Fritt Vilt (Cold Prey)
Sub-Genre- Slasher/Norwegian Horror... that's a new one by me!
In Attendance- Me...
Cast Members of Note- None, unless you're from Norway.
What's it about?- The kids from Dawson's Creek are all grown up and heading on vacation! They woke up one morning to find that they had all turned Norwegian, and they packed up for the homeland and its scenic mountain vistas.
When one of them stubs a toe walking in the snow, they decide to hole up in some creepy ass abandoned hotel; little do they know, someone still lives there... Someone who hates all Norwegians... Someone who likes to kill... Someone who will Bork them all...
I wont ruin the ending here, but let's just say it does end at some point... But when?
The Good- Apart from the breathtaking countryside and setting, there isn't much here that horror fans haven't seen before.
Two things save this movie though; It's beautifully shot/directed, and the actors do a great job of actually making me like the characters. It never loses its classy feel, even when it's treading through cliche' and more than familiar slasher flick territory.
I do love horror flicks set in a snowy backdrop; they usually tend to be quiet, and for some reason fill me with a bleak and creeping dread. Alone, trapped on a mountain, blizzard bearing down on you, creepy guy with a pick axe wanting you dead... good stuff.
All in all, it's a fun and visually pleasing watch, if not exactly original.
The Bad- "Hey, let's find and abandoned old hotel, happen across a journal that details some creepy shit, then separate for the night. We'll be safe. Also, when we know there's a killer after us, we should still talk in normal or even raised voices, and slam doors often." Ugh.
The Downright Horrendous- I'm beginning to think that there is no safe place in Europe to visit without something gruesome happening to you. Not even Norway is safe now!
The Gory- Very light on the red stuff. The kills were not as brutal as they could have been, which was a disappointment. Quick cuts and off camera deaths were used too much...
The Naked- Nope, apparently the Nords are prudish.
What did we learn?- Norwegians sometime use English words mixed in with their own... and speak them perfectly. Neat.
Rating- C+ Fritt Vilt is fairly effective, but nothing very original. I give the Nords credit for making a cool slasher flick though, and since it's their first (I think), it's definitely worth checking out.
Final Thoughts-
