Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie Review

ICE QUAKE WARNING!

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 7, 2012

Everything in nature has a pattern.

Ice Quake is the guy's answer to all of the sappy Hallmark and ABC Family Christmas movies that inundate televisions and flood DVRs throughout the month of December. It's a Christmas movie thanks mainly to its timeframe -- there's no Yuletide romance, no Santa with amnesia, no magical jaunts to the North Pole, nothing of that sort -- but one can at least claim that it is indeed a "Christmas" movie, at least in the Die Hard tradition in that there's guns, explosions, and general mayhem to be enjoyed throughout the film, set against the backdrop of December 24th/December 25th. Besides, it opens with a shot of "Santa" cruising along on a snow machine. Major props for that bit of holiday novelty. Better still than its "can we please watch this instead of Snow 2: Brain Freeze again?" appeal and possibilities, Ice Quake actually represents a quantum leap forward in SyFy channel fare. This is, surprisingly, a rather well put together and mostly entertaining movie. Who knew SyFy had something decent up its sleeve?

The ice quake could be so powerful, it could destroy...telephone poles!

It’s Christmas Eve on Alaska's Mt. Phaeton, and two scientists, who would rather be home with their families, are instead measuring incredible readings far from town. Their findings: the subsurface temperature is dropping. The results: seismic shifts that threaten to tear the entire town apart. Back in town, busy father of two Michael Webster (Brendan Fehr) only wants to get away from work and spend Christmas with his family. Unfortunately, he's called back into the office when the tremors intensify. Despite the change in plan, he can't hide the fact that he's eager to verify his theory that recent tremors in nearby Russia might be the cause of Alaska's activity. Soon, he and his family -- wife Emily (Holly Dignard), son Shane (Ryan Grantham), and daughter Tia (Jodelle Ferland) -- head up the mountain to investigate further, and also to procure a last-minute fresh Christmas tree. Unfortunately, disaster strikes, leaving the only nearby shelter destroyed and their vehicle lost after a quake triggers a massive avalanche. The family barely escapes, but must deal with uncertain conditions and frigid temperatures if they're to make it off the mountain alive. Meanwhile, a local rogue scientist known as "Methane Man" (Rob LaBelle) disobeys military quarantine and investigates the mountain to prove his theory that dangerous methane gas may be the seismic culprit. With time running out and answers difficult to come by, can the Webster family survive and help divert a catastrophe that could ultimately spell doom for every living being on the planet?

Ice Quake is at its best when it's not bogged down in its brief spurts of scientific mumbo jumbo explanations of methane gasses or surface temperature drops. Those are certainly important establishing elements, but the movie knows when to shut up and jump into action. The action is enjoyable if not a little predictable, but there's a reason why it works better here than in most other, similar, television Disaster movies. Ice Quake produces plenty of action and drama, in large part because it manages to develop its characters to the point that, indeed, the audience will actually care whether they survive their various trials, which only adds to the aggregate goodness of the action elements. In fact, the characters are developed and likable to the point that even some traditionally phony SyFy special effects never really get in the way of one's enjoyment of the end product. Better still, the movie all but resists the temptation to fill in gaps by killing off random characters who are introduced just long enough to see them meet their doom. That's a staple of Roger Corman-style pictures, but only happens once here, which makes it funny rather than nonsensical; here it's the equivalent of waiting for an "I'll be back" line to be worked in, and not a repeating joke that wears thin after the fifteenth time in eight minutes.

Why SyFy can't make more movies as good as this one is a mystery. It certainly doesn't improve on the cheap special effects, but the general production values are far and away superior to the normal drivel that passes as television entertainment anymore. There acting is a cut above, too, as is the script. It's certainly not up there with the best movies of all time or anything, but it's amazing what some hard work and effort can do for a movie, even ones as cheaply put together as these. In fact, if there were awards for SyFy channel movies, Ice Quake would pretty much hands down sweep the night almost by default since it's just about the closest thing they've ever produced to anything that resembles an actual movie. Still, Ice Quake does get a little repetitive in its middle stretch, but it's a decent depiction of adventure and survival in harsh terrain and under the fear of looming devastation that could strike at any moment. Much of the movie is predictable, but the likable characters definitely help to mask these shortcomings. Besides, the same may be said of a vast majority of movies anymore. Originality is pretty much gone, so what's left is how well old material is recycled, and at least in the case of Ice Quake, it's brought back to life in a watchable and well-made little package.

Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ice Quake's 10870p, 1.78:1-framed Blu-ray transfer is quite good. This is a consistently sharp and good-looking image. It features a nice array of bright colors that do well to offset the otherwise gloomy masses of white that are the film's most constant element. Bright winter jackets, red and green Christmas decorations around town, evergreen trees, and warm wooden interiors as seen in the Webster home are all beautifully balanced and natural. Fine detail is also quite strong. Those same wooden textures around the house prove very revealing and reliable, as do wool winter caps, heavy coats, faces, and even fallen snow, both trampled and smooth. The image yields fine natural depth, too, and while it's a hair noisy in one or two spots, it's also absent of any excessive banding or blocking. This is a best-case scenario for a SyFy movie translating to Blu-ray.

Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ice Quake cracks open a wonderfully immersive and crisp Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It features very good clarity throughout all of its elements. Music is nicely spaced and plays with a hefty, but not dominant, surround sound element, its modern take on "Carol of the Bells" over the opening titles being particularly impressive. The track is defined, however, by the massive cracking ice and shifting terrain. The listener becomes completely immersed in the ever-evolving environment. Cracks and tremors surround the listener and are often placed distinctively in the back channels or, in the more immediately dangerous scenes, completely surround the audience. It's rounded into form by a potent low end that's tight and deep but never rattly or unkempt. A few blips and bleeps serve as ambiance in the military headquarters set, and minor natural atmospherics help the outdoor scenes along. Dialogue is steady and focused up the center and is never lost to the track's heavier elements. This is a wonderful, satisfying, even sometimes thrilling, soundtrack that greatly enhances the movie.

Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Ice Quake's Blu-ray release contains only a trailer and a lengthy making-of feature.

• The Making of Ice Quake (1080p, 27:09).
• Ice Quake Trailer (1080p, 1:35).

Ice Quake Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Ice Quake isn't a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it's definitely the current king of the SyFy crop. Here's a SyFy flick with good production values, a strong cast, a decent script, and action and drama that are enhanced because of its likable characters. The movie plays out along a predictable path, but it's still a fun time waster and a movie the good folks at SyFy should aim to better with every new movie they make. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Ice Quake features very good video and audio to go along with a rather lengthy "making of" supplement. Recommended.