| Movie DescriptionThe movie opens inside a Russian cargo plane flying through freezing airspace in 1957. The co-pilot leaves his seat and enters the cargo hold where three other Russians are sitting with a padlocked box, looking at pornography and drinking vodka. Although appearing friendly at first, the co-pilot quickly pulls a gun and shoots one of the cargo Russians. In the middle of the firefight, the pilot is shot and the plane begins to plummet. Eventually, everyone dies as the plane crashes onto the ice in Antarctica.
The setting fast-forwards to a present-day geographical research settlement in Antarctica. There is a farewell party, and everyone is packing up to leave before the six months of winter sets in. There is brief nudity of several male snow bathers. A conversation between Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale) and Doc (Tom Skerritt) reveals that Carrie is giving up her post as the Base Marshall, instead of wintering through again with the Doc. There is brief nudity of Stetko. A whiteout is described as a severe snowstorm in which you can't see more than six inches in front of your face and can freeze to death in seconds.
More random events follow, revealing that a hurricane-like storm is approaching, and that the entire research facility will have to be evacuated as soon as possible. There is brief nudity of Russell Haden (Alex O'Loughlin). Carrie is informed by Shaun Doyle (Sam Murphy) that a body has been discovered in a remote area.
Carrie and Doc board a plane flown by Delfy (Columbus Short) and fly to the location. After a short flight, they find a frozen body which they identify as McGuire, another scientist. It appears that he fell from a cliff while climbing. As they retrieve the body, they query why he was out in such a remote area.
After returning to the medical facility at the Base, Carrie and Doc perform a cursory autopsy. They notice that McGuire has a badly stitched wound on his leg with a distinctive loop at the top of the thread. They also see that he has been struck in the chest by an ice ax. Suspecting that there is murderer on the loose, Carrie says she will have to investigate the incident further. |
