Despite being based on a best-selling novel and having a stellar cast and crew, things are not looking good for “The Snowman.” The movie has been getting poor reviews by film critics before its October 20 release.
Directed by Tomas Alfredson, “The Snowman” follows Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender), an alcoholic Norwegian police detective who, while investigating the murder of a woman who was beheaded, is puzzled by the sight of an ominous-looking snowman near the victim’s body. When new recruit Katrine Bratt (Rebecca Ferguson) points out that a string of similar cases were reported in the 1990s, Harry fears that a serial killer may be active again.
This thriller film was written by Hossein Amini and Peter Straughan and is based on the novel of the same name by Norwegian crime-writer Jo Nesbø.
'Abominable'
The Telegraph’s Tim Robey called the "The Snowman, “abominable,” adding that it turns into “a nonsensical nightmare of Scandi-noir howlers from which you sometimes feel you may never awaken.” He also criticized the role of the main character Harry, stating that it is “so wonkily inserted into the overall plot.”
'A major disappointment'
Variety’s Guy Lodge added that while Nesbø’s die-hard fans can barely make it through the movie, others are likely to be puzzled by disorganized storytelling, a perplexing lead character and too many red herrings.
He further stated that the “textured, shadow-marinated atmosphere” present in Alfredson’s critically-acclaimed Movies “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” and “Let the Right One In” is absent in “The Snowman.”
'A slushy old mess'
Olly Richards of New Musical Express (NME) explained that it is impossible to follow the plot because it is full of clumsy loose ends.
“Harry and Katrine arrive at locations with absolutely no explanation, apparently following clues kept hidden from the audience,” he said. He concluded that considering how talented people who worked on this movie are, “The Snowman” fails to be the “edge-of-the-seat murder mystery” it is expected to be.
"The Snowman" is a 119-minute movie that was directed by Tomas Alfredson and was distrubted by Universal Pictures.
The cast includes some familiar names including Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, Jonathan Kimble Simmons, Chloë Sevigny, James D'Arcy, and Jakob Oftebro.
Check out "The Snowman" movie trailer below.
