1. Plot Summary

Setting & premise
Five friends — Jannicke, Eirik, Mikal, Ingunn, and Morten Tobias — set out on a snowboarding trip deep into the Jotunheimen mountains of Norway.
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When Morten suffers a serious leg fracture during the descent, the group realizes they are far from help, with no cell service and night closing in.
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Spotting what appears to be an abandoned mountain hotel in the valley below, they drag Morten there and decide to spend the night, hoping to find help the next day.
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But the hotel holds secrets. The building has been closed since the 1970s after the disappearance of the owners’ child, and the group soon realizes they are not alone — something (or someone) still inhabits the lodge.
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From there, the film moves into survival horror / slasher mode: the friends are hunted, terror escalates, and Jannicke emerges as the one attempting to outwit the killer and survive.
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I won’t spoil the final twist, but suffice it to say the identity and backstory of the killer tie back to that opening prologue of a boy running through the snow in the 1970s.
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2. Notable Elements
   Atmosphere & Setting

One of the strongest aspects of Cold Prey is how it uses the harsh, cold, remote environment to amplify tension. The snow, darkness, isolation, and the foreboding hotel all contribute to a sense of helplessness. Critics often note that the film’s claustrophobic, snow-bound environment suits the slasher’s tone well.
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The decision to shoot in real Nordic landscapes (including Jotunheimen) gives a haunting authenticity.
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Direction & Pacing

Roar Uthaug, the director, adheres closely to classic slasher conventions but with a deft hand for tension and intermittent restraint.
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While the plot itself is relatively straightforward and predictable by genre standards, Uthaug leans into atmosphere, slow reveals, and moments of dread rather than over-the-top gore.
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Some sequences stand out:

The opening prologue (boy running through snow, buried alive) acts as a haunting framing device.
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The moment the group restores power in the hotel, leading to flickering lights and shadows, underscoring how danger lurks just beyond visibility.
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The final confrontation scenes, especially Jannicke’s resourcefulness (finding a shotgun, disabling lights, etc.), show her evolving from frightened to determined.
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Performances

Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (as Jannicke) delivers a solid performance; she carries much of the film’s emotional weight as the de facto protagonist.
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The ensemble cast functions adequately — while not deeply fleshed out, they serve the tension dynamics. Some reviewers note the characters are somewhat thin, which is a common slasher trope.
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Weaknesses / Shortcomings

Predictability & genre tropes: Because Cold Prey leans heavily into slasher conventions, some plot beats are easy to see coming.
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The ScreenSlut
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Gore restraint: For those expecting visceral, explicit horror, Cold Prey is comparatively tame. Some kills are quick or occur off-screen, reducing shock impact.
The ScreenSlut
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Character depth: The backstories of the teens are minimal — we don’t learn much about their lives or motivations beyond superficial interactions. That can weaken audience investment in their fate.
The ScreenSlut
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Cineccentric
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Pacing lulls: Some stretches drag a bit as the film prioritizes mood over forward momentum, which may test patience for more impatient horror fans.
Hysteria Lives!
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3. Themes and Messages

While Cold Prey is fundamentally a horror/slasher film, it does gesture toward a few underlying themes:

Isolation & vulnerability: The extremity of nature is a constant antagonist. The characters are powerless in the face of weather, remoteness, and the brutal architecture of the abandoned lodge.

Past haunting the present: The disappearance from the 1970s and the legacy of trauma tie into the idea that secrets buried in time have a way of resurfacing.

Survival & resourcefulness: The shift from disbelief to survival instinct in characters (especially Jannicke) speaks to human resilience when pushed to extremes.

Because this is not a “holiday” or “festive” movie, there is no direct tie to holiday traditions. But if one stretches the metaphor: the notion of seeking refuge (a familiar holiday trope) turns ironic — refuge becomes trap, and sanctuaries invert into danger.

4. Personal Impressions

Cold Prey impressed me more than I expected. Its strength lies not in reinventing the slasher but in how well it executes within that framework, particularly in a Nordic environment seldom exploited for horror in international cinema. The sense of dread — chilling silence, sudden sounds in the dark corridor, the cold pressing in — is handled skillfully.

I appreciated that the film doesn’t over-rely on gore; the restraint often makes the more violent moments land harder. The reveal of the killer’s identity, and Jannicke’s final confrontation, provide satisfying closure without going overboard.

On the flip side, the relative lack of character backstory sometimes makes it harder to truly root for the victims beyond the immediate peril. I also occasionally felt the pacing would wobble — even horror needs a push now and then, and some scenes linger a bit too long on ambiance.

Overall, though, the film offers a credible, chilly ride for fans of atmospheric horror.

5. Audience Recommendations

If you enjoy:

Slasher / survival horror (à la Friday the 13th, Halloween)

Horror with strong atmosphere over relentless gore

Remote, snowbound settings (the isolation heightens fear)

Lean, efficient horror films (no convoluted side plots)

… then Cold Prey is likely to appeal to you. It’s a strong pick for viewers who like tension, suspense, and occasional jumps or shocks, rather than purely graphic horror.

It might be less rewarding for audiences who demand complex character psychology or heavy thematic depth, or those expecting nonstop thrills.

6. Final Thoughts & Rating

Cold Prey doesn’t break new ground in the horror genre, but it does what it sets out to do, and does so well. It brings the slasher template into the Nordic wilderness with tension, restraint, and a suitably chilling atmosphere. Ingrid Bolsø Berdal’s Jannicke is a credible survivor figure, and the film’s cold, claustrophobic visuals linger in your mind.

If you’re in the mood for a winter-set, isolated horror that favors creeping dread and survival horror over gore spectacle, Cold Prey is a solid pick.

Final Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.0 / 5 stars)