Chris Montan; production designer, David Womersley; art director, Michael Giaimo; visual effects supervisor, Steve Goldberg; head of story, Paul Briggs; head of animation, Lino Di Salvo; technical supervisor, Mark Hammel; character CG supervisor, Frank Hanner; modeling supervisors, Chad Stubblefield, Jon Kim Krummel II; look supervisors, Michelle Lee Robinson, Hans-Joerg E. Keim; character TD supervisors, Keith Wilson, Carlos Cabral; technical animation supervisor, Mark Empey; animation supervisors, Rebecca Wilson Bresee, Hyrum Virl Osmond, Malcon B. Pierce III, Tony Smeed, Wayne Unten; supervising sound editor/sound designer (Dolby Atmos), Odin Benitez; re-recording mixers, David E. Fluhr, Gabriel Guy; stereoscopic supervisor, Katie A. Fico; associate producer, Aimee Scribner; casting Jamie Sparer Roberts.
• With: Voices: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk, Ciaran Hinds, Chris Williams, Stephen John Anderson, Maia Wilson, Edie McClurg, Robert Pine, Maurice Lamarche, Livvy Stubenrauch, Eva Bella, Spencer Ganus, Jesse Corti, Jeffrey Marcus, Tucker Gilmore.

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Movie Reviews

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"Frozen," the latest Disney musical extravaganza, preaches the importance of embracing your true nature but seems to be at odds with itself.

The animated, 3-D adventure wants to enliven and subvert the conventions of typical Disney princess movies while simultaneously remaining true to their aesthetic trappings for maximum merchandising potential. It encourages young women to support and stay loyal to each other—a crucial message when mean girls seem so prevalent—as long as some hunky potential suitors and adorable, wise-cracking creatures also are around to complete them.

It all seems so cynical, this attempt to shake things up without shaking them up too much. "Frozen" just happens to be reaching theaters as Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping season are arriving. The marketing possibilities are mind-boggling. And in the tradition of the superior " Beauty and the Beast " and " The Little Mermaid ," surely "Frozen: The Musical" will be headed to the Broadway stage soon. The songs – which are lively and amusing if not quite instant hits—are already in place. 

Little girls will absolutely love it, though. That much is undeniable. And the film from co-directors Chris Buck ("Surf's Up") and Jennifer Lee is never less than gorgeous to watch. A majestic mountaintop ice castle is particularly exquisite—glittery and detailed and tactile, especially as rendered in 3-D.

But first we must witness the tortured backstory of the film's princesses – not one, but two of them. The script from " Wreck-It Ralph " co-writer Lee, inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen story " The Snow Queen ," has lots of cheeky, contemporary touches but is firmly and safely rooted in Scandinavian fairy tale traditions.

When they were young girls, sisters Anna and Elsa were joyous playmates and inseparable friends. But Elsa's special power—her ability to turn anything to ice and snow in a flash from her fingertips—comes back to haunt her when she accidentally zaps her sister. (Not unlike the telekinesis in "Carrie," Elsa inadvertently unleashes her power in moments of heightened emotion.) A magical troll king heals Anna and erases the event from her memory, but as for the sisters' relationship, the damage is done.

Elsa's parents lock her away and close down the castle, which devastates the younger Anna. (Of the many tunes from "Avenue Q" and "The Book of Mormon" songwriter Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez , the wistful "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" is by far the most poignant.) But once they reach adolescence and it's Elsa's turn to take over the throne at age 18, the two experience an awkward reunion.

The perky, quirky Anna (now voiced by a likable Kristen Bell ) is a little nervous but overjoyed to see her sister. The reserved and reluctant Elsa (Broadway veteran Idina Menzel ) remains distant, and with gloved hands hopes not to freeze anything and reveal her true self on coronation day. But a run-in with an amorous, visiting prince ( Santino Fontana ) who sets his sights on Anna triggers Elsa's ire, and she inadvertently plunges the sunny, idyllic kingdom into perpetual winter.

