Cold Prey 2: Resurrection

Introduction

Picking up almost straight after Cold Prey, this begins in a remote hospital where one of the mountain rescue guys is out on patrol where he comes across Jannicke in the middle of the road carrying an ice axe. Taking her back to the hospital where his girlfriend Ingunn works as a doctor, they ask her why she is covered in blood and wandering around in the middle of nowhere with an offensive weapon.

When her temperature gradually rises, she tells them how she and her four friends came across the abandoned ski lodge and were stalked by a psychopathic killer. Informing the authorities that she killed him and shoved him into the crevasse where he'd despatched her friend's bodies, the police go out to check her story, find the five corpses and bring them back.

Jannicke goes to the morgue to see the bodies as Ingunn thinks it might help with her recovery but Jannicke attacks the killer's corpse and has to be restrained. The doctor inexplicably finds that the frozen body has a pulse and they begin CPR. Bad mistake!

Video

Whereas the first Cold Prey combined external and interior shots, this takes place almost exclusively inside the hospital with occasional cuts to the crevasse and the Police Station where the Chief of Police is investigating the hotel and possible identification and motive of the killer. The film is very well shot, nicely claustrophobic and the picture is clear.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track is crisp and effective with decent jumps, atmosphere and tension. The burnt-in subtitles are, as far as I could tell, error free but not ideally positioned so the odd word is a little difficult to make out.

Extra Features

Sadly, just a trailer.

Conclusion

It's refreshing for a horror sequel to live up to the promise of the first, with the two acting as separate instalments of the same film. Cold Prey didn't necessarily need a follow-up but, as it was done, I am glad it was this good. Mats Stenberg directs with a similar style to Roar Uthaug, keeping things tense with the occasional explosion of violence.

As she proved in the first film, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal puts in a terrific performance and is believable, sympathetic and determined - everything you want from a heroine in a slasher film. The rest of the cast are also very good and the movie works better than I ever thought it would and does justice to the first film, which is all you can ask from a horror sequel.

This is available to buy individually or with Cold Prey as a box set. Since the difference in RRP is only £2, it probably makes sense to get the box set.