The Reel Review
A man driving through the Colorado Rockies finds himself battling not only the forces of nature but also a supernatural entity when he and a surprise passenger find themselves stranded in his car during a deadly blizzard. Allen Leach (Downton Abbey) and Nina Bergman (Hell Hath No Fury, Doom: Annihilation) star in this supernatural crime thriller.
Co-writer/director Sébastien Drouin quickly starts his low budget thriller with a pulse-pounding, tension-filled opening scene at a diner involving the man, a waitress and her abusive ex-husband, followed by more high-speed stalker drama, then a big doozy of a twist at the end of the first act. From there, Cold Meat steadily drifts into predictability.
Leech and Bergman each do an excellent job of carrying this somewhat predictable two-hander but the big supernatural spin in the third act feels more like an afterthought, as do the details about the man’s past that come to light in the film’s second half. But for a low budget film, Cold Meat is remarkably well done and is at least entertaining – strong start, not so strong finish.
REEL FACTS
• Cold Meat was filmed in just 13 days, with co-writer/director Sébastien Drouin also doing the visual effects, the editing and color timing.
• Although set in the Colorado Rockies, Cold Meat was filmed in British Columbia, Canada. The strong Canadian accents from the cook and two diner patrons are a major clue.
• Born in Denmark, actress, singer-songwriter and model Nina Bergman is the granddaughter of acclaimed Russian actor Pavel Kadochnikov. She spent her early childhood traveling around Europe with her Russian Gypsy grandparents. A lifelong vegan, she is also an animal rights activist.
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