Flustered and fearful, Elsa dashes away in a fit of self-imposed exile – which significantly weakens "Frozen," since she's the film's most complicated and compelling figure. On her way to the highest mountain she can find, Elsa belts out the power ballad "Let It Go," her version of "I Am Woman." This soaring declaration of independence is the reason you want a performer of Menzel's caliber in this role, and it's the film's musical highlight. (Her flashy physical transformation from prim princess to ice queen does make her resemble a real housewife of some sort, however.)

Afterward, though, the story settles in on Anna's efforts to retrieve her sister and restore order to the kingdom. Along the way she gets help from an underemployed ice salesman named Kristoff ( Jonathan Groff ) and his trusty reindeer sidekick, Sven. They all meet up with a singing snowman named Olaf (a lovably goofy Josh Gad , star of "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway) who dreams of basking in the warmth of the summer sun. This "Wizard of Oz"-style quartet makes the obstacle-filled trek to the imposing fortress that awaits. (At least "Frozen" has the decency to borrow from excellent source material.)

While the journey may seem overly familiar, the destination has some surprises in store. Some come out of nowhere and don't exactly work. But the biggie—the one that's a real game-changer in terms of the sorts of messages Disney animated classics have sent for decades—is the one that's important not just for the little girls in the audience, but for all viewers. It's so innovative, it makes you wish everything about the film met the same clever standard.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Frozen (2013)

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Frozen — film review.

"Frozen" delivers enough thrills and gory chills to satisfy the horror film crowd, but is not written, directed or acted well enough to be a first-rate thriller.

By James Greenberg , The Associated Press October 14, 2010 8:31pm

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More Sundance reviews

PARK CITY — “Frozen” delivers enough thrills and gory chills to satisfy the horror film crowd, but is not written, directed or acted well enough to be a first-rate thriller. A great premise in which three friends are stranded on a chairlift in the dead of winter is squandered to satisfy the expectations of the genre. An Anchor Bay Films release, after screenings in the midnight section at Sundance, “Frozen” should scare up reasonable returns in theaters and after-markets from the usual suspects, but not beyond that.

The main thing a writer and director needs to do in this kind of horror show is create a self-enclosed world that allows the audience to suspend disbelief and experience the full shock of the situation without asking “why didn’t he?” and “how come?” questions. Hitchcock, of course, was a master of this. In this case, unfortunately, writer/director Adam Green doesn’t accomplish that feat.

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After Joe (Shawn Ashmore), Dan (Kevin Zegers) and his girlfriend Parker (Emma Bell) scam their way onto the slopes, it’s all downhill from there. Due to some confusion at closing time, the three friends get stranded 50 feet up in mid-air, in mid-winter as night approaches. Like Kubler-Ross’ stages of dying, they go through a number of reactions, the first being denial: someone will come along in no time.

When that doesn’t happen, anger and recrimination surface as the reality of their situation sinks in. If that wasn’t enough, a storm blows in with hail and swirling snow. Dan is the first to go. He decides he can survive the jump and go get help. Wrong. He lands with a thud (kudos to sound mixer Douglas J. Cameron for this and other weather-related effects) and smashes his legs, the bone protruding grotesquely through the skin. This is the first of several moments when even the hardiest filmgoers may turn their head away from the screen.

When a pack of wolves (convincingly shot by Will Barratt and crisply edited by Ed Marx) get a whiff, that’s the end of him. Now the despair sets in, along with severe frostbite. Joe is next to go. He fairs a little better initially and works his way across the cable to a ladder. The wolves reappear and chase him down the hill. When he doesn’t return with help, that leaves poor, frozen Parker on her own. A few agonizing moments later, she’s on the ground to meet her fate.

One of the big problems here that prevents the audience from getting swept away, rather than just oohing and ahhing at the horrific happenings, is that you don’t give a damn about these people. Green is not specific enough in the writing to make them seem like real characters with their own history, and when he does try it’s awkward and heavy-handed. And for their part, the actors are too stiff to sell it.

