Alrighty...I've read on here lots of bad reviews about this film...and very few (rare) good reviews. Mine...is neutral. While I have to agree on how just overall "bad" this film was...I can't say that I DIDN'T enjoy it. It's really hard to diss a film that doesn't take itself seriously. I don't think Michael Cooney set out to make a brilliant, blockbuster slasher that stars A+ actors and has the best gore effects (or snowman effects) ever...although I can't say they were bad either. Jack Frost is just a brainless, fun film that doesn't require much from the viewer. It offers inventive ways of killing someone, as well as comedic one liners (mainly from Jack Frost). If you're looking for a harmless, think-free film with cool death scenes then this is a good film to watch. If you're looking for the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre then you're dreamin big dreams with this one. *wink* 5/10
218 Reviews
Michael Keaton - Eat your heart out!
Gislef30 December 1998
Some folks don't get it. This is _supposed_ to be a parody, albeit one made on a low budget. The producers don't take themselves too seriously, and the end result is something a lot funnier than the over-blown Michael Keaton '98 version. Every aspect of a killer snowman is explored as the antagonist shoots icicles, decapitates a kid with a sled, has sex with a woman using his carrot nose, kills a victim by turning her into a Xmas tree, and displaying the same indestructible aspects as a Terminator. Other amusing moments to watch for are: the opening narration (done by a Malcolm McDowell wanna-be), the horny teenagers breaking _into_ the sheriff's house to have sex (??) and the cast's refusal to speak any obscenity: lots of "Hecks" and "Darns" are inserted at the most inappropriate times. This is a great movie to kill 1-1/2 hours with if you can pick up the tape at bargain rates or catch it on cable.
Fun in a stupid sort of way.
poolandrews6 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Jack Frost is set during Christmas & starts on any icy road near the town of Snowmonton where convicted serial killer Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald) is being transported from to be executed, unfortunately the prison van crashes into another van carrying some sort of genetically engineered experimental chemicals & is gets splashed all over Frost who melts into a bloody goo. However that's not the end of the story as the chemicals fuse Frost's DNA to the snow & he is revived as a Snowman, a foul-mouthed,wise-cracking murdering Snowman at that who sets out to find & kill Sheriff Sam Tiler (Christopher Allport) the man responsible for arresting him while he was still human. Leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake no-one in Snowmonton is safe from Jack Frost the killer mutant Snowman...
Written & directed by Michael Cooney this rather silly excuse for a horror comedy isn't half bad & is so gloriously silly & outlandish that it's hard not to like it, sure Jack Frost isn't any sort of masterpiece but I found it passed 90 minutes entertainingly enough. The films silly concept tries to be both scary & funny & in some ways it works on both counts, there are some decent horror & likewise there are one or two amusing gags here although it doesn't always work on all fronts. The story is fairly pacey which leaves the audience little time to pick holes in the story so that's all good & at the end of the day Jack Frost is not really meant to be anything more than a fun horror comedy & in that regard it's a moderate success. The film is basically a teen slasher as it features some novelty killer who spouts one-liners (I particularly liked the one about 'forstbite' when he bit someone...) although the idea that the killer a traditional looking Snowman is probably a first. The character's are played for laughs as is the dialogue & there's one or two nice moments of imagination like the scene where Jack Frost rapes a girl with the carrot that he uses as a nose or how Frost can fire icicles as spears & the eventual outcome where it's discovered the way to kill Frost is to use anti-freeze. As I said Jack Frost isn't the best film ever or even the best slasher film ever but it's watchable & does work quite well overall despite a silly plot that initially sounds less than promising.
Jack Frost does suffer because of it's low budget, the Snowman effects are crude & look very cheap for instance. There's a bit of gore, a guy has spear like icicles thrown at him, there's a decapitation, a strangulation & someone melts at the start but not much else. Now, looking at all the various DVD/video covers the Jack Frost as seen on those is different to the actual Jack Frost featured in the film, the one seen in the film looks just like a traditional Snowman with stones for eyes (none of those glowing green things), has no tongue & a carrot for a nose (not that skull like indentation shape seen on the artwork) so don't expect to see that in the film. Played largely for laughs the film isn't scary & definitely doesn't take itself seriously.
Filmed at Big Bear Lake & Los Angeles in California the production values are alright but the effects often look cheap & it's clear that the makers couldn't do everything they wanted to as some scenes are quite choppy with Jack 'appearing' out of nowhere. The acting is OK from no-one I have ever heard of expect ex-model Shannon Elizabeth who gets raped by Frost in a scene that is hard to describe but not graphic at all, however how she kept a straight face filming that scene is beyond me.
Jack Frost is a horror comedy that works pretty well on both counts & I don't reckon is half bad, worth a watch if your in the mood for something light. Not to be confused with the big budget Hollywood family flick Jack Frost (1998) with Michael Keaton as both films are on opposite ends of the cinematic spectrum & was followed by the direct to video sequel Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000).
