By George & Josh Bate
Action thrillers are some of the most popular films to release each year. Classic stories, such as Taken, for example, have become engrained into pop culture. Within that sphere is an even more specific subgenre – the mythic-esque action thrillers set in snow. The cold, the isolation, and the deadly silence all make the audience feel like the danger is heightened. Whether it’s a chase across frozen lakes, or a desperate fight for survival when help is no where to be seen, the winter setting aids the filmmakers in making the story feel even more suffocating, with audiences being forced to lean in closer. Dead of Winter, a new action thriller starring Emma Thompson, embraces that setting, telling a tale set deep in the Minnesota wilderness, using the brutal yet beautiful snow as a backdrop for a classic kidnapping story.
Directed by Brian Kirk, Dead of Winter puts the characters in a kidnapping tale within the snow and ice. The story follows Barb (Emma Thompson), a widowed outdoorswoman travelling alone through snowbound northern Minnesota to scatter her husband’s ashes on a specific, sentimental lake. Unbeknownst to her, Barb walks right into a life threatening situation; she discovers a young teen(Laurel Marsden) being held captive by a mysterious and desperate couple (Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca). Deep in the woods, Barb can’t just call for help, and with the nearest town two hours away, she quickly comes to terms with the realization that she may be the girl’s only hope.
Emma Thompson’s role as Barb is a remarkably different turn than what audiences may expect from the actress. Thompson’s comedic timing, so often leaned on in her career, is put on the back burner here. Instead, the character of Barb is a mild-mannered, deeply grieving Midwestern woman who comes prepared to survive in her treacherous surroundings, even as she is unaware of what she’s about to face. Thompson does extremely well to not only play this character with believability, but also in carrying the emotional core of the film. The way in which she looks at the lake, handles cold, along with the small gestures when she’s alone – all are prime examples of Thompson’s subtle, nonverbal approach conveying her character’s sense of loss and grief. These are all understated moments, but also notably powerful, too. Barb’s grief feels real and not over the top or showy, and in doing so, the viewer is able to feel and understand the heavy weight she carries. She conveys hope, fear, resolve all in her posture or in her brief silences. It’s a mature, anchor-like performance from Thompson, who makes the film worth watching just for her acting alone.
Opposite Thompson is Judy Greer as the film’s main villain, known only as the Purple Lady. This is an interesting twist on things in so many ways; for one, Greer has so often been cast in supporting roles, frequently as the mother or side character (most recently in The Long Walk). However, here, Greer is able to show a different side to herself, playing a villain motivated by desperation and consumed with a menacing, immoral unraveling. Her Purple Lady is not a stereotypical action film bad guy, either. Greer plays someone who is simultaneously desperate, broken, and progressively evil. Moreover, the choice to have a woman as the primary antagonist in a kidnapping thriller also adds a nice twist on the proceedings. Greer’s range is on show here, posing a real challenge to Barb, and not just physically. The Purple Lady is a source of psychological torment for Barb, poking at her grief and taking advantage of her recent loss. Greer’s performance also goes to emphasize the tension of the script, especially when her true motives and vulnerabilities begin to seep through. In turn, the dynamic between hero and villain then becomes more nuanced, ensuring that there’s more depth to the characters than many other action thrillers that have come before.
That being said, Dead of Winter is does lag in certain areas. The plot, for example, is somewhat simple. Much of the action goes back and forth between two primary settings: a remote cabin and a frozen lake nearby. Characters move from one to the other in pursuit of each other, but there are moments where this circular-like structure makes the film feel a bit constrained. New settings, even something as mundane as amidst the trees in the snowy forest, would help to vary the visuals and thus amplify the danger and suspense. This isn’t to say that the film’s simplicity is a bad thing, as there are countless examples of films that are confined to only one or two locations yet have heighten tension. However, Dead of Winter still unfortunately feels like it’s going through the motions within these limited spaces, which diminishes surprise and can make pacing feel sluggish in certain sequences.
Aiding with the structural simplicity, however, is the continual flashbacks to the marriage of Barb and her husband. These scenes, which are often relatively quick, only lasting a minute or two at a time (but are reoccurring at a regular rate) end up boosting the story in two primary ways. These scenes deepen the audience’s emotional connection to Barb, allowing them to get to know the character on a much deeper level while still moving the central kidnapping story forward at a fast pace. The story quickly gets into a rhythm of moving between the bleak present and the bittersweet past, which allows the film to feel more layered than its surface level plot might suggest. It’s a smart choice that elevates the character work and ensures Barb isn’t reduced to a survival archetype, thus making the film feel more original as a whole.
VERDICT: 8/10
Dead of Winter is a tense, snow-set thriller led by excellent performances from its two leads, Emma Thompson and Judy Greer. Thompson gives her best performance in years as a grieving yet resilient heroine, and Greer shows a side to herself viewers have rarely seen before, playing an unexpectedly compelling villain. While the story itself runs a little lean and confined, the emotional resonance and intensity of the performances keep this tight thriller engaging.