JACK FROST: LET’S LOOK SERIOUSLY AT A SERIOUSLY STUPID MOVIE

There are at least 7 movies that I'm aware of with the title Jack Frost. I've seen 5 of them, but my favorite and the one I'm referring to here is the 1997 horror comedy about a killer snowman. So many critics and cinema fans blasted this movie for being stupid, which it is, but it's almost like the fact that it's supposed to be a comedy went right over their heads. One of the reasons for this may be that the horror elements are at times quite good not to mention the trailer with the more serious horror music in it. It's not good horror in the way that Halloween or The Exorcist are good, but good for it's jump scares, the usually brutal, creative deaths of the film's victims and the unstoppable killer that us slasher fans have come to know and love. Personally I think it is a fantastic mix of merciless killings and over the top ridiculous moments that will have you laughing out loud. I enjoy this film so much it has become my required Christmas viewing right next to A Charlie Brown Christmas. For some people seeing Ebenezer Scrooge become a better man or seeing Ralphie get his BB gun means Christmas. For the last 10 years or so, the Christmas season starts for me when I see serial killer Jack turn into a living snowman.
   And that's where our story begins. Around Christmas time, Jack Frost who is responsible for killing 38 people, is being transported to his execution in the most blinding blizzard in history. Coincidentally a chemical truck is also foolishly on the road tonight...the two collide and off we go. To lay out the plot in it's simplest form some weird acid basically melts Jack after he escapes following the crash and his melted body bonds with the snow. He then becomes a living snowman out for revenge on the small town sheriff who put him away when a nationwide manhunt couldn't. Admit it, the ONLY part about that explanation that sounds goofy is the snowman part. If I told you he turned into a lizard or an energy being you'd be dying to see the film! We've seen this whole 'human turned into an evil creature' thing before in horror movies, science fiction books and movies and perhaps most of all in comic books. Hell, half of Marvel Comics line of super heroes and super villains became "super" because of radiation or chemicals so the whole Jack Frost storyline is easy to imagine and has been done many times before. Here it is done as parody which is why the filmmakers chose the snowman to be the bringer of death instead of some cool or creepy horror character.
   As for the cast most of them seem recognizable and when you look up their filmographies you see at least half have had pretty long film careers even though in most of their other movies they only had bit parts. The most famous I'd say is Shannon Elizabeth who didn't become real well known until a few years later with stuff like American Pie and Scary Movie. I honestly consider her one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen so having her in the film is a plus for most of us heterosexual males. But even if you aren't in that group having Shannon in the film is still a plus. She can act...she may not be Meryl Streep, but she knows what she's doing as does honestly most of the cast in the movie. Far too many reviewers of this film point out the one silly thing, a killer snowman, and therefore they drag down the rest of the film with that silly plot device. They'll then claim the acting is terrible or the effects are childish. You'll see that none of this is true if you actually sit and watch the film. The acting is easily on par with your Friday The 13th or Nightmare On Elm Street films which is the subgenre I'd stick Jack Frost in. Also the special effects, although a bit amateurish, are equal to the best giant bug or irradiated monster films of the 50s and 60s which is what this movie is parodying. I'll say it again, I just think this movie went over people's heads and they just didn't get the joke or they never saw the films Jack Frost was taking pot shots at. If you like Jason Voorhees see this film. If you like Warwick Davis' turn as the Leprechaun see this film. If you like giant spiders or ants wreaking havoc across the landscape see this film. Jack Frost should have attracted fans from so many horror related genres and unfortunately it just didn't. I know the serial killer snowman may be off putting, but if you accept it as a comedy and a parody you will find a smart, well acted, tense horror outing that will make you laugh and perhaps even make you want to start a new holiday tradition...