Written & directed by Michael Cooney this rather silly excuse for a horror comedy isn't half bad & is so gloriously silly & outlandish that it's hard not to like it, sure Jack Frost isn't any sort of masterpiece but I found it passed 90 minutes entertainingly enough. The films silly concept tries to be both scary & funny & in some ways it works on both counts, there are some decent horror & likewise there are one or two amusing gags here although it doesn't always work on all fronts. The story is fairly pacey which leaves the audience little time to pick holes in the story so that's all good & at the end of the day Jack Frost is not really meant to be anything more than a fun horror comedy & in that regard it's a moderate success. The film is basically a teen slasher as it features some novelty killer who spouts one-liners (I particularly liked the one about 'forstbite' when he bit someone...) although the idea that the killer a traditional looking Snowman is probably a first. The character's are played for laughs as is the dialogue & there's one or two nice moments of imagination like the scene where Jack Frost rapes a girl with the carrot that he uses as a nose or how Frost can fire icicles as spears & the eventual outcome where it's discovered the way to kill Frost is to use anti-freeze. As I said Jack Frost isn't the best film ever or even the best slasher film ever but it's watchable & does work quite well overall despite a silly plot that initially sounds less than promising.
Jack Frost does suffer because of it's low budget, the Snowman effects are crude & look very cheap for instance. There's a bit of gore, a guy has spear like icicles thrown at him, there's a decapitation, a strangulation & someone melts at the start but not much else. Now, looking at all the various DVD/video covers the Jack Frost as seen on those is different to the actual Jack Frost featured in the film, the one seen in the film looks just like a traditional Snowman with stones for eyes (none of those glowing green things), has no tongue & a carrot for a nose (not that skull like indentation shape seen on the artwork) so don't expect to see that in the film. Played largely for laughs the film isn't scary & definitely doesn't take itself seriously.
Filmed at Big Bear Lake & Los Angeles in California the production values are alright but the effects often look cheap & it's clear that the makers couldn't do everything they wanted to as some scenes are quite choppy with Jack 'appearing' out of nowhere. The acting is OK from no-one I have ever heard of expect ex-model Shannon Elizabeth who gets raped by Frost in a scene that is hard to describe but not graphic at all, however how she kept a straight face filming that scene is beyond me.
Jack Frost is a horror comedy that works pretty well on both counts & I don't reckon is half bad, worth a watch if your in the mood for something light. Not to be confused with the big budget Hollywood family flick Jack Frost (1998) with Michael Keaton as both films are on opposite ends of the cinematic spectrum & was followed by the direct to video sequel Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000).
"Gosh. I only axed you for a smoke!"
4-Kane31 December 2002
Don't confuse this flick with the 1998 Michael Keaton film of the same name. This particular Jack Frost movie IS NOT for children, but it sure is hilarious.
One of my favorite scenes is where Jack Frost requests a smoke from a guy, then kills the guy with an axe, and says: "Gosh. I only axed you for a smoke." That line never fails to crack me up.
If you're looking for a good B-movie to watch, this is a good choice. But remember, to use Jack Frost's own words, it ain't f**king Frosty!
One of my favorite scenes is where Jack Frost requests a smoke from a guy, then kills the guy with an axe, and says: "Gosh. I only axed you for a smoke." That line never fails to crack me up.
If you're looking for a good B-movie to watch, this is a good choice. But remember, to use Jack Frost's own words, it ain't f**king Frosty!
Very B-Grade But Entertaining
woddypod30 December 2000
Well what can I say, there are B-Grade Movies and there are B-Grade Movies and this definitely falls into the latter. However since it's obvious that even the makers of the film know that it's not a credible movie (take a look at the closing credits) it can be forgiven.
The plot is basically a convicted psycho killer is killed. He accidentally has his genetic material mixed up with some experimental acid that get combined and then lost in the snow. The killer now takes on the form of a snowman - if you can believe that. The snowman, Jack Frost, is after the country town Sherif who put him behind bars. In doing so, Jack Frost ends up killing half the town.
This movie lacks any real scares and the effects alone remind me of the B-Grade movies of the 50's. This alone makes it worth watching for a laugh. A movie to pass the time away.
The plot is basically a convicted psycho killer is killed. He accidentally has his genetic material mixed up with some experimental acid that get combined and then lost in the snow. The killer now takes on the form of a snowman - if you can believe that. The snowman, Jack Frost, is after the country town Sherif who put him behind bars. In doing so, Jack Frost ends up killing half the town.
This movie lacks any real scares and the effects alone remind me of the B-Grade movies of the 50's. This alone makes it worth watching for a laugh. A movie to pass the time away.
The Cinemasochistic Christmas Horror Classic!!!
meddlecore25 December 2016
This cinemasochistic Christmas horror classic is a weird blend of what is, at times, competent- even good- filmmaking; mixed with bad decision-making and some of the worst moments of acting fails you will ever expect to make it to the screen.
It tells the story of a serial killer, who gets turned into a Killer Snowman, after being exposed to an experimental chemical in a car crash- while being transported to his execution.
Now, this crude, cigar smoking, snowman sadist is on the lamb...and out to kill. And he has acquired the ability to melt and re-animate himself at will.
The Sheriff who originally busted Jack, before his transformative experience, is the only one who suspects that Jack is somehow responsible for the recent spate of murders that have been plaguing their town.
But the FBI intervenes, and seems to be covering something up...for someone. That someone being a chemical company who has designed an experimental substance that has the potential to harbour and transmigrate the soul- like what happened to Jack, when he was exposed during the crash.
Will they be able to figure out how to stop- and destroy- Jack, before he snow-rapes and kills everyone in town? I guess you'll have to watch for yourself and find out...if you want to subject yourself to that...
As was previously mentioned, both the acting and special effects are hit and miss, in this one. At times they are kind of great, but mostly they are just bad. Really bad.
