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Whiteout

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Film Review: Whiteout (2009)@drax601d

(source: tmdb.org)

Almost all of films set in Antarctica belong to the realms of science fiction and horror, but the 2009 mystery thriller, Whiteout, is an exception.

The film is adapted from the eponymous 1998 comic book limited series written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Steve Lieber. At the centre of the plot is Deputy U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, played by Kate Beckinsale. Stetko is stationed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, having been assigned there as a form of punishment following questionable actions during her tenure in Miami. As she approaches the end of her shift and contemplates resignation, her plans are abruptly interrupted by the discovery of a scientist's body. The autopsy reveals that he was murdered with an axe, thrusting Stetko into a complex investigation that not only extends her stay by six months but also places her in grave danger, because, just as there is very limited number of suspects with no means of escape, the killer can also have plenty of opportunity to take her out and hide evidence, which all leads to cat-and-mouse game.

Dominic Sena, a director known for his action-packed films, brings his expertise to the table, along with the assistance of cinematographer Christopher Soos and the breathtaking Canadian locations. The result is a convincing and immersive representation of the Antarctic environment. Unfortunately, this impressive setting is overshadowed by a formulaic murder mystery that fails to captivate the audience. Sena attempts to make amends by introducing an exciting and mysterious prologue, but this only serves to make the rest of the film appear lacklustre in comparison.

Dominic Sena, known for his work in the action genre and a fan of the original comic book, directs Whiteout with an eye towards creating an engaging thriller. Collaborating with cinematographer Christopher Soos, he attempts to recreate Antarctica's exotic setting convincingly. Despite their efforts, the film's visual representation often falls short, failing to evoke the chilling atmosphere that such a location inherently possesses.

Regrettably, what unfolds is a routine murder mystery that adheres too closely to formulaic conventions. The audience can easily dismiss red herrings and predict the "surprise" twist long before it is revealed. Sena seems aware of these shortcomings; he endeavours to compensate for them with an exciting prologue that sets up expectations for tension and intrigue. Unfortunately, this initial promise only serves to highlight how disappointing the remainder of Whiteout becomes in comparison.

Moreover, some creative choices detract from the overall experience. Key action scenes occur amid blizzards where characters are dressed in heavy clothing that obscures their faces. This decision complicates audience engagement as it becomes difficult to identify characters or follow their actions amidst the chaos of swirling snow and wind.

Kate Beckinsale, renowned for her beauty and experience in action roles, is significantly underutilised in this film. Aside from a brief scene intended as fan service where Stetko showers, Beckinsale remains clad in similar attire throughout and displays little variation in her facial expressions. The supporting cast fails to leave a lasting impression as well; apart from Tom Skerritt’s dependable performance as Dr. Fury, most characters blend into obscurity.

Ultimately, Whiteout is a mediocre and forgettable addition to the world of Hollywood films. Despite its promising premise and stunning setting, the film falters in its execution, resulting in a lacklustre experience that fails to deliver on its potential.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

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2 more reviews

›Whiteout (2009) Review@cute-cactus898d
Whiteout, a crime thriller set in the cold and desolate atmosphere of Antarctica, was worth watching for its impressive shooting locations.
[source](https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/1Ecfw02RwQ8q3hXcnnYC88Md6tl.jpg)
Let me give you a small detail about the movie; as soon as you start to feel the cold of the climate, you meet the beauty of Kate Beckinsale and warm up after the hot shower she takes. In short, you enter the story by feeling the cold and the heat one after the other.

Since we started with Kate Beckinsale, let's get to know the character she plays. Carrie Stetko, a US federal agent, is the protagonist of the movie Whiteout and the one who manages to drag the movie alone. In terms of performance, the actress is quite spectacular and adds immersion and value to the movie.

The story, which progresses mysteriously for a while, focuses on the past of the main character after the mystery disappears, keeping the interest for a moment in terms of keeping the range wide. Curiosity makes it almost compulsory to follow the action and tension in every scene. It is possible to accept the success of the editing and its acceptance among the actors from the very beginning. This acceptance makes the movie more enjoyable.
[source](https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/iJxz0KK8WNbNLaYrtR70ygND4LJ.jpg)
The filming in a place like Antarctica, which is both desolate and the climatic conditions are very difficult, was simply magnificent. While you feel the snow and the cold, you have no difficulty throwing yourself into the story. There are more than one scene that you can make predictions while watching and most of the scenes mislead you with a twist.

I absolutely loved the story and the way it unfolded, but Kate Beckinsale was my favorite despite everything. There is the scene where her fingers are amputated after freezing and losing their functionality; it was a heartbreaking moment.

In conclusion, the movie Whiteout, both in terms of Kate Beckinsale's outstanding performance and the locations where the story takes place, reflects the crime-thriller genre to perfection, offering a visual show to the audience and triggering the sense of curiosity a lot.

I highly recommend you to watch the movie, they have successfully added the past to the story through the plot and the people. While living in the present, one has to face the fragments and events of the past. All this makes the already beautiful fiction even more beautiful.

