Whiteout (2009) -- 5/10.
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This "Quick Review" is an excerpt from a full episode. Incorporating viewer comments and tweets, your host and film critic Jonathan Paula reviews everything from opening day releases, recent DVDs, and classics from years past. Along with your votes, these films are scored on the "Rate-O-Matic" for a 1-10 ranking. A "Five Word Summary" quickly encapsulates each review while "Factor Facts" highlight the the best and worst features of a movie in each of ten key categories. New episodes every Friday (November through May) on the JPizzle1122 channel.
Born in February 1986, Jonathan Paula is a professional KZreadr and creator of the hit web series, "Is It A Good Idea To Microwave This?". In April 2006 he founded Jogwheel Productions, a new media production company that specializes in web video. He has been reviewing films since 2003, and professionally since 2009. Jon graduated from Emerson College in 2008 with a degree in Television Production / Radio Broadcasting. He currently lives in Rockingham, NH with his wife Rebecca.
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~~ Review Script ~~
This murder mystery thriller starring Kate Beckinsale bombed at the box-office, only earning back a third of it's 35-million dollar budget. Beckinsale stars as US Deputy Marshall Carrie Stetko who is stationed at a lonely, and boring science outpost on Antarctica. Just before the entire base is about to pack up and leave for the Winter, a body is found, having died under peculiar circumstances. The rest of the movie is your typical murder-mystery story, except here, everyone is wearing parkas. Arguably, Beckinsale's biggest talent is her absolutely stunning good-looks, and save for a quick shower-scene in the opening minutes, her beauty is really wasted in this film where she's constantly wearing five layers of clothing. Although not terribly fantastic, she does however do a decent job of portraying the American Deputy Marshall. The supporting cast does little to inspire in this film, playing entirely into stereotypes and character molds. The frozen-tundra landscape also provides for little excitement, leaving just a flimsy murder plot holding up the enjoy ability of this movie. A tense scene in a snow-incased airplane, some airlock action with the deadly killer, and a few late-act twists do help redeem this film. Whiteout struggles at times at finding it's tone and pace. In moments it feels like a fast-and-nail biting slasher horror movie, and later it's a slow-moving episode of Law & Order, South Pole Division. Chiefly though, the film is a mystery thriller - but with all-too-easily predictable red-hearings, and unintentionally laughable character motives the movie fails here as well. Luckily, I found the action and suspense just enough to keep me interested, and at times, genuinely entertained. Whiteout certainly isn't going to win any awards come Oscar season, but it's also not a bad film either.
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