Directed by Roar Uthaug and written by Thomas Moldestad, when one of them breaks a leg, five friends snowboarding in the Norwegian mountains take shelter in an abandoned ski lodge and soon realize they’re not alone. Starring: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Rolf Kristian Larsen, Tomas Alf Larsen, Endre Martin Midtstigen, Viktoria Winge and Rune Melby.

[Further credits and synopses for the rest of the trilogy are included below. This is a spoiler-free review so if you don’t want to find out what happens, it’s recommended to avoid reading the other synopses.]

It can be tricky to judge a trilogy as a whole, rather than the sum of its parts, when there’s different directors, actors and other creatives behind them but with Cold Prey, there’s such a great consistency across the franchise that it’s much easier. Although, that’s not to say that they are all equal, they have their own individual strengths and weaknesses, and as is often the case, the last entry is the weakest.

Cold Prey starts out with a classic premise of slasher cinema, isolated, unprepared, and caught unawares by an unknown, violent, seemingly immortal entity. You can’t really go wrong with that, well you can but not as long as you have the right tools, and Roar Uthaug certainly did. The 2000s brought us a very particular kind of slasher flick and this is a terrific example. It’s got that classic college student feel, they’re a little bit reckless, seeking adrenaline, driven by sex and ultimately, vulnerable to threats.

The visual has that nicely gritty edge, and an icy colour palette, heavy on the grey. There’s an excellent score and it has a great progression and pacing. It easily keeps you glued in, it doesn’t run off on tangents, there’s good kills and they basically make the killer into a boogeyman. They don’t try to give him too much of a backstory and they keep his appearances obscured, often only showing a fraction of his body. It works really well, the fear is convincing, as is the violence, and it plays out in a satisfying fashion.

With Cold Prey 2, they then somewhat borrow the playbook of Halloween II, but in a good way, it doesn’t feel derivative, even if quite similar. It ups the intensity a little from the first film, adds in more suspense and anticipation, both through the story and Mats Stenberg’s direction. The aesthetic follows the same pattern as the first, which makes it equally as satisfying. Again, with this one the pacing is right on the money, it perfectly picks up where the first left off, it adds in some great new characters, and it’s the ideal companion to the original. They complement one another so well and Ingrid Bolsø Berdal gives a terrific performance across both films.

Then Cold Prey 3 takes things back to give us a semi-origin of the killer, and it’s enjoyable to see that backstory expanded, it wasn’t necessary in the first film, but you do secretly always want those juicy details, so it was gratifying to see them here. Most of it is your usual slasher fare, it feels very standard for a film released in 2010, it’s pretty on the nose. They also make the mistake of showing the killer’s face which makes him inherently less scary or believable. The progression still works, it tries to emulate the visual style of the previous two, which is nice to see and it’s still a solid outing, even if not quite as satisfying. Although it definitely feels like the makers of Netflix’s Apex watched this film.

Cold Prey is a dependable, entertaining, consistent franchise. The first two films are a lot stronger and have a much higher quality, but the third is still a good slasher flick. If fans of slasher cinema aren’t familiar with these films, that’s definitely something that needs to be corrected. Especially for those who enjoy the classic 1980s flicks, and franchises like Friday the 13^th, they should get a kick out of Cold Prey. They’re fun, they play by all the familiar rules that we know and love, have simple but effective stories, and they’re great easy entertainment.

Verdict: Cold Prey – ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10
Cold Prey 2 – ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10
Cold Prey 3 – ✯✯✯ | 6/10

Releasing in a new Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set from Second Sight Films on July 6

Cold Prey 2: Directed by Mats Stenberg and written by Thomas Moldestad, after surviving the events in the Jotunheimen mountains in which four of her friends were murdered, the badly injured Jannicke is brought to the local hospital. But when she wakes up, the building is dark and deserted…and she soon realizes that her nightmare isn’t over yet. Starring: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik, Kim Arne Hagen, Johanna Mørck, Per Schaanning, Fridtjov Såheim, Andreas Cappelen and Vetle Qvenild Werring.

Cold Prey 3: Directed by Mikkel Brænne Sandemose and written by Peder Fuglerud and Lars Gudmestad, in 1988, a group of teenagers go to visit an abandoned hotel, only to find themselves hunted by a psychotic killer through the Norwegian woods. Starring: Ida Marie Bakkerud, Julie Rusti, Kim S. Falck-Jørgensen, Pål Stokka, Arthur Berning, Sturla Rui, Terje Ranes and Nils Johnson.