Cold Prey

The presence of luminous widescreen cinematography capturing imposing Nordic landscapes can't quite disguise the fact that Roar Uthaug's 2006 Norwegian thriller is essentially a standard-issue slasher flick in the Friday the 13th mode, as five teens go off on a snowboarding trip and—after one is injured—hole up in an isolated abandoned lodge, where they are stalked and slaughtered by a maniacal masked killer. Cold Prey is an almost comfortingly old-fashioned example of the genre, eschewing the disgustingly grisly conventions of today's torture-porn trash in favor of less blood and violence, even letting nearly half of the film unspool before the first killing. Aided by a personable young cast, Uthaug is quite successful in creating a stark atmosphere and building tension, but apart from the distinctive setting, Cold Prey ultimately doesn't offer anything new. Still, devotees of slice-and-dice cinema might appreciate this Norwegian hit that has already spawned a sequel. An optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (21 min.), a “Car Scenes” analysis, a four-part production featurette emphasizing visual effects (23 min. total), a storyboarded alternate ending (3 min.), a bloopers reel (9 min.), a music video, two short films (a student film of Uthaug's and a comic send-up made by the movie's young cast), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so slasher flick.] (F. Swietek)