“Cold Skin” (2017) / Z-View

Cold Skin (2017)

Director:  Xavier Gens

Screenplay:  Jesús Olmo, Eron Sheean (based on the novel by Albert Sánchez Piñol)

Starring:  Ray Stevenson, David Oakes and Aura Garrido.

Tagline: How much horror can the heart endure?

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

In 1914, a young man is dropped off on a small, remote island near the Antarctic Circle.  The island is not on regular shipping lanes and the ship won’t return for a year.  The only other person on the island is the lighthouse keeper, a strange recluse who might be crazy. 

During his first night on the island, the young man’s cabin comes under attack by strange creatures from the sea.  The young man barely gets into the cellar where he survives the night.  The next morning the young man makes his way to the lighthouse.  He’s shocked to see that it has been fortified with spikes and metal window coverings.  The lighthouse keeper explains that the creatures attack nightly and retreat to the ocean with the sunrise.  The young man barters food and ammunition in order to be let in the lighthouse.

Neither the young man nor the lighthouse keeper trust their alliance.  Tensions grow when the young man discovers a female creature is being held captive and abused by the lighthouse keeper.  

I was expecting Cold Skin to be a straight out horror film with a lot of action.  It is, but takes an unexpected turn which gives it more depth.  I continued to think about Cold Skin long after the movie ended.  Cold Skin leaves some unanswered questions, and won’t be for everyone.  I liked that it was more than just mindless monsters and left me with some food for thought.  Cold Skin rates 3 of 5 stars.