Based on the true story of a serial killer in Alaska who murdered more than 24 women, this film depicts his crimes and eventual arrest
Alaska’s most terrifying serial predator was a respected family man.
For over 12 years, he systematically abducted more than 24 women and flew them into the Alaskan wilderness to be hunted.
The man gets his just desserts when one of his victims survives, which leads to him being brought to justice.
Behind the Façade
17-year-old prostitute Cindy Paulson (played by Vanessa Hudgens) runs into a motel screaming to Officer Greg Baker (Ryan O’Nan) that someone tried to kill her but the case goes cold when the suspect named, Robert Hansen (John Cusack), has a valid alibi.
Sergeant Jack Halcombe (Nicolas Cage), who is in the midst of investigating a bunch of murders, digs deeper into the case and soon realises that Hansen is the only one who committed the spate of murders, including the attack on Cindy.
A plan is then set into motion to trap Hansen. The plan is more difficult to execute than it sounds.
The Idea Behind the Plot
Director Scott Walker came across the Hansen case while working on another story.
“Someone suggested that there were similarities, and during my initial research I realised what he did and wasn’t sure if I wanted this to be my first film,” he admits.
“There are so many families that are still affected today by the horrific events but I kind of let the people involved tell me whether they thought the film should be made,” he adds.
Dark Human Being
Cusack recalls having seen the news stories as a child and describes Hansen as a “very dark human being”.
“Scott wanted to tell the story of how the system was failing these prostitutes, because at that time they really weren’t seen as equal people; they were seen as vagrants,” says Cusack.
“So he was telling it from the right perspective,” he says.
The Frozen Ground [NC16]
Directed by: Scott Walker
Starring: John Cusack, Nicolas Cage, Vanessa Hudgens and Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson
Genre: Thriller
Run Time: 105 minutes
Release: Sep 12
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