Such a range of comments for this forgotten film! What exactly is it's appeal? One commenter denounces it as unmitigatedly dull. Another reviewer gives it a 9 out of 10??
I agree at least in part with almost everything said here. As far as a serious movie is concerned (not serious subject matter, but in terms of a 'serious' production effort) 'Green Ice' certainly isn't much. It is a highly-predictable, run-of-the-mill property. It almost excels at being boring. But is that always a bad thing? Sometimes one wants precisely that. A simple exercise in a known format. Some eye-candy to watch when you come home on a Friday night after an exhausting week. So let's not turn up our noses entirely at this kind of picture. It has its uses.
Now, as far as particulars: Ryan O' Neal is worth watching in almost anything. That's one. He is interesting enough as an actor, to be found entertaining even in a snoozer like this one. Secondly, the film has demure beauty Anne Archer as his co-star. This alone makes it worth a view.
Third, although the acting is hum-drum, it is at least adequate. Let's face it the roles as written don't offer much to any actor. The dialog and the mild chemistry between the two leads, is at least passable. . on the low end of the scale. And that's what we're talking about here. Low end. A movie can be bereft of many redeeming qualities but as long as it doesn't really do anything that is blatantly wrong, can it be all bad?
Fourth: amazing scenery. South America. Nuf said.
Fifth, some intriguing stunts with hang-gliders.
Sixth: Bill Wyman's unusual, upbeat soundtrack. At first, it seems ludicrous and inept. But you'd be surprised how it it sticks with you. In retrospect, it works.
Seventh, (and not least of which) there is one quite chilling scene in the very beginning of the movie: the killing of six Anglos in the forest which includes the rape of a young American tourist (in the film, she is Archer's sister). This scene has the appropriate edge to it.
So there you have it. Yes, its stilted and awkward and trite and forgettable, by the standards of normal film-viewing. We acknowledge that. This is a mediocre film. But it is not sub-par for what it set out to do.
So, judge it by the standards of something like, say . . "Capricorn One", "Avalanche Express", "Cassandra Crossing" and others of the same stripe. Looking at it that way, it's really not all that bad. you just have to like slumming.
I agree at least in part with almost everything said here. As far as a serious movie is concerned (not serious subject matter, but in terms of a 'serious' production effort) 'Green Ice' certainly isn't much. It is a highly-predictable, run-of-the-mill property. It almost excels at being boring. But is that always a bad thing? Sometimes one wants precisely that. A simple exercise in a known format. Some eye-candy to watch when you come home on a Friday night after an exhausting week. So let's not turn up our noses entirely at this kind of picture. It has its uses.
Now, as far as particulars: Ryan O' Neal is worth watching in almost anything. That's one. He is interesting enough as an actor, to be found entertaining even in a snoozer like this one. Secondly, the film has demure beauty Anne Archer as his co-star. This alone makes it worth a view.
Third, although the acting is hum-drum, it is at least adequate. Let's face it the roles as written don't offer much to any actor. The dialog and the mild chemistry between the two leads, is at least passable. . on the low end of the scale. And that's what we're talking about here. Low end. A movie can be bereft of many redeeming qualities but as long as it doesn't really do anything that is blatantly wrong, can it be all bad?
Fourth: amazing scenery. South America. Nuf said.
Fifth, some intriguing stunts with hang-gliders.
Sixth: Bill Wyman's unusual, upbeat soundtrack. At first, it seems ludicrous and inept. But you'd be surprised how it it sticks with you. In retrospect, it works.
Seventh, (and not least of which) there is one quite chilling scene in the very beginning of the movie: the killing of six Anglos in the forest which includes the rape of a young American tourist (in the film, she is Archer's sister). This scene has the appropriate edge to it.
So there you have it. Yes, its stilted and awkward and trite and forgettable, by the standards of normal film-viewing. We acknowledge that. This is a mediocre film. But it is not sub-par for what it set out to do.
So, judge it by the standards of something like, say . . "Capricorn One", "Avalanche Express", "Cassandra Crossing" and others of the same stripe. Looking at it that way, it's really not all that bad. you just have to like slumming.