Movie Review: 100 Degrees Below Zero

100 Degrees Below Zero  a.k.a 100° Below Zero a.k.a Frozen apocalypse a.k.a Silent World 2013 

The Asylum, The Institution, Next Station Productions, USA, Hungary, 2013. 

In Iceland huge volcano erupts. Pilot Steve Foster (Jeff Fahey) has married a young wife Lacey (Judit Fekete). They have to land in London but Steve's teen kids Taryn (Sara Malakul Lane, known for Sharktopus) and Ryan (Marc Ewins) are stuck in Paris.

Lacey and Steve

Ryan and Taryn

The eruption causes a chain reaction of other volcano eruptions in Europe. Dr. Goldschein (Iván Kamarás) predicts that the huge ash clouds will block the Sun and cause a new ice age. British Colonel Ralph Dillard (John Rhys-Davies) starts to prepare for evacuation of the key personnel in Europe. 

Dr. Goldschein

Colonel Ralph Dillard

Steve and Lacey try to reach Paris and find Taryn and Ryan. Taryn and Ryan try to survive cold, hail, earthquakes and robbers. And it is a wonder they manage to survive. Except for some action scenes where Taryn shows that she can kick their survival skills are absolutely stunning. If you think about Bear Grylls, they are exactly the opposite. Damn it! There aren't any warm coats in whole Paris! 

There aren't any warm coats in whole Paris!

An example of their orienteering skills:

Ryan: Hey, look we don't not know where we are going!

Taryn: I think we are supposed to stand on the doorway.

This is absolutely hilarious trash.

Kudos still for strong female characters as Taryn is less useless than Ryan. Also Lacey seems to be more concerned about her stepchildren than their father. 

The Asylum has found some pretty Hungarian actresses for the minor roles. 

Ana (Fru Roszil)

Angelique (Zsofi Trecsko)

Don't know if this was meant to be a mockbuster trying to piggyback on the early hype of other ice-age film "Snowpiercer" that was released later in the same year. At least it borrows heavily from "Day After Tomorrow." And hey, the music sounds eerily similar to Doctor Who - 11th Doctor theme (I am the Doctor)! 

The film's pacing and continuity are odd. After the first volcanic eruption the Steve and Lacey are flying and trying to land in England. When the other volcanoes erupt they are still in the air. While Taryn and Ryan wander around Paris trying to find warm clothes, the rest of the Europe has already buried under snow. Dialogue is laughable. The acting is not all terrible as the actors try to do their best in the limits of the terrible script. It has to be said that it never feels dull with dangerous situations popping up every minute.

Hey, I just spotted  a Nato MI-8 helicopter with Russian Star markings!

MI-8 helicopter

John Rhys-Davies hams it up by looking super-concerned every time someone speaks to him. As usually with Syfy or Asylum disaster films the big cities seem to be populated by about ten people. The poster shows a frozen girl, no such scene is in the movie. This is a hilariously bad movie, great fun for The Asylum fans.

Rating: So bad it is good 

Starring: Jeff Fahey, Sara Malakul Lane, Marc Ewins, John Rhys-Davies, Iván Kamarás, Luke Healy, Judit Fekete, Zsófi Trecskó, Fru Roszil, Peter Linka, András Korcsmáros, Tamás Deák, Declan Hannigan, Tamás Lengyel, Zoltan Erdelyi, Csaba Gerner, Lajos Kalmár, Steve Carlson, Gabor F. Gabriel, Maximilian Elfeldt, Andray Johnson, Jordan James Smith, Richard Schenkman, Ross John Gilbert, Jane Doole 

Director: R.D. Braunstein