The Thaw
Short description
The Thaw is set at a remote Arctic research station where the melting of ancient ice releases something far more dangerous than rising sea levels. A prehistoric parasite emerges from the thawed carcass of a woolly mammoth, and the scientists studying the region become its first victims. Among them is Dr. David Kruipen, whose daughter Evelyn arrives at the station with three fellow students, only to find the camp in disarray. The newcomers must work out what has happened, contain the infection, and decide how far they are willing to go to keep it from reaching the wider world.
Mark A. Lewis directed and co-wrote the film with Michael W. Lewis, working from a story about climate change turning deadly in an isolated setting. The cast is led by Val Kilmer as Dr. Kruipen, with Martha MacIsaac as Evelyn, alongside Aaron Ashmore, Kyle Schmid, Viv Leacock and Steph Song as the students and researchers caught up in the outbreak. It was produced through Canadian and American companies including Voltage Pictures, Téléfilm Canada and Brightlight Pictures.
The film runs 94 minutes. On IMDb it holds a rating of 5.2 from around 14,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.7 from roughly 360 votes. The two scores are close, indicating a similarly mixed response from viewers on both platforms.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film was shot in western Canada in areas adjacent to the territories of indigenous peoples, so many Native Americans were involved in its production, and the chief of one tribe even blessed the filming.
- The working title of the film was "Bed Bugs".
- Doctor Kruypen referred to the parasites as vertebrates, which the students read in his notes. Then those same students called them fleas, while fleas are invertebrates.
- A 4,000-liter propane tank was used for the special effects during the explosion of the research station.
- The film is based on fears that global warming will revive ancient, deadly microorganisms.
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