On his day, Nicolas Cage can still deliver work that reminds us why he was once one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Unfortunately, though, more often than not the 56 year-old is more than happy to just show up for the paycheck, and his drop from the top of the A-list to the biggest name in direct-to-video genre movies has been rather interesting to watch.
Cage certainly likes to keep himself busy, though, having appeared in over ten films in the last two years alone, the vast majority of which you’ve probably never seen or even heard of. There were some notable exceptions, of course, like his self-aware voice roles in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. Not to mention a terrific turn in Mandy that was one of his best performances in years.
But a rather overlooked and perfectly enjoyable entry on Cage’s filmography is The Frozen Ground. Though not his finest effort, it’s certainly an underrated movie that not a lot of people caught when it released in 2013 and is headed to Netflix this week, dropping on the platform on August 27th.
With a 61% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Frozen Ground is a respectable thriller that sees an Alaska State Trooper work alongside “a young woman who escaped the clutches of a series killer to bring the murderer to justice.” Based on actual events, it’s a bit too by-the-numbers and basic in its approach, but the story is gripping and nerve-wracking and Cage delivers a strong performance, doing the best he can with the material given to him.
With so many of the actor’s films lately being completely forgettable affairs where he sleepwalks through the entire thing, The Frozen Ground reminds us that he’s still a capable performer – even if he’s ultimately let down by the script. And while there are certainly better Nicolas Cage movies out there for you to watch, this overlooked and underrated effort might just satisfy your itch if you’re in the mood for a chilling thriller.