Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

The Snowman Blu-ray Movie Review

Chilly reception.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 14, 2018

Talk about lost in translation. The Snowman is the filmed adaptation of Author Jo Nesbø's novel of the same name, one in a series of acclaimed books (and curiously the seventh book in the series) centered on Harry Hole, a Norwegian detective whose style clashes with procedural orthodoxy but whose results are without equal. His cinematic debut is unfortunately a tragedy for the medium, a picture that's indecipherable and nearly unwatchable, sure to turn away audiences from an otherwise well-received literary figure who deserved better than a picture this strikingly absent cohesion and mired in cliché. Atmospheric but otherwise empty, Director Tomas Alfredson, whose other credits include vastly superior films like Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, fails to create a picture that's anything but a series of images overwhelmed by atmosphere and undermined by a critical absence of narrative cohesion.

Foundations of evil.

When an elite crime squad's lead detective (Michael Fassbender) investigates the disappearance of a victim on the first snow of winter, he fears an elusive serial killer may be active again. With the help of a brilliant recruit (Rebecca Ferguson), the cop must connect decades-old cold cases to the brutal new one if he hopes to outwit this unthinkable evil before the next snowfall.

There's a sense of purpose in The Snowman, scenes of dramatic urgency, serious character contemplation, overpowering darkness, and unforgiving cold -- literal and figurative in the case of the latter -- but none of it merges together. The film's elements remain ever in isolation, each identifiable as critical fixtures in the would-be greater film but never joining together to fully define the larger narrative, flesh out the characters, or reveal the nuances of the world around them. The Snowman is an atmosphere-first and practically atmosphere-only film. Alfredson and Cinematographer Dion Beebe's work is often engaging if not occasionally engrossing, taking full advantage of the chilled Norwegian landscape and cold emotional undercurrents that, granted, never develop into anything remotely tangible, but it's easy to see the pieces at least being maneuvered into place. Certainly, though, even the film's physical construction and bleak locations ultimately feel cliché and devoid of significance, largely because they're not supported by anything of purpose, no tangible support, nothing to which the audience can grasp on and truly feel the parallel emotional cold and void that are undoubtedly supposed to reinforce the physical cold and void. The Snowman ultimately emerges as a string of empty tropes, environmental and character alike, with a false sense of dramatic urgency whereby the audience is awakened from a fatigued malaise when victims are butchered or police cars report to the scene of a crime, but absolutely missing is the necessary nuance to hold the audience beyond the moments of shock and movement.

Performances are curiously difficult to gauge as a result. Michael Fassbender conveys the character's pains well enough on the physical front. The actor genuinely looks like he hasn't had a good night's sleep or been in optimal health for some time. But he can't fight a script that gives him nothing else to go on, one that struggles to identify him beyond a title and crude actions. Audiences feel no connection to him. He's a curious figure in that he's front-and-center throughout the film yet feels emotionally distant and disengaged in every scene. He moves and speaks but never, it seems, to any discernible purpose. And much like the character, the film's runtime clock marches forward, but the picture just never seems to go anywhere. Faces appear, but they never make a lasting impression. Val Kilmer, barely recognizable in the film, and not only because he's aged since the glory days of Top Gun and Real Genius, delivers what may be the most interesting performance if only because its sense of character chaos and curious qualities in a weird way parallel the movie around him. Whether by design or not he's somehow a breath of fresh air, even if it's hard to decipher what purpose he serves in the film, and in that way he's just another moving part in the larger movie that's the cinematic equivalent of a bauble.

The Snowman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Snowman certainly has its fair share of cold, bleak locations where blinding white snow, overcast skies, and a general lack of life and color define the moment, but it's also not lacking more richly saturated and more colorfully diverse scenes. The digitally photographed elements present with a rather filmic appearance on Blu-ray, accentuating the frigid textures and dreary designs that are often reflective in character eyes and cadences, too. Skin textures and tones are often bleak but sufficiently complex, as are environments, whether textured and packed snow or resplendent attire at a high dollar gala. The movie never offers any sort of extraordinarily high yield detailing that sees it stand apart from the crowded format landscape, but Universal's transfer certainly proves more than efficient and capturing essentials-plus with plenty of complexity and depth. Color saturation pleases in warmer light and more neutral locales, while frigid exteriors display a gray-dominant essence with ease. Black levels satisfy and skin tones appear true to any given scene's lighting and limitations. Noise and other source or encode maladies are kept to an agreeable minimum.

The Snowman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Snowman's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack is the highlight of the disc. The feeling of sonic immersion, more so than the typical 5.1 track can offer, is evident from the outset and for the duration. Thunder and frigidly gusty winds, ripples and crackling ice, cable cars maneuvering and ice breaking free, flapping flags, gunshot reverberations, crowd noise and crunches on the ice during an outdoor hockey game, din at a black-tie gala, and all sorts of moments and locations come to life with remarkable precision and stage saturation during the film, aided by the additional real estate the center-back channels offer. Each element is presented in carefully constructed working order, with captivating full-stage immersion that makes ordinary scenes feel like pivotal moments. Balance and clarity are exceptional with every scene, and music is likewise clear, detailed, and precisely positioned. Dialogue, too, proves flawless in delivery and stage placement. It's too bad this excellent track isn't in support of a better movie, but those who brave The Snowman's elements will find this a most rewarding listening experience.

The Snowman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Snowman contains five featurettes. DVD and digital copies are included with purchase.

• Cast of Characters (1080p, 7:46): An exploration of the characters and the qualities the cast brought to the key roles.
• Creating Jo Nesbø's World (1080p, 4:05): The author discusses inspirations for his work, recreating the lead character for the screen, Tomas Alfredson's work as director, and remaining true to the novel.
• The Snowman Killer (1080p, 4:03): A discussion of the film's killer, including motivations, wardrobe, and Jonas Karlsson's performance.
• Norwegian Landscape (1080p, 6:33): An exploration of the film's story-authentic setting and key locations.
• Stunt Files: The Sinking Lake (1080p, 1:36): A quick run-through of making the film's bookend scenes.

The Snowman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Snowman comes based on a bestselling book, is directed by a man with a track record of making quality films, stars a capable leading man, exudes plenty of atmosphere and quality craftsmanship, yet it's about as empty a movie as one is going to find. Nothing about the film works. It's entirely superficial, capably moody and scenic but built around empty characters, indecipherable character relationships and motivations, and punctuated by bits of action that nearly mean nothing in the greater scheme. One can see the wheels churning in the movie, the processes put in place to make something better, but The Snowman fails to offer any reason to engage with it. Universal's Blu-ray does offer good video and audio and a handful featurettes. Skip it.