It is, however, worth a watch for all the cheesy-as-hell one liners that it contains. Well, that, and the patently ridiculous storyline...which is definitely good for some laughs.
4.5 out of 10
It tells the story of a serial killer, who gets turned into a Killer Snowman, after being exposed to an experimental chemical in a car crash- while being transported to his execution.
Now, this crude, cigar smoking, snowman sadist is on the lamb...and out to kill. And he has acquired the ability to melt and re-animate himself at will.
The Sheriff who originally busted Jack, before his transformative experience, is the only one who suspects that Jack is somehow responsible for the recent spate of murders that have been plaguing their town.
But the FBI intervenes, and seems to be covering something up...for someone. That someone being a chemical company who has designed an experimental substance that has the potential to harbour and transmigrate the soul- like what happened to Jack, when he was exposed during the crash.
Will they be able to figure out how to stop- and destroy- Jack, before he snow-rapes and kills everyone in town? I guess you'll have to watch for yourself and find out...if you want to subject yourself to that...
As was previously mentioned, both the acting and special effects are hit and miss, in this one. At times they are kind of great, but mostly they are just bad. Really bad.
It is, however, worth a watch for all the cheesy-as-hell one liners that it contains. Well, that, and the patently ridiculous storyline...which is definitely good for some laughs.
4.5 out of 10
So bad it's good? Er, not really...
Leofwine_draca26 October 2015
JACK FROST is a so-bad-it's-bad straight-to-video comedy horror flick about a killer snowman. You really don't need to know any more about it than that, because this is very much a straightforward Z-grade B-movie with lots of goofy humour and even goofier deaths. You need to be in the mood for some serious cheese in order to be able to sit through this.
I won't bother going into the machinations of the convoluted plotting, only to say that the story involves the spirit of a dead serial killer that ends up inhabiting an inanimate object, similar to the story lines of THE GINGERDEAD MAN or CHILD's PLAY. What JACK FROST amounts to is a bunch of ludicrous gory deaths committed at the hands of a cheesy giant snowman complete with Freddy Krueger-style wisecracks and lots of overacting on the part of the victims.
The production values are rock bottom, but I'm used to that; it's the dumb, lowbrow nature of the script which is so repellent. If they'd at least tried to make this witty and/or engaging then it might have had cult success; as it stands, it's a real chore to sit through. Watch out for a youthful Shannon Elizabeth (AMERICAN PIE) in one of her first screen appearances.
I won't bother going into the machinations of the convoluted plotting, only to say that the story involves the spirit of a dead serial killer that ends up inhabiting an inanimate object, similar to the story lines of THE GINGERDEAD MAN or CHILD's PLAY. What JACK FROST amounts to is a bunch of ludicrous gory deaths committed at the hands of a cheesy giant snowman complete with Freddy Krueger-style wisecracks and lots of overacting on the part of the victims.
The production values are rock bottom, but I'm used to that; it's the dumb, lowbrow nature of the script which is so repellent. If they'd at least tried to make this witty and/or engaging then it might have had cult success; as it stands, it's a real chore to sit through. Watch out for a youthful Shannon Elizabeth (AMERICAN PIE) in one of her first screen appearances.
More enjoyable than many current "A-movies"....
innocuous24 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Note that I did not say that it is better...just more enjoyable. The lack of social commentary and realism helps keep things moving.
I was actually sort of surprised that this was not a Troma movie, as it has all the Troma trademarks, including spewing acidic liquids, wisecracks from the villain after every murder, a ridiculous bathtub rape scene (which is sort of hard to get upset about, since the rapist is a snowman), and dumb deputies.
There's a lot to love:
1. A snowman, about whom it is remarked that he has no legs or feet, drives a police cruiser around town.
2. Even though it is supposed to be close to (or below) freezing, nobody's breath shows and there are no signs of car exhaust when cars are running.
3. The snow reminds you more of flocking or Styrofoam peanuts than actual snow.
4. A teenage girl gets the hots for her boyfriend just a few hours after her brother is gruesomely murdered. She talks him into breaking into the sheriff's house, of all places, in order to get it on. But first, she tells him that he has to build a nice fire in the fireplace and open some wine.
5. After teen-aged Jake's head is cut off by a sled runner, his father argues with the sheriff about whether Tommy, the sheriff's son, had anything to do with it. The sheriff maintains that Tommy wouldn't have been fighting with Jake because Jake "is at least two feet taller than Tommy." At that moment, someone in the background chimes in, "Not anymore!"
6. When the evil snowman finally starts to melt away, the sheriff wrestles with a flat snowman made out of some sort of fabric for an extended period. This is much better than Tarzan wrestling with rubber crocodiles or gladiators wrestling with stuffed lions. If I were an actor, I would not have been able to keep a straight face at this point.
All in all, a fun film. There's not really even that much blood.
I was actually sort of surprised that this was not a Troma movie, as it has all the Troma trademarks, including spewing acidic liquids, wisecracks from the villain after every murder, a ridiculous bathtub rape scene (which is sort of hard to get upset about, since the rapist is a snowman), and dumb deputies.
There's a lot to love:
1. A snowman, about whom it is remarked that he has no legs or feet, drives a police cruiser around town.
2. Even though it is supposed to be close to (or below) freezing, nobody's breath shows and there are no signs of car exhaust when cars are running.