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›Whiteout - Movie Review@coldsteem2636d

Whiteout is another average film in a string of average films I have seen lately. In spite of the fact that Whiteout was the recipient of very average reviews, it is a film that appealed to me on some level. I certainly have no regrets renting this film, but there could have been major improvements that might have elevated this film. An interesting locale, breath-taking views and an engaging mystery were offset by choppy action, weak credibility and recycled ideas.

Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale) is a U.S. Marshal assigned to a research facility in Antarctica. A major change of scenery from her previous assignment in Miami. Stetko handles the mundane misdemeanors and other superfluous enforcement activities at the research site. Her assignment has been routine until a murder mystery surfaces just days before she is scheduled to leave the facility. Although researchers are able to stay over the Winter, there are no flights in or out for six months during that time. So if you stay, you are stuck. With the bug out date approaching and a major storm threatening to ground all aircraft, the facility begins a rapid deployment to remote camps to begin the process of withdrawal from the facility. Stetko is in a race against time to solve the murder with very little time and resources to work with.

Whiteout is based on a graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber. It was adapted into a screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoeber along with Chad and Carey Hayes. With that many authors involved in one work, it is no wonder it felt choppy. The film transitions from a 1957 opening segment to the current day without warning. After establishing the time-line and jumping forward, I thought the scenery included countless anachronisms until I figured out that there was a time progression. Once the movie started moving forward in the present day it hit some choppy sequences. The flashbacks were a bit distracting the way they were done. They had a nice graphic novel feel, but there were times when it felt contrived. Just the pacing and movement between scenes was abrupt at times. A smoother approach to the transitions and attention to pacing would have greatly enhanced the appeal of this film.

The story itself is intriguing but not entirely unique. I am not sure what a U.S. Marshal would be doing investigating misdemeanors in Antarctica, but we can give them some artistic license. The setting provides a great backdrop for suspense. You have a storm, a departure deadline, remote camps, impossible terrain and a murder mystery to solve. The combination of elements worked for me. The flashbacks of a cop trying to cope with the bad experiences that landed her in a remote outpost were formulaic at best. It was predictable and hackneyed. The whodunnit part of the film was also a bit predictable, but the writers managed to insert just enough plausibility to keep the audience guessing. There were also some sub-plots worked in that ended up offering the best of the writing. There were some unique sub-plots and decent twists to make this a worthwhile thriller.

Whiteout does a decent job of creating suspense using the natural elements in conjunction with a killer. The action scenes were bizarre (in a good way) because the tension was created with some credibility. If you ever had a dream where you were being chased and couldn't run...that is the feel of some of these chase scenes. The snow and wind wreak havoc on the facility giving the suspenseful scenes some teeth. But when the film moves away from suspense to lay the groundwork for the story or develop the characters, the pacing gets mucky. The film is only an hour and a half, but it feels longer at times. In spite of the time that seemed carved out for character development, it appeared that some of the characters were not explored beyond the surface. It almost felt as if the segments were individually assigned a purpose (okay, this is the back-story, this is character development, this is the chase, etc). This film would benefit from some additional re-writing.

I did not have any complaints about Kate Beckinsale as Stetko. She brought the right qualities to her role. She was supported by an excellent performance by Tom Skerritt who takes on the role of the camp doctor. Gabriel Macht appears to materialize out of nowhere as UN investigator Robert Pryce. Macht creates a character that has enough elusiveness to keep the audience off balance. His performance was another strong one. Columbus Short has the role of Delfy, one of the camp pilots. He also creates a bit of diversion to keep the audience off balance. Pryce and Delfy suffered from some weak character development but the actors did a good job of making the roles work. The rest of the characters were too one-dimensional to benefit from good performances. The quality of the cast was better than the script.

Whiteout includes full frontal male nudity. In this case, about six men running through the snow naked. The scene was bizarre and added nothing to the film. I am not sure what the purpose of that scene was, but it certainly was not contextual nudity. The only other nudity showed Beckinsale showering through opaque glass. Again, there was nothing contextual about the scene. As far as I am concerned, they should have used clear glass or not done the scene at all. It only succeeded in making me feel cheated. The graphic violence includes a shootout early in the film and more grisly murders as the movie progresses. The subsequent violence comes from edged weapons, which always makes me cringe. Then there was the amputation...I am glad we only had sound effects in that scene. The gore factor was medium, there was some strong language and male nudity. Overall, the R rating from the MPAA was applied accurately.

Whiteout is one of those films that I don't regret watching even though it had a lot of issues. It was an average film. It wasn't bad and it wasn't exceptional. What bothers me about a film like this is that it did not have to be average. It could have been exceptional but seems to have wasted the opportunity. A decent concept that had moments of good writing slipped into cheesy borrowed ideas. The pacing and transitions were a complete mess. Just smoothing out the transitions would elevate this film. 5.5/10.

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