Rating 6/10
Movie titles get recycled all the time, but it’s a curious coincidence that both versions of Dead of Winter, the 1987 thriller starring Mary Steenburgen and this snowbound survival tale with Emma Thompson, feature a woman contending a frozen landscape where strangers turn sinister. The plots diverge, but the frosty settings and dangerous encounters make them cinematic siblings in spirit.
Emma Thompson stars as Barb, a lonely yet surprisingly capable widow in rural Minnesota. While driving her truck through a blizzard one day, she gets lost and seeks directions. Barb stumbles upon a married couple living deep in the backwoods. Actors Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca are never given names, but they’re credited as “Purple Lady” and “Camo Jacket” for their respective outerwear. Things take a dark turn when Barb discovers they’re kidnapping a teenage girl (Laurel Marsden) for mysterious reasons. The story, penned by composer Nicholas Jacobson-Larsen and actor Dalton Leeb, unfolds slowly as Barb’s motivations and the kidnappers’ intentions come into focus.
What follows is a battle of wits. Barb sets traps, stitches up a gunshot wound, and navigates the unforgiving wilderness. Her efforts to save the girl show a surprising amount of moxie. Director Brian Kirk parcels out information gradually. Initially, it’s unclear where Barb is driving. The reason for her journey eventually comes into focus. Although why she must do so now in the middle of a snowstorm doesn’t make a lick of sense. Still, the eerie stillness of the icy terrain heightens the tension. Every crack of a branch or howl of the wind adds to the mood.
Thompson delivers an unglamorous but commanding performance. We admire and root for her grit and determination. Barb utilizes the harsh environment of snow, ice, and cold as a means to gain an advantage. Greer, meanwhile, is an effective villain even though she is known chiefly for sweeter roles. The actress has played antagonists before. Most notably, the duplicitous best friend in 13 Going on 30. However, I would be hard-pressed to find a character in Greer’s filmography more physically menacing than this one.
The story builds to a brutal confrontation on the ice. While the action is suitably intense, it falls short of the promise set by everything that came before. The film has a brilliant setup, and there’s a poetic virtue in Barb completing the personal task that set her pilgrimage in motion. But at what cost? The chilly ending left me cold.
09-30-25