| Below Zero | |
|---|---|
 Film Poster | |
| Directed by | Justin Thomas Ostensen |
| Written by | Signe Olynyk |
| Produced by | Judy Fox Chad Kowalchuk |
| Starring | Edward Furlong Michael Berryman Kristin Booth |
| Cinematography | Norm Li |
| Edited by | Justin Thomas Ostensen |
| Music by | Jeff Tymoschuk |
| Distributed by | Screen Media |
Release date |
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| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Below Zero is a 2011 Canadian thriller-horror film. It is directed by Justin Thomas Ostensen, and stars Edward Furlong, Michael Berryman and Kristin Booth.
 | This article needs an improved plot summary.(October 2014) |
A screenwriter named Jack (Edward Furlong) is struggling with severe writer's block while attempting to craft the perfect horror screenplay. Desperate for inspiration and facing mounting pressure from deadlines, he makes an unconventional decision to lock himself inside a freezing meat locker, believing that the extreme environment will force his creativity to emerge. His goal is to develop a compelling story about a man trapped in a similar predicament - a meat locker where survival becomes the ultimate challenge.
As Jack sits in the frigid confines of the locker, he begins to visualize and construct his horror narrative. In his imagined story, he envisions a protagonist who becomes the target of a menacing and sadistic butcher named Gunner (Michael Berryman). This fictional butcher is a twisted individual who takes pleasure in hunting and tormenting his victims within the claustrophobic, frozen environment. Jack's screenplay begins to take shape as he develops the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the trapped victim and the relentless predator.
However, as Jack becomes more immersed in his creative process, the boundaries between his imagined horror story and his actual reality begin to blur in disturbing ways. The longer he remains in the meat locker, the more his mental state deteriorates, and his fictional creation starts to manifest in increasingly real and threatening ways. What began as a simple writing exercise transforms into a psychological nightmare when Gunner, the evil butcher from his screenplay, somehow crosses over from fiction into reality, becoming a genuine and deadly threat to Jack's survival.
The film explores themes of creativity, isolation, and the dangerous power of imagination as Jack must confront not only his writer's block but also the very real possibility that his fictional creation may cost him his life. The story becomes a twisted meta-narrative where the line between storyteller and victim becomes fatally blurred.
Writer Signe Olynyk developed writer's block whilst writing the film. In order to overcome it, she locked herself in a meat locker for five days to develop the story. [2]
In February 2010, it was revealed that director Justin Thomas Ostensen would start filming in March 2010 in Canada. Then in March, The Hills Have Eyes actor Michael Berryman was announced to appear in the film as Gunnar. [3] Edward Furlong was also announced in April 2012. [4] In the same month Kristin Booth, Michael Eisner, Sadie Madu and Dee Hannah were also added. [5]
Filming took place in Alberta, Canada.
The film was originally titled Below Zero 3D but in January 2012, it was revealed the 3D had been dropped from the film. [6]
The world premiere was at the Calgary International Film Festival, 18 September 2011. [1]
The film had 31 official selections at film festivals, including: [7]
It was released on home video 28 August 2012. [8]
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Mike Saulters from Slackerwood.com gave a mixed review of the film, saying, "the story becomes a muddled mess that doesn't have a clear destination" and calls Kristin Booth's character "annoying as hell". However, Saulters praises the acting of Edward Furlong and Michael Berryman noting they are the "highlight of the movie". [9] Martin Unsworth of Starburst rated the film with 8 out of 10 stars and wrote that he expected it to be a routine slasher film, but it turned out to be "fresh and surprising". [10]