3. The snow reminds you more of flocking or Styrofoam peanuts than actual snow.
4. A teenage girl gets the hots for her boyfriend just a few hours after her brother is gruesomely murdered. She talks him into breaking into the sheriff's house, of all places, in order to get it on. But first, she tells him that he has to build a nice fire in the fireplace and open some wine.
5. After teen-aged Jake's head is cut off by a sled runner, his father argues with the sheriff about whether Tommy, the sheriff's son, had anything to do with it. The sheriff maintains that Tommy wouldn't have been fighting with Jake because Jake "is at least two feet taller than Tommy." At that moment, someone in the background chimes in, "Not anymore!"
6. When the evil snowman finally starts to melt away, the sheriff wrestles with a flat snowman made out of some sort of fabric for an extended period. This is much better than Tarzan wrestling with rubber crocodiles or gladiators wrestling with stuffed lions. If I were an actor, I would not have been able to keep a straight face at this point.
All in all, a fun film. There's not really even that much blood.
Intensely stupid yet funny
Sandcooler12 February 2013
Not to be mixed up with the family film of the same name (though that would be friggin' hilarious), this earlier "Jack Frost" is actually a goofy offbeat B-movie parody. Everything is present to give you a fantastic evening filled with pointing and laughing. The plot is insanely moronic, so moronic that it needs a buttload of deus ex machina just to get on the rails. The acting is also terrible, and I'm not sure whether the actors are doing it on purpose on not. Scott Macdonald's over-acting is clearly intentional, but all the other actors probably can't do any better than this. You know you're doing something wrong when Shannon Elizabeth (who, granted, looks totally hot in this one) is among your best performers. The greatest source of entertainment are the one-liners though. Many filmmakers believe in the age-old "quality over quantity"-idea, but Michael Cooney wants none of that and just has Jack Frost firing wisecracks with every chance he gets. Some of these are funny ("I only axed you for a cigarette!"), some fall flat (pretty much all the other ones), but it gives the Jack Frost character sort of a Freddie Krueger-like quality that is really fitting here. "Jack Frost" is an awful movie, but somehow I just can't grade it accordingly.
Creative Frost
Semih3 July 2000
Surprisingly good. The acting was fun, the screenplay was fun, the music was cheesie fun, the plot was stupendously fun. This was a fun movie to watch and to give your brain some rest. Parts of the plot and quotes I found to be very creative. 7 out of 10. Actually for what it was, it would deserve a 10 out of 10. You are not supposed to compare this to an arthouse film or to a bloody slasher film.
"Bah humbug."
bensonmum228 October 2019
Riding in the back of a prison transport, the van carrying prisoner Jack Frost is involved in an accident on a snowy road. During the accident, Jack is thrown from the vehicle, doused with experimental genetic material, and disintegrates into the snow. But as the residents of Snowmonton come to learn, Jack's not dead. His DNA has somehow bonded with the genetic material and the snow. Jack's back and looking for revenge as a killer snowman.
I'm determined to keep this short, because I think I could write a book on the many problems I have with Jack Frost. I have a friend whose opinion on movies I generally trust. He loves Jack Frost. Well, different strokes and all that, but I found Jack Frost to be one of the most infuriatingly bad movies I've ever seen. It's not funny (at no time did I as much as smile), it's not creepy, and it's not interesting in any way at all. Instead, it's full of lame one-liners spit out by the most ridiculous looking snowman imaginable. I guess that one of my biggest issues is that it tries too hard to be a "so bad it's good" movie. It's "cheesiness" doesn't feel organic. Instead, it feels forced. The "best" bad movies are those that are bad without trying. There's charm to the ineptitude. Instead, Jack Frost is just an annoying dumpster fire of a movie.
2/10
I'm determined to keep this short, because I think I could write a book on the many problems I have with Jack Frost. I have a friend whose opinion on movies I generally trust. He loves Jack Frost. Well, different strokes and all that, but I found Jack Frost to be one of the most infuriatingly bad movies I've ever seen. It's not funny (at no time did I as much as smile), it's not creepy, and it's not interesting in any way at all. Instead, it's full of lame one-liners spit out by the most ridiculous looking snowman imaginable. I guess that one of my biggest issues is that it tries too hard to be a "so bad it's good" movie. It's "cheesiness" doesn't feel organic. Instead, it feels forced. The "best" bad movies are those that are bad without trying. There's charm to the ineptitude. Instead, Jack Frost is just an annoying dumpster fire of a movie.
2/10
It's SUPPOSED to be bad!
Wizard-88 December 1998
I'm glad that users (as of this date) who liked this movie are now coming forward. I don't understand the people who didn't like this movie - it seems like they were expecting a serious (?!?!?) treatment! C'mon, how the hell can you take the premise of a killer snowman seriously? The filmmakers knew this was a silly premise, and they didn't try to deny it. The straight-faced delivery of scenes actually makes it FUNNY! Yes, there are times where the low budget shows (such as that explosion scene), but I think an expensive look would have taken away from the fun of the movie! So if you like B-movies, and the goofy premise appeals to you, then you'll certainly like "Jack Frost".
