Whiteout

I really couldn't help but wonder what Kate Beckinsale was doing in a film like "Whiteout". She's an actress with so much potential, but it's often unseen due to her poor selection when it comes to choosing roles. That's certainly not to say "Whiteout" is a bad movie. That's not the case at all. Hell, she did a tremendous job in the action-thriller "Underworld", but once again, even there I don't believe Beckinsale gave it her all. It's not as if she is struggling to find work and will take any project that comes her way. It just seems to me that she always attempts to play it safe, taking roles that are merely impossible to screw up.

I would be lying if I said Dominic Sena's picture was innovative, shining new light on what has become a tired sub-genre of seemingly recycled cat-and-mouse thrillers. In fact, that's exactly what "Whiteout" is. It consists of the same cookie cutter formula utilized in nearly every subjectively similar flick to come along in the past decade. Nevertheless, it's one of the few that I was able to walk away from with a hint of satisfaction.

The film stumbles through its first act, introducing a hanful of characters with nothing really interesting happening in between. Once the movie is established, however, "Whiteout" practically becomes a brand new picture. It's thrilling, fast-paced excitement that never lets up until the final credits roll. The writers do a tremendous job cycling through the suspects, giving viewers an oppurunity uncover the killer's identity. Of course, like every clever storyteller, they find a way to throw viewers off and for once the anticipated 'twist-ending' is indeed a twist.

It certainly did seem that Sena could have done more with the environment. It's snow storm in continent that won't see the light of day for six months. It's the perfect combination of ingredients to whip up a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Then again, there's only so much one can do with an hour and a half and Sena at least succeeds in the holding our interest through most of the runtime.

"Whiteout" doesn't immediately stand out as something unique, but it does eventually indentify itself as one of the more suspensful thrillers I've come across as of late. Kate Beckinsale is always fun to watch, even if her role doesn't call for an actor with award-winning potential. In the end, this is your typical who-dun-it murder mystery, but at least it never ventures far from the path of entertainment.