Nothing good comes from being around the Arctic Circle. Little kids imagine this is where Santa and his elves live with Rudolph in their giant toy shop. But once you get old enough to read, you notice all the toys are made in Japan or China. When is the last time you had to import a toy from the North Pole? Anytime you see the arctic circle in a story, you know things don’t go right. The people either get screwed over by oil company goons, eaten by polar bears, attacked by a giant mantis or bodily possessed by an alien with tentacles. Blood and Snow reminds us that the Arctic is a frozen wasteland of doom.
While drilling in the Canadian arctic region (although not past the tree line), two French speaking researchers hit something that stops progress. Before they can examine what has happened; whatever happened comes up and causes bloodshed. Marie (Butchers‘ Anne-Carolyne Binette) flees into the frozen wasteland. She’s rescued by her fellow researchers. They haven’t a clue what happened except she’s covered in blood and silent from shock. They drive back to the remote research station that’s 300 kilometers from any other outpost and beyond the tree line. The other guys aren’t sure what to make of their only female member being so messed up. They put her in the small medical unit and try to figure out what happened to her and what sort of help they need to get. They need to act fast since they’re starting to disappear. What exactly did they bring back with their French co-worker?
Blood and Snow is a Canadian horror film that doesn’t fake being American. We’re in the Great White North. The movie deals with the tensions between English speaking Canadians and those from Quebec that only speak French. Even the one character that speaks both English and French (and is close to Marie) is treated with suspicion during this crisis. There’s also weird vibe since she’s the only woman at this male dominated research outpost. These two elements make the movie more than a clone of The Thing. Marie was already a bit of an alien to her co-workers before her drilling accident. Anne-Carolyne Binette is chilling when she says, “Feed me.” This film has an important message: When a French speaking woman speaks perfect English – be afraid! Marie’s even more dangerous as she delivers a lethal French kiss.
On a hot and humid summer evening, the chilly nature of Blood and Snow is refreshing.
The video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The transfer will let you appreciate all the snow in the shots. The Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 Stereo. The mix is sharp enough to hear all the things you don’t want to hear. The movie is subtitled in English.
Slideshow (2:46) is a montage of press photos,
Trailer (1:38) lets us know what they found and why it’s not a good thing.
Cleopatra Entertainment presents Blood and Snow. Directed by Jesse Palangio. Screenplay by Rossa McPhillips & Simon Phillips. Starring Vernon Wells, Simon Phillips, Brooke Chamberlain, Anne-Carolyne Binette, Michael Swatton, Adam Huel Potter, Brianna Ripley and Paul Whitney. Running Time: 116 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: June 11, 2024.