Killer Snowman + Killian = Happy
DownWithCapitalism19 June 2005
Easily the greatest low budget horror film of all time. I first saw this movie when I was around nine years of age, and I have to say that it scared the hell out of me. Now that I'm all growed up, however, I see this movie for what it really is... a work of genius. Everyone, or at least everyone with any taste, has dreamed of seeing a snowman going around killing people, even if they won't admit it. I have always found something genuinely frightening about snowmen, so naturally, for a horror junkie such as myself, thismovie was a dream come true. Some people say that this movie is silly, or otherwise void of any intelligence... it's a movie about a serial killer snowman, what the hell did you expect? Anyone who gave this film a low score is obviously too uptight to sit back and have a good laugh at stupid one-liners and cheap gore. I love this movie for what it is, a comedy, and until the movie industry wises up and makes a serious horror flick about a killer snowman (which seems impossible, unfortunately) I will forever hold this great piece of indie horror close to my heart.
The budget was $3.64
Fustercluck25 June 2023
A static styrofoam snowman with no facial expressions murders a couple of villagers off-camera. It's pathetic.
The whole movie is so cheaply produced that even the one action scene is completely devoid of action. Awkward car rides with lots of wobbling and a bumbling snow drift replacement aren't even unintentionally funny.
In the entire film, one box of Christmas ornaments gets broken. The rest is ketchup and pudding, and the illusion is complete. There are no CGI effects. For example, Jack Frost's transformation from a plastic monster to a puddle of pee and back is never shown, but is masked with quite clever fades to an astonished face. What a cheek.
The whole movie is so cheaply produced that even the one action scene is completely devoid of action. Awkward car rides with lots of wobbling and a bumbling snow drift replacement aren't even unintentionally funny.
In the entire film, one box of Christmas ornaments gets broken. The rest is ketchup and pudding, and the illusion is complete. There are no CGI effects. For example, Jack Frost's transformation from a plastic monster to a puddle of pee and back is never shown, but is masked with quite clever fades to an astonished face. What a cheek.
Almost laughable 'Frost'
Michael_Pilkington3 May 1999
"Jack Frost" is a phony horror flick with nothing to offer, except the accidental discovery of doing away with the evil snowman. That's about the only funny part in the movie, otherwise, it's just a plain sleeping pill of a horror movie. This trash had put me to sleep and every time I wake up, this sh-- is still on. My evaluation: (no stars).
Jack Frost (1997)
fntstcplnt13 December 2019
Directed by Michael Cooney. Starring Christopher Allport, Stephen Mendel, Scott MacDonald, Eileen Seeley, Rob LaBelle, F. William Parker, Shannon Elizabeth, Marsha Clark, Jack Lindine. (R)
Remember when a serial killer magically transported his soul into a doll in "Child's Play"? Well, this is sort of like that, except it involves an experimental chemical fusing human DNA to snow. That's right, it's a slasher movie about a killer snowman; one whose puns are deadlier than anything he uses to kill his victims with (icicles, axes, carrots...but if seeing someone get killed by a carrot is on the ol' bucket list, rent "Shoot 'Em Up" instead). If the campy mood strikes, there are laughs to be had, but it's still a wretched excuse for a film. Not to be confused with the 1998 movie, "Jack Frost," with Michael Keaton returning from the dead as a snowman, but the only people stupid enough to make that mistake probably wrote or produced this movie (or, for that matter, the other "Jack Frost"). Feature debut for Shannon Elizabeth, and although she appears in the most memorable scene in the movie, it's doubtful she has it on her highlight reel. And, yes, there is a sequel.
19/100
Remember when a serial killer magically transported his soul into a doll in "Child's Play"? Well, this is sort of like that, except it involves an experimental chemical fusing human DNA to snow. That's right, it's a slasher movie about a killer snowman; one whose puns are deadlier than anything he uses to kill his victims with (icicles, axes, carrots...but if seeing someone get killed by a carrot is on the ol' bucket list, rent "Shoot 'Em Up" instead). If the campy mood strikes, there are laughs to be had, but it's still a wretched excuse for a film. Not to be confused with the 1998 movie, "Jack Frost," with Michael Keaton returning from the dead as a snowman, but the only people stupid enough to make that mistake probably wrote or produced this movie (or, for that matter, the other "Jack Frost"). Feature debut for Shannon Elizabeth, and although she appears in the most memorable scene in the movie, it's doubtful she has it on her highlight reel. And, yes, there is a sequel.
19/100
Some wit but still mediocre trash
breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com2 January 2014
Ever since slasher flicks became popular with the release of films like John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), many films have been produced that have been influenced from ones of the past. But then there came another wave of slasher films that occurred during the holiday season. The one's that viewers thought that no one would ever desecrate. This movie is apart of that family and it was released at a peculiar time as well. The title is the exact same as the Michael Keaton family holiday film a year later. However, this is the exact opposite of a family film.
This horror slasher film is about a serial killer named Jack Frost who is caught by a town sheriff and sent off to death row where his transport crashes into a chemical truck. The chemicals are then absorbed by Frost and his surroundings (the snow) and become a mutant killer snowman, ergo his moniker. Is this the least bit scary? If you don't like evil looking snowmen I guess. Its genre is in horror but there truly isn't anything to be terrified of. Unfortunately, the film suffers from an over the top villain and too much campiness. I feel like director/writer Michael Cooney had intended this but think about it, who could take a killer snowman seriously? And Cooney has made better works, Identity (2003) is his best.
