The Frozen Ground

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1:50

The Frozen Ground

R

2013

1h 45m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

61%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A teenage escapee provides a critical break in the case, as an Alaskan detective hunts a serial killer who has been preying on women for 13 years.

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Critics Consensus

Though this by-the-numbers true procedural seems basic, The Frozen Ground presents a welcome return for Nicolas Cage in a solid performance.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Sep 5, 2017

3/5

You’ll still find the tension has you gripping your seat, thanks to the taut cat and mousery between ol’ Con Air co-stars Cusack and Cage.

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Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

Aug 27, 2013

3/4

"The Frozen Ground" trucks in cliche, as most serial killer and police procedural films do, but the strength of the acting (from the leads down to people with only one or two lines) helps ground the film.

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Lou Lumenick

New York Post

Aug 23, 2013

2.5/4

A taut procedural with atmospheric location work that traces Cage's clock-racing efforts to find evidence against Cusack ...

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JD Duran

InSession Film

Aug 16, 2024

A-

Nicholas Cage and John Cusack are at their best in quite sometime here.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 25, 2022

1.5/4

Only Patrick Murguia’s on-location photography of the Alaskan wilderness holds any notable merit.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 27, 2019

Nerve-wracking, nail biting and blood curdling, The Frozen Ground will send chills down your spine while warming your heart.

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Michael A

@Kinich61 3 days ago

I don't understand the low popcorn ratings so it must be be mature topic matter. Excellent screenplay, direction, and acting.

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Robert P

@Superbad 4 days ago

The Frozen Ground is a 3 star Movie!

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 15, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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Isha B

@RT25508113 Aug 24, 2026

James Maslow's Best Performance The Frozen Ground 2013 Biography Mystery Suspense Crime Thriller Drama Romance Adventure Action Mix

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Aug 20, 2026

A solid serial killer crime film with great performances from Cage, Hudgens and Cusack.

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Aye G

@AyeGeeYT Jul 2, 2026

The Frozen Ground is a perfectly watchable crime thriller, but it never becomes much more than a generic entry in the genre. The true story and solid cast kept me engaged throughout, with Nicolas Cage and John Cusack turning in respectable performances, but the film never builds the suspense or emotional impact it needed. It feels surprisingly safe and by-the-numbers for such a disturbing case. It's worth a watch if you're a fan of true crime, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it had the potential to be much better. Also, I definitely wasn't expecting to see 50 Cent pop up.

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Scott Walker

Director

Nicolas Cage

Jack Holcombe

Vanessa Hudgens

Cindy Paulson

John Cusack

Robert Hansen

Dean Norris

Sgt. Lyle Haugsven

50 Cent

Pimp Clate Johnson

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Video Interview: Cast of Frozen Ground

The Frozen Ground: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A teenage escapee provides a critical break in the case, as an Alaskan detective hunts a serial killer who has been preying on women for 13 years.

Director: Scott Walker
Producer: 50 Cent, Randall Emmett, Jane Fleming, Dama Claire
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Grindstone Entertainment Group
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Sexuality/Nudity|Violent Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 23, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 2, 2015
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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