Green misses other opportunities. Fear of height would have been a good quality to exploit, and although there is some impressive crane work around the chair, he doesn’t do enough with the altitude. Their deterioration is based more on Robin Michelle Patrick’s makeup work.

And why don’t any of them have a cell phone on them, even if it won’t work on the mountain. And the reason given for why no one will come and look for them is not convincing. This is not to say that “Frozen” won’t make your palms sweat, it just could have been so much better.

Venue: Sundance Film Festival

Production company: An Anchor Bay presentation in association with A Bigger Boat, Bigger Boat/Ariescope Pictures Cast: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers, Ed Ackerman, Rileah Vanderbilt Director: Adam Green Writer: Adam Green Producers: Peter Block, Cory Neal Executive producers: Tim Williams. John Penotti, Michael Hogan Director of photography: Will Barratt Production designer: Bryan A. McBrien Music: Andy Garfield Costumes: Barbara J. Nelson Editor: Ed Marx Rated R, 94 minutes

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In a year of weak animated features, Frozen – loosely based on "The Snow Queen" – takes the lead by default. There's not much flair in the story of princess sisters Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel), divided by Elsa's uncontrollable ability to turn things, even Anna, to ice. But the animation is pretty, the songs are tuneful, and Josh Gad gets big laughs as Olaf, a snowman with a sun fetish. It's the holidays, people, work with it.

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‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Continues To Haunt the Global Box Office

The sequel stars Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace, Bill Murray, and Dan Aykroyd.

The Big Picture

• Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has scared up $176 million at the global box office.
• The fifth movie in the franchise, it remains the lowest-grossing Ghostbusters movie.
• Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire stars Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, McKenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard.

While Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ’s box office has been somewhat disappointing, the horror comedy refuses to cross over at the box office. Through the film’s fifth weekend of release, Frozen Empire has made $176.1 million worldwide . This includes the film crossing $100 million at the domestic box office. Over the weekend, Frozen Empire made $6.7 million in 59 markets on over 7200 screens . The film’s international total is now up to $73.2 million. Also, Ghostbusters ’ box office is looking to get a boost when the sequel opens in Saudi Arabia on May 2.

Domestically, Ghostbusters added another $4.4 million this weekend with its total now being at $102.9 million. As it stands, this is the lowest-grossing film in the franchise to date. Every past Ghostbusters film has at least crossed $200 million globally. The last film, Afterlife , ended its run at $204 million. Frozen Empire holds a reported $100 million budget, so it may still be able to squeeze out a profit, but it’s looking less likely by the day that the sequel will cross $200 million.

What Is ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ About?

Frozen Empire brought the Ghostbusters back to New York City in a ghoulish adventure that unites the classic team with the new generation. The team is fully operational once again with the Spengler family trying to live up to their name. However, when a frosty demonic entity known as Garraka unleashes “the death chill” onto the city, the Ghostbusters need every member to save New York.

The film, like Afterlife , harkens back to the practical effects that made the original haunts so beloved while also tapping more into the horror side of the franchise. Frozen Empire didn’t do as critically well as its predecessor, to say the least, and wasn’t as emotionally impactful as the franchise’s first legacy sequel, but it had enough laughs, scares, and nostalgic moments to be a worthwhile sequel. In a year when Ghostbusters is celebrating its 40th anniversary, Frozen Empire was a fun love letter to the series.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has been in theaters for a month, but it’s still playing worldwide. You can get your tickets below. The first two Ghostbusters films are also currently streaming on Hulu . While fans wait to see if the box office was good enough to grant the franchise another sequel , you can read Collider’s review of the film here .

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.

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Abigail review – Dan Stevens throws himself into gleefully gory kidnap horror

A​fter forming a one-off criminal gang, Stevens and co come to regret kidnapping a gangster’s daughter ​– played by Matilda star Alisha Weir

F ew actors appear to derive such lip-smacking relish from the job as former Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens . The bigger the performance, the greater the gusto with which he sinks his teeth into the role. And if a bit of scenery gets chewed along the way, well, that’s just collateral damage. As sneering and sadistic criminal Frank, Stevens is one of several reasons to watch this extravagantly gory botched kidnap horror. Another is the remarkably assured child actor Alisha Weir ( Matilda: The Musical ), playing the eponymous tutu-clad, 12-year-old kidnap victim, the daughter of a notorious underworld kingpin.

