Smilla's Sense of Snow

Writing in VL-7/97, I said that "although Danish novelist Peter Hoeg was able to defuse audience disbelief in a fairly outlandish plot with his intricate portrayal of the fiercely independent, melancholic, brilliant, and very tough Smilla Jaspersen (here, gamely played by Julia Ormond), director Bille August's adaptation relies on too much plot and not enough character. When a young boy falls from a snow-covered roof, fellow apartment complex resident Smilla, suspecting foul play, embarks on an all-or-nothing crusade, aided by a mysterious neighbor (Gabriel Byrne), as her pit bull-like search takes her from uncovering bizarre records of a strange mining expedition in Greenland to a modern day, suspense-laden trip aboard an ice-cutter." The film improves on DVD, where it's presented in anamorphic widescreen and thundering Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, along with a brief promotional featurette on filming in Iceland. A strong optional purchase. (R. Pitman)