However, this isn't to say that the villain isn't good. The actor who is originally on screen and then voices his evil counterpart, Scott MacDonald, is enjoyable as the antagonist. MacDonald's voice is dark, gruff and can sound very sinister and it makes that much more enjoyable when it comes out of an evil snowman. Sad to say, this is the only redeeming character of the cast. Christopher Allport as the troubled sheriff takes second place, but after him is hard to tell. The rest of the characters are so flat in dimension that it will be difficult for the viewers to feel anything for them.
The violence and gore would also be more appreciated if it wasn't so quickly edited. That's not to say it was bad, and I understand the budget was low, but some of the kills were off screen and only the aftermath was shown which will disappoint the gore hounds. Also, the continuity isn't great - sometimes even the sounds are not properly aligned with the movements of the characters. For shame. The music on the other hand was good. Chris Anderson and Carl Schurtz produced a well-rounded creepy Christmas score that at least helped make this horror slasher film feel a bit better than its other average production elements. It's an OK film, just don't expect any bit of brilliance.
The slasher version of Michael Keaton's family friendly film is fun trash thanks to the actor playing the villain, some good violence and appropriate music. Everything else however could have been improved upon greatly.
This horror slasher film is about a serial killer named Jack Frost who is caught by a town sheriff and sent off to death row where his transport crashes into a chemical truck. The chemicals are then absorbed by Frost and his surroundings (the snow) and become a mutant killer snowman, ergo his moniker. Is this the least bit scary? If you don't like evil looking snowmen I guess. Its genre is in horror but there truly isn't anything to be terrified of. Unfortunately, the film suffers from an over the top villain and too much campiness. I feel like director/writer Michael Cooney had intended this but think about it, who could take a killer snowman seriously? And Cooney has made better works, Identity (2003) is his best.
However, this isn't to say that the villain isn't good. The actor who is originally on screen and then voices his evil counterpart, Scott MacDonald, is enjoyable as the antagonist. MacDonald's voice is dark, gruff and can sound very sinister and it makes that much more enjoyable when it comes out of an evil snowman. Sad to say, this is the only redeeming character of the cast. Christopher Allport as the troubled sheriff takes second place, but after him is hard to tell. The rest of the characters are so flat in dimension that it will be difficult for the viewers to feel anything for them.
The violence and gore would also be more appreciated if it wasn't so quickly edited. That's not to say it was bad, and I understand the budget was low, but some of the kills were off screen and only the aftermath was shown which will disappoint the gore hounds. Also, the continuity isn't great - sometimes even the sounds are not properly aligned with the movements of the characters. For shame. The music on the other hand was good. Chris Anderson and Carl Schurtz produced a well-rounded creepy Christmas score that at least helped make this horror slasher film feel a bit better than its other average production elements. It's an OK film, just don't expect any bit of brilliance.
The slasher version of Michael Keaton's family friendly film is fun trash thanks to the actor playing the villain, some good violence and appropriate music. Everything else however could have been improved upon greatly.
Maybe I Really Hate Myself?
MonolithicJudge9 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Why? You wonder would the MonolithicJudge hate himself; maybe its because I keep forcing myself to watch these movies, possibly worse may be the fact that I am spending money on them (For future reference I purchase, not rent these films). Now to be honest this isn't the worst film I have ever seen, there are the Jigsaw's and Camp Fear's still running around out there, but geese there can't be any other more cheesily written then this thing. Let me sum up the film for you:) Starts out serial killer being transported for execution (Oddly enough the killer is named Jack Frost, pre snowman mutation) when suddenly the prison transport runs into a truck carrying a container full of deadly chemicals. The two crash and Jack gets free only to hang around and make some dumb comments, like when he says "This is going to hurt!" Right before the chemicals the truck was carrying explodes and then proceeds to melt Jack's flesh. Now such a thing has never happened to me, but if I was about to take a bath in acid I would prefer to have some more suitable last words rather than a foolish quip. Anyway Jack melts into the snow and then his DNA gets mixed up with the ice and he somehow becomes a talking snowman. Why a snowman I have no idea, maybe because his name was Jack Frost if nothing else. Continuing on Jack goes back to the town where he was captured by the bumbling sheriff and starts reeking havoc. First he knocks this kid down who happens to be in the path of a sled going a half mile an hour, soon the sled hits the kid's head and rips the thing off! Unbelievable, I didn't know sleds were such dangerous weapons. Pretty standard fair after that, Jack kills a lady by bashing her head in a box of ornaments and murders an old man by shoving an axe handle down his throat; another gets some icicles projectiles shot from Jack's flesh into his head and of course the best death of all is when the sexy young Shannon Elizabeth, (Yes that one) gets raped by a carrot in the bathtub. If you ever wondered about Ms. Elizabeth's acting prowess this scene will end any doubt, I mean how is it possible that she somehow managed a take when her arms jammed in this foam, incredibly fake looking snowman, while butt naked being rammed against the wall about ten times without breaking up into hysterics; how could the director have possibly motivated her for this scene? "All right Shannon, Jack is going to be in liquid form in the tub, the one you are soaking in, then he is going to solidify and rape you with his carrot wiener. Any questions?" "Uh yeah I got a question, can we fast forward a few years to when American Pie is made and erase my memory somehow? Please!" Is what she was surely thinking. Beyond those things there isn't much more to this film, Jack kills some more and cracks some stupid one liners that would make Arnold blush, in the end his undoing is some brown oatmeal which gets slapped against his face. Alright the oatmeal doesn't kill him but the secret ingredient inside does, Antifreeze! Yes the sheriff's son tries to murder his dad by putting that sweet, sweet engine coolant in the oatmeal; funny if you think about it because when the kid is making the oatmeal in the beginning the mother is standing right besides him, maybe the sheriff has more than one enemy in the town of Snowmonton; of course the town had to be named that. Admittedly this review doesn't do justice to how bad this film is and in fact will probably make more people want to see it (I.E men and Shannon Elizabeth fans), but please heed the Judge's plea, don't waste your time with this film, it would be more fun to jam an icicle through your eye.