The kidnappers, assembled for this one-off job on the strength of their respective skills (the muscle, the hacker, the sociopath getaway driver, etc), are under the impression that the hard part of the gig is over once the girl has been snatched. All they need to do now is sit tight in the creepy mansion and wait to collect the $50m ransom. But neither the mansion (the design department goes all out on eerie gothic foreboding; the effects team then splatters it in blood and shredded entrails) nor the little girl are quite what they seem. Great fun.

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Provocative ‘Civil War’ prevails at the box office in its second weekend

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Alex Garland’s “Civil War” fended off incursions from new movies to retain its box office title for the second weekend in a row.

The provocative film, from independent A24, is expected to generate about $11.1 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada through Sunday, bringing its total domestic box gross to $44.9 million, according to Comscore.

The R-rated dystopian thriller, also written by Garland, stars Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny and Wagner Moura as journalists in a near-future time struggling to cover deadly urban warfare on U.S. soil, as California and Texas unite to take down a president who has given himself an unconstitutional third term.

Universal Pictures’ “Abigail,” the R-rated horror tale about a monstrous 12-year-old ballerina battling her captors, made a splash as it came in a close second to “Civil War” with an estimated $10.2 million at the box office, according to Comscore. It opened in 3,384 locations.

Review: ‘Civil War’ shows an America long past unraveling, which makes it necessary

Starring Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny as journalists chronicling a war at home, writer-director Alex Garland’s action film provokes a shudder of recognition.

April 11, 2024

Comscore estimated the overall total box office haul for the three-day window would reach $65.4 million. Year-to-date, the box office slump continues with an estimated $1.98 billion in domestic ticket sales, down 19% compared with 2023.

Last weekend, “Civil War” opened with an estimated $25.7 million in ticket sales from the U.S. and Canada, which exceeded industry expectations. The strong showing marked the biggest domestic opening weekend for an A24 movie since the company’s founding 12 years ago. With a reported $50 million budget, “Civil War” is A24’s most expensive movie ever. The movie played in 3,929 theaters.

A24’s movies include best-picture Oscar winners “Moonlight” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and other standouts including, “Hereditary,” “Lady Bird” and “Uncut Gems.”

Last weekend, “Civil War” toppled Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong,” which had held the top spot for two weekends. This weekend, “Godzilla x Kong,” is expected to come in third place with $9.5 million in ticket sales for a domestic total of $171.6 million through four weekends.

Two other new releases planted their flags. Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” from Lionsgate, was projected to finish the weekend in fourth place with an estimated $9 million. Sony Pictures/Crunchyroll’s “Spy x Family Code: White” should generate about $4.9 million, placing fifth for the weekend.

More to Read

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April 14, 2024

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ smashes its way to $80 million. How it won the box office

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The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.

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Meg James is a senior entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times. She was the lead reporter for The Times’ coverage of the deadly “Rust” shooting on a New Mexico film set in 2021, work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize board as a finalist in breaking news. A member of the Company Town team for two decades, James specializes in covering television, corporate media and investigative projects. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University.

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S3 EP1: Night Swim & Virus: 32 Reviews Loco for Horror Podcast

• Film Reviews

In the first episode of 2024 and the start of Season 3 of the Loco For Horror Podcast, our host, Ray, discusses news on "Scream 7", "28 Years Later" and Director Steven Soderbergh's new movie "Presence". Ray will also discusses trailers for "Tarot" & "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire".  Then check out Ray's reviews of "Virus:32" & "Night Swim"! Also the Loco For Horror podcast has a new website that you can see here with more trailers and news! Trailers discussed on the podcast: Tarot: TAROT  – Official Trailer (HD) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE - Official Trailer (HD)

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