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Jack Frost (1997)

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> Holiday: Christmas
Overall Rating 52%
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Ranked #4,535
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As a notorious serial killer is being driven to his execution, the truck carrying him encounters a bizarre accident that transforms him into a mutant snowman. The sheriff who originally caught the psychopath has remained concerned about his return, and it seems that his fears were well-founded. Before long, bodies pile up, all killed in gruesome wintry ways. Can the sheriff stop the murderer's icy reign of terror? --TMDb
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Review by Chad
Added: December 25, 2008
It's difficult to call Jack Frost a "good movie" or a "bad movie." On the one hand, it's a movie about a killer snowman, and yes, it's every bit as corny as it sounds; thus, can one truthfully call it a good movie? On the other hand, it's a movie about a killer snowman, and it's blatantly obvious that the filmmakers knew that they were making a cheesy movie and decided to have some fun with it. Therefore, can you really say that it's a bad movie when they set out to do something and succeeded with it? This is the dilemma that I find myself in while writing this review as I can't rightfully say that it's a scary movie, a classic movie, or even a great movie by conventional standards, but I can say - and maybe it's just the Christmas spirit talking - that I enjoyed it.

We begin with an introduction to Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald), a serial killer who racked up an impressive body count in over a dozen states and a man who has also recently been caught by Sam (Christopher Allport), the sheriff of a small town called Snowmonton. Jack is tried in front of a jury of his peers, found guilty, and sentenced to death... and on the way out of the courtroom, he swears to Sam that he will find a way to get revenge on him and his family. Naturally, Sam is having trouble sleeping at night, but it'll all be over soon: it's Christmas day, and at the stroke of midnight, Jack Frost will be put to death.

Well, that was the plan, but as is normally the case in horror movies dealing with serial killers, plans don't always work out. You see, it's now Christmas night, and the little town of Snowmonton is getting hammered by a blizzard. This eventually causes the police truck housing Frost to crash into a truck containing some sort of acidic, genetic-enhancing material, and before you can say "That sure as hell ain't Frosty", Jack Frost has been covered in acid due to the collision. This results in his body melting into the snow and his genes getting spliced with said snow... hey, it's a horror movie, did you expect real science? Now, he's a wise-cracking snowman who has set out to rack up more kills, and more importantly, get revenge on the man who brought him to justice. Agent Manners (Stephen Mendel) and Stone (Rob LaBelle) quickly show up to attempt to apprehend this slushy psycho, but will their help be enough?

Yes, Jack Frost is as goofy as it sounds, but you probably knew that based on the DVD cover alone. I knew going in that this wasn't going to be a masterpiece, and I also thought that it was going to be a small step above horrible if even that. During the car crash scene that sets everything into motion, I found myself laughing at how ridiculous this movie was, but after it started moving along, I repeatedly found myself laughing along with the ridiculousness. This is certainly not a movie that is meant to be taken seriously, and as is the case with Child's Play, you'll probably enjoy it if you go in with that mindset and expect nothing more than a couple of laughs and some inventive kills.

So, with that said: how can you say no to a movie featuring death by holiday ornaments? How can you turn away while watching a snowman rape a young Shannon Elizabeth in the shower, and how can you not laugh when - after finishing with his carrot and her naughty bits - he looks at the camera and says "I guess Christmas came a little early"? Is this high-class humor? Not at all. Would you show it to your children on Christmas day? Not a chance. Will anyone who thought that that rape description was humorous enjoy the movie? You bet your ass, and if nothing else, this film proves that those timeless words of "Rape can be funny given the proper scenario" were indeed true.

The film mixes together humor and grisly deaths, and as I've already said my piece on the humor side of things, I guess that it's time to talk about the violence. This film was made specifically for slasher fans, so if you want ultra-realistic kills and buckets of blood, you've picked up the wrong movie; if, however, you want to see a woman's face slammed into the broken shards of her Christmas ornaments before being tied to the Christmas tree by its lights or if you're in the mood for watching a hatchet being shoved down a man's gullet, this is the movie for you. Imagine if Jason Voorhees was a giant snowman that constantly dropped one-liners instead of a retard in a hockey mask and you'll have a good idea as to how this movie works.

As far as the acting goes... well, you don't pick up a movie like this for the acting, but it's serviceable enough from everyone involved. Now, I do have to give some credit to Jack Lindine and Kelly Jean Peters - these two had minor roles as a constantly-bickering couple, and while they weren't too terribly important to the plot aside from upping the body count, they easily stole the movie in terms of pure performance. I felt a strong Archie Bunker and Edith vibe from them, and the two actors played off of one another terrifically.

Getting back to my original question: is Jack Frost a good movie? I'm going to have to say yes. It won't change your mind if you think that the concept sounds dumb to begin with, but if you believe that it sounds dumb enough to be entertaining, you're apt to enjoy it as much as I did. So, I believe that a 8/10 is in order.
Griffinheart #1: Griffinheart - added December 27, 2008 at 1:56am
I had to get this off Netflix based off the premise alone (and may have even recommended it to you, Chad), but I could never bare to watch it. God bless you for having the fortitude.
Tobes #2: Tobes - added March 11, 2010 at 11:49am
I was just telling someone about this movie today, and whenever i talk about it, I always bring up the "Christmas came early" line.

Best quote in any movie, ever.
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