Camp Classic That Might Have Had A Better Reputation If Released in the 1980s
Theo Robertson16 September 2013
An average rating of 4.4 on the IMDb usually means that you're going to be watching slightly less than mediocre fare , especially if it's a horror movie that went straight to video but this is entertainment of the lowest order . It might be a good film but it's like classic clip from Fox News where Sean Hannity criticises Christopher Hitchens for being " incredibly mean and incredibly thoughtless " and that's a good enough reason to love both Christopher Hitchens and JACK FROST
Any film that has a serial killer being regenerated as a snowman deserves some credit for that bonkers premise alone and the film does make the best of this premise and what makes it even more outstanding is that it is incredibly mean spirited . Take a scene where a teenage bully gets his head bitten of and the parents of the deceased bully and his victim get in to an argument and the victims father states that " Your son is a couple of feet higher than mine " only for an onlooker to blurt out " Not any more he ain't " . Who needs William Goldman when you've got killer one lines like that ?
This scathing dialog - much of it spouted by the eponymous monster - reminded me of the wise cracking villains we had in 1980s horror films like Freddy Kruger or Channard Cenobite from HELLRAISER 2 . Indeed I constantly found myself having to the check the IMDb hadn't done a major error in giving the year of its release as 1997 because the whole look and feel of the movie screamed 1980s to me . A lot of this might have been down to the slightly murky and grainy cinematography but even so the whole fabric screams that it's a film from ten years earlier something of a golden age for the horror genre . In fact if it had come out ten years earlier then this would have been a film held in much higher regard which it does deserve . Highly enjoyable low grade entertainment that did raise a few chuckles
Any film that has a serial killer being regenerated as a snowman deserves some credit for that bonkers premise alone and the film does make the best of this premise and what makes it even more outstanding is that it is incredibly mean spirited . Take a scene where a teenage bully gets his head bitten of and the parents of the deceased bully and his victim get in to an argument and the victims father states that " Your son is a couple of feet higher than mine " only for an onlooker to blurt out " Not any more he ain't " . Who needs William Goldman when you've got killer one lines like that ?
This scathing dialog - much of it spouted by the eponymous monster - reminded me of the wise cracking villains we had in 1980s horror films like Freddy Kruger or Channard Cenobite from HELLRAISER 2 . Indeed I constantly found myself having to the check the IMDb hadn't done a major error in giving the year of its release as 1997 because the whole look and feel of the movie screamed 1980s to me . A lot of this might have been down to the slightly murky and grainy cinematography but even so the whole fabric screams that it's a film from ten years earlier something of a golden age for the horror genre . In fact if it had come out ten years earlier then this would have been a film held in much higher regard which it does deserve . Highly enjoyable low grade entertainment that did raise a few chuckles
What did I just watch?
madman-638629 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I mean seriously I have seen some bad movies before but come on.... "Llamageddon" had better production value. They didn't seem to care about anything production related. The scar on the face of the serial killer was blatantly coming off in a scene where he's directly yelling into the camera and no one caught that. The word "cemetery" is misspelled on a map that they show, twice. Forget the campy camera angles, story, over the top props and sets it was all just one big crap fest that they figure is a comedy about half way through production. Let's also realize the kid was trying to kill his dad with the oats, no one picked up on that?!?! Plus when the woman is killed with the Christmas tree; who called the cops?!
I didn't expect that.
jonflottorp19 May 2022
Jack frost is a slasher about a killer snowman.
The movie has a pretty bad cast and acting.
Shannon Elizabeth was in it, she is known for other cult classics like American pie and Scary movie.
The kills are good for a movie like this.
The plot is hillarious, not good, but fun.
The characters are bad, the kid is just annoying, the only fun character is Jack Frost.
It like this movie and i think it's a perfect movie to watch for christmas!
The movie has a pretty bad cast and acting.
Shannon Elizabeth was in it, she is known for other cult classics like American pie and Scary movie.
The kills are good for a movie like this.
The plot is hillarious, not good, but fun.
The characters are bad, the kid is just annoying, the only fun character is Jack Frost.
It like this movie and i think it's a perfect movie to watch for christmas!
Jack Frost
Scarecrow-8818 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Nope, this isn't the cuddly, sweet Michael Keaton fantasy regarding his spirit trapped in a CGI snowman..far from that, this is the polar opposite. It concerns how a serial killer actually named, appropriate enough, Jack Frost(..whose soul resides in snow, his molecular structure changed thanks to a type of genetic acid which exploded on him shortly after a head-on collision between a prison transfer van hauling him and the truck carrying the experimental substance)targets the small town sheriff of Snomonton, Sam(Christopher Allport)and the citizens who live there or around it. Frost(..voiced by Scott MacDonald who also played him in human form at the beginning)can freeze and unfreeze at will, his molecular structure co-cohabiting in water.
