Don't Believe the Hype

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Briefly, the movie is way better than I expected. Not a masterpiece, nothing special but worth watching. I have no deeper analysis. Period.Except one 'detail' bothering me. I know it bothers very few of us, so please don't take me too seriously, just because I could not take the movie seriously. I happen to be a Finn, who has survived in frosty forests for the most of his miserable life.The sub-zero conditions are hilariously unrealistic in the movie. There has to be a reason for this, right? There must be cold somewhere in Canada in winters. Maybe the production was late or something. I don't mean movies should always be realistic, but come on...It is obviously very cold season, if not exceptionally cold winter. Characters get severe injuries of cold. Kind of damage not being possible without roughly -20°C (or -4°F) and strong wind. But as there is seemingly not that windy, it would be -40°C (or the same in °F) if not even under that. Without proper clothing you go NUMB in that environment. Then it knocks you out for good. Quickly. Before you become a half-frozen zombie.Eyebrows seem to collect heavy ice layer, but breathing is hardly visible in most of the scenes. The ice layer usually builds up of moisture of your own breathe. Snowing looks like a rain. Because it is so warm it is practically raining.The structure of snow around looks like it is wet and melting. Winterly rays of sun are too weak to have any effect on ice. The forest looks more like how it could look like in June in Finland... It must be around +5...10°C.In Finland we call that summer. We go out and celebrate those rare moments of warmth, preferably naked. Well... just being honest, just paid attention to these facts, relevant or not :)

This was more than a movie about greedy people searching for a pot of gold. This was pure unadulterated desperation by people searching for another life. They could not turn back not only because they had come to far but because they did not want the lives they were hoping to leave behind. They were willing to risk it all for the lure of gold. It really speaks to how wealth and materialism have pervaded our culture and become essentially worth more than life itself to far to many people. The frost biting cold wasn't enough to stop them because they had tunnel vision motivated by greed and desperation. Even if there was a better way to accomplish their mission they didn't trust each other and the idea of the wealth and life that lie ahead would not allow them to see the forest for the trees.There was only one of them with a smidgen of rational and even he was to fool hearty to leave before almost dying from the bitter cold. If ever there was a movie that reflected the saying "desperate times calls for drastic measures" this movie certainly fits the bill. The acting was good too.

I read the plot and i thought this looked interesting, it reminded me of the movie a simple plan but that movie was way more interesting than this.While i watch it i could think of way better movies with the same theme that i could be watching, i don't hate it but nothing got me hooked to it.I mean its not bad but there's nothing there that hasn't been done before in more interesting ways. The characters were boring and forgettable withvery used situations on way they are looking for the gold. Ill give thumbs up to the make up it look pretty good, either than that the movie is flat and its something to watch a Sunday afternoon and i doubt you will remember ever watching it afterwards.Sadly this movie has a lot of "good reviews" or should i say payed reviews making it a thrilling master piece, I dare you to watch it and give it a 10 out of 10

The scenery is beautiful, and the chill of it reaches you in the theater seat. The actors powerfully portray greed and how it can lead to poor judgment and devastating consequences. The makeup is amazingly realistic! The story is compelling and the actors draw you into their tragic quest. The music score provides the right measure of mood and an compelling accompaniment to the script. I found myself drawn to each of the four main characters and grew to appreciate the various ways their lives gave challenges and dilemmas they then struggled with. This is a movie that needs to be seen, let's spread the word and in so doing support this Canadian Indie film.