Whiteout

US Marshal Carrie Stetko is a woman with a past and an incident on the mainland caused her to request a transfer to the bleakest and most hostile environment on the Earth: Antarctica.  She is the chief law enforcement official on a multinational research base on a continent that has never had a murder.
 
As winter approaches, a report comes in that a body has been found and, when she gets out there, something sinister is obviously afoot.  The man has a leg wound which was stitched up shortly before his death, was seemingly killed by an ice axe blow to the chest but the state of his head indicates that he suffered a large fall.  There is also no ice axe to be found which rules out accidental death. 
 
It's up to Stetko to find out why the man was killed and by who but her job is complicated by the arrival of Robert Pryce, a special investigator from the UN.  Furthermore, she only has three days before winter sets in and the base is shut for the six months when temperatures plummet, the wind whips up and a whiteout takes effect.
 

A prologue shows how a Soviet plane crashed when the co-pilot tried to kill the crew and, in the ensuing firefight, a stray bullet took out the pilot.  When Stetko, Pryce and trusted pilot Delfy stumble across the wreck and find that the cargo has been recently stolen, the mystery deepens.
 
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Greg Rucka and Steve Leiber, the role of Stetko has been kept the same though, with Kate Beckinsale as the Marshal, Stetko is more attractive on screen than she was originally envisioned.  The rest of the characters and locales are faithful to the source material and the authors visited the set and were impressed at how the 2D illustrations had been brought to life.
 
Filming in Ontario keeps the realism high as the cast are visibly cold and the location of Manitoba in Canada fits superbly as a substitution for Antarctica as it is white and there is no visible horizon.  The sets are fantastic as not all shooting was done so far north, with some done in a studio though I didn't notice and, until I watched the extras, assumed it was all done on location.
 
The characters are interesting and there are enough flawed individuals around to keep you guessing as to the killer's identity, why and how the initial murder took place.  With someone around outside murdering anyone who may help in the investigation and attacking Stetko when she ventures out alone, there are scenes of high tension and horror to go with the overall murder mystery theme.
 
Whiteout isn't the most sophisticated film I've ever seen but is a very accomplished and well acted piece with solid performances by Beckinsale, Tom Skerritt and Gabriel Macht.  Director Dominic Sena puts together some terrific scenes, using the locations and lack of visibility to good effect but the film occasionally drags as the pacing isn't consistently high enough to build the tension to breaking point.
 
That said, I enjoyed the film and whilst I did guess the killers identity a while before the reveal, now want to read the graphic novel and see how it was originally envisioned.
 

The Disc

 
Extra Features
There are only two fairly brief featurettes and it's a shame there is no commentary, but what there is  provides you with enough information to appreciate the work involved and show a satisfactory amount of behind the scenes footage.
 
The Coldest Thriller Ever concentrates on the locations and work that the actors put in, both outside in the freezing exteriors of Manitoba to being dragged around on a soundstage.  There are interviews with Kate Beckinsale and the crew members responsible for bringing the novel to life.  From Page to Screen is dominated by interviews with Greg Rucka and Steve Leiber who talk about writing the novel and how they were approached, and agreed, to have their book made into a feature film.  They are both interesting featurettes and it's pleasing to see how happy the two men were with the sets and rushes.
 
There is a selection of extended and deleted scenes that are interesting and amusing, showing how little work Stetko had to do.  There are also a trailer.
 
The Picture
The image quality is superb with the cameras battling sub-zero temperatures and rather inclement weather to bring the Antarctic scenes to life and the brightness of the exteriors is very high, showing you just how strange the environment is down there.  The picture is crisp and clear from any major flaws though the CGI in the opening sequence is a little dodgy.
 
The detail is good and palette changes very well to suit the mood. 
 
The Sound
The Dolby Digital 5.1 is the soundtrack of choice as the surrounds are very well employed to position you in the bustling centre, the silence of the wreck and deserted lab which juxtaposes with the windswept exterior scenes where the blizzard surrounds you.  Dialogue is clear and well presented and the score by John Frizzell is pretty effective.
 
Final Thoughts
Whiteout has a great premise and a variety of characters to make things interesting right until the end.  Dominic Sena does a decent job with the material and constructs some thoroughly involving and tense scenes but the pacing is inconsistent which effects the overall picture.  It is an enjoyable and entertaining movie but isn't as good as it perhaps should have been - worth a watch though.