In the world of low-budget horror films, there are hits and misses. Few of these movies fall in the space between those two extremes, but every once in a while, one does. That’s the case with Charlie Steeds’ latest Lovecraftian flick, FREEZE. Steeds, known for b-movie titles such as VAMPIRE VIRUS and DEADMAN APOCOLYPSE, has a pension for aiming higher than the restrictions he’s been bound by. In many ways, this far reach succeeds in his latest film, but in others, it does not. FREEZE lands between the low end of watchable and the high end of bad.
Captain Mortimer (Rory Wilson) of the HMS Innsmouth has set forth on a mission to the North Pole to rescue the missing vessel, HMS Eibon, lost on an expedition. He hopes to find his compadre/compatriot Captain Streiner (Tim Cartwright) somewhere amongst the snow, freezing cold water, and rigid glaciers spanning as far as the eye can see. Little does he know what hellish creatures await him and his crews’ arrival.
In addition to directing the film, Steeds also wrote its screenplay. Unfortunately, stale dialogue, a lack of character development, and a lot of back-and-forthing through plot twists leave much to be desired in terms of storytelling. Not to mention a scene in which the film’s only female character, a stowaway named Carmen (Beatrice Barillá), is informed of what the creatures will do to her as they’ve never seen a woman before—followed by an even more vulgar statement of exactly what the human villain intends to do to her. It’s just… really gross and out of place.
Aside from that, the film looks impressive despite its budget. Period costumes look authentic, albeit a little too clean and crisp for a group of sailors who’ve been at sea for months on end. Setting is gorgeous. Filmed on location on a Norwegian Glacier, the film makes great use of its environments. The cinematography (also by Steeds) is pretty impressive, showcasing the grandeur of the film’s setting, whether it be a frozen tundra, the interior of a ship, or the inside of a creature-infested cave.
That’s another impressive factor of the movie: its creatures (referred to as “The Deep Ones” in Lovecraftian lore). In a world of CGI fatigue, the use of practical costumes for these nautical naughties will at least bring a grin to any fan of practical effects. Despite being people in suits, they’re people in good-looking suits, even if their faces feature little mobility. Sure, they look like Creatures from some far-off Black Lagoon, but I’ll take it. Unfortunately, we’re shown what they look like in great detail in both the trailer and early on in the movie.
All in all, the movie is watchable… for some. If you’re a Lovecraft nerd or have a quick 90 minutes to spare, give it a whirl, if only for some cool-looking creatures who make super creepy noises (Oh, and there’s a Lovecraft quote at the end of the credits that, frankly, should have been at the beginning of the movie with the title card).
FREEZE is currently making the festival rounds—keep an eye out for it or just wait for streaming (probably just wait for streaming).