The movie is positively ludicrous, and is designed that way. It's really a slasher movie with a strange sort of psychopath, and, modeled after the likes of Freddy Krueger(..or, more importantly Chucky, the killer doll), Frost drops wisecracks before, during, and after every attack and murder.
The murder sequences are totally nuts, including one victim getting an ax handle rammed down his throat, his wife being strangled by Christmas lights before her face is slammed multiple times in a box of Christmas tree ornaments(..she also becomes a "decoration" for her tree), and their son is decapitated by a sled blade. This family's daughter, Jill(..played by the incredibly sexy Shannon Elizabeth before achieving fame/notoriety in American Pie)is actually molested by Jack while bathing(..we see that his carrot nose is missing, and I'm sure you don't need me painting the picture any clearer)as he bashes her head against the wall over and over, her screaming at the top of her lungs, arms flailing hopelessly. There's also a bonkers scene where Jack "confiscates" a deputy's police car, backing over him, and driving off in it(..the shot of him in the driver's seat is quite surreal).
There are "agents" who assist Sam in attending to a very unusual and difficult situation, Manners(Stephen Mendel), the one who constantly orders and expects full cooperation without questions and back-talk, and Stone(Rob LaBelle), the actual scientist responsible for the acid which gave birth to the monster on the loose. How they intend to stop it is the main problem these people face and Jack is having a jolly old time exploiting his gift for all it's worth. The snowman costume is cheap and unconvincing, and the murder sequences are often goofy due to the budget restraints. The cast do what they can with such a wacky premise. The whole idea that the soul is a chemical and can transport itself in water, a killer functioning as a killer snowman, and moving about as he so chooses, is hard to digest, but I'm sure many will get a kick out of this. I imagine others will provide "Jack Frost" with the excuse.."it's so cheesy and funny". This is the purest form of schlock, and should bode well with the forgiving crowd who like bad movies.
The movie is positively ludicrous, and is designed that way. It's really a slasher movie with a strange sort of psychopath, and, modeled after the likes of Freddy Krueger(..or, more importantly Chucky, the killer doll), Frost drops wisecracks before, during, and after every attack and murder.
The murder sequences are totally nuts, including one victim getting an ax handle rammed down his throat, his wife being strangled by Christmas lights before her face is slammed multiple times in a box of Christmas tree ornaments(..she also becomes a "decoration" for her tree), and their son is decapitated by a sled blade. This family's daughter, Jill(..played by the incredibly sexy Shannon Elizabeth before achieving fame/notoriety in American Pie)is actually molested by Jack while bathing(..we see that his carrot nose is missing, and I'm sure you don't need me painting the picture any clearer)as he bashes her head against the wall over and over, her screaming at the top of her lungs, arms flailing hopelessly. There's also a bonkers scene where Jack "confiscates" a deputy's police car, backing over him, and driving off in it(..the shot of him in the driver's seat is quite surreal).
There are "agents" who assist Sam in attending to a very unusual and difficult situation, Manners(Stephen Mendel), the one who constantly orders and expects full cooperation without questions and back-talk, and Stone(Rob LaBelle), the actual scientist responsible for the acid which gave birth to the monster on the loose. How they intend to stop it is the main problem these people face and Jack is having a jolly old time exploiting his gift for all it's worth. The snowman costume is cheap and unconvincing, and the murder sequences are often goofy due to the budget restraints. The cast do what they can with such a wacky premise. The whole idea that the soul is a chemical and can transport itself in water, a killer functioning as a killer snowman, and moving about as he so chooses, is hard to digest, but I'm sure many will get a kick out of this. I imagine others will provide "Jack Frost" with the excuse.."it's so cheesy and funny". This is the purest form of schlock, and should bode well with the forgiving crowd who like bad movies.
twisted in the most wonderful way
clearsky471 August 2000
This is one of the funniest movies that I have seen this year. The people that made it must be so incredibly whacked and twisted. It is a beautiful thing. There were a lot of quality one-liners. This movie blew Uncle Sam out of the water (it was made by tha same people, i think)
Cheesy Christmas Horror Fun
gavin694217 October 2012
A serial killer (Scott MacDonald) dies, comes back as a snowman, and wreaks havoc.
This is one of the stranger Christmas horror films, and has a cheesy sense of humor. The snowman costume seems like the same costume that Full Moon would later use for Gingerdead Man. Although, out of respect, I should note the production quality here is better than what Full Moon does.
I suppose today this film may hold the dubious honor of being the first role of Shannon Elizabeth (as Jill Metzner). So, if you want to see her before "American Pie", I guess this is the film for you.
This is one of the stranger Christmas horror films, and has a cheesy sense of humor. The snowman costume seems like the same costume that Full Moon would later use for Gingerdead Man. Although, out of respect, I should note the production quality here is better than what Full Moon does.
I suppose today this film may hold the dubious honor of being the first role of Shannon Elizabeth (as Jill Metzner). So, if you want to see her before "American Pie", I guess this is the film for you.
Snowballs, ho ho, very funny
JohnSeal13 November 1999
The 1998 Michael Keaton kiddie comedy of the same title was roundly condemned for it's, um, shoddy special effects, but compared to what Screaming Mad George cooked up for this horror comedy they're positively mind-boggling. The killer snowman seems to be made out of styrofoam and his arms look like oversized oven mitts. Which they probably were. The cast lays it on thick in this parody of dozens of other (much worse) movies and Paul Keith as the town doctor is particularly memorable in a small but hilarious role.
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