Jack Frost (1997) Movie Review - So Good It's Bad?

It’s December the 12th. That means we are almost half way through our Awful Advent 25 Days of Christmas Horror feature. Today we are taking a look at the horror cult classic Jack Frost from the late 90s. Having seen this at least a few times. I can honestly say it is one of the worst movies I have ever watched.

Featuring Michael Keaton coming back from the dead as a massive, horribly designed, animatronic snowman. He brutally assaults a bunch of kids using rocks hidden in snow balls. Scares a snowplow driver to death and relentlessly harasses his grieving son…… Wait, wrong movie.

This is an equally bad horror film about a serial killer who happens to be resurrected as a snowman. Desperate for revenge, he sets out on an ice cold killing spree in the local community. Let’s take a look.

A Cult Classic

So this movie is rather popular and considered a cult classic. The reasons given are the silliness, terrible effects, kill scenes and wise cracks. Honestly, I just don’t get it. If you are a fan of this movie you are going to hate my opinion of it. I am a huge fan of horror that is so bad it is good. I just don’t think Jack Frost fits the bill and I will explain why below. In a nutshell, it is trying too hard.

Sure, it has its plus points. It is absolutely farcical as all camp horror should be. The kills are fairly creative. One particularly fun example involves a Christmas tree and fairy lights. Jack makes plenty of wise cracks, some of which elicit a chuckle. It has some degree of comedic charm and it isn’t too long. None of that is why people love this movie, though.

People love Jack Frost for its cheesiness, the bad acting, and how terrible the effects are. And I do get it, I can kind of see the appeal. It probably makes for a fun drinking movie and is, maybe, even better if you have some easily pleased friends. After all, enjoying bad horror isn’t an original concept. This tends to be the blueprint for all “so bad they are good” movies. As far as these types of films go, Jack Frost is pretty standard.

But So Bad It’s Good? Not Really!

This is where I tend to disagree with some of the popular sentiment. I will preface the following by saying this. I grew up with shit like Rabid Grannies and Ghoulies. For awhile, movies like that were all I knew. I adore movies like this and go out of my to watch them. For those of you who aren’t up on these types of films. They exist in every genre. The Room is a brilliant example. My fiancee and I watched it with a friend just a couple of weeks ago. We laughed our asses off and had a genuinely good time; I really get the appeal of it. I just don’t feel as though Jack Frost fits that bill.

I was so amped to watch but, by the time Jack Frost was done, I felt tired, bored and hugely disappointed. Sure, it is bad. In fact, it is very bad. The thing is, however, it is acutely aware of how bad it is. It knows it sucks and there isn’t a single scene delivered without this deliberate intent. Movies that are so bad they are good are rarely this self aware. Tommy Wiseau genuinely believed he was making a great movie with The Room. He had no idea that it was bad. He certainly had no idea he was making the worst movie ever. The makers of Jack Frost definitely knew what they were doing.

If anything, I would say they were deliberately aiming for a cult following. Dialogue is so ridiculous and camera shots so poor that it has to be on purpose. The rubber model of Jack Frost is terrible. One second of seeing that on set would be enough to know exactly the type of film you are making. This film is a joke and it is very aware of that fact. The difference is, people who buy into it and make it a cult classic are the punchline. This isn’t Leprechaun. This isn’t Jason X. It is a movie that aimed for this exact type of reception and got it.

So Bad It’s Bad

My particular issue with Jack Frost is that it isn’t “So good it’s Bad”; it is just bad. Jack Frost isn’t unintentionally funny; it is just not a very good movie. I never once felt as though I was watching something that wanted to be decent. At least with movies like Jason X you can tell that there was an intention to make a good movie. That’s what makes bad films good. Jack Frost feels more like a money laundering project. It is incredibly low effort and designed to be silly and farcical. It is almost too self aware to be watchable.

On top of that, Jack Frost is boring and an absolute chore to get through. It is cheap looking, but not to the point where you really notice. Lines are delivered deadpan in a manner that is almost accompanied by a wink to the audience. Jack’s kill scenes are deliberately ridiculous. Wise cracks are uttered desperately hoping to stick in people’s heads for their silliness. All the while the plot drags on with only a few kills and a few boring false endings.

People are rolling up onto user review sites giving this movie 8s, 9s, and 10s. They seem to believe they are in on the joke. They get it, they appreciate the winks to the audience. Haters must be idiots for not realising that this film is supposed to be silly. Apparently people who dislike it just don’t get it. Listen, I grew up with two video rental stores in my town. The only decent horror stuff they had were major releases. The rest was absolutely terrible, so bad they are good, movies. My horror sword was forged in the flames of laugh a minute, dog shit, b-movies. For a long time, VHS tapes with terribly drawn covers were all I knew. I love this type of thing. As much as some people think it is. As much as it wants to be. For me, Jack Frost ain’t it!

Acting and Cinematography is… Okay

Acting here is delivered pretty straight faced for the most part. Sam, played by the late Christopher Allport, gets most of the screen time. Allport plays the role with a keen sense of the kind of film being made. Well aware of the silly nature of the production. He is mostly serious but always ready to ham it up. Co stars are similarly cognisant of the non-serious nature of the film and play to type. This was Shannon Elizabeth’s first role. I applaud her for being enthusiastic enough to share a sex scene with a large rubber snowman. Masturbating on screen in American Pie must have seemed like a breeze compared to this.

Cinematography is, honestly, okay for a low budget movie. It is about what you would expect for a late 90’s straight to video film. Set design is okay. A warm December put paid to the idea of real snow. The film makers had to bring in foam and cotton wool. To be honest, it works better given the type of movie this is. If you are going to make a deliberately crap movie. May as well fully commit to it.

Effects are bloody awful but, again, this is deliberate. The producers of Jack Frost knew exactly what they were doing. I think if you offered them a realistic looking snowman and a competent effects team they would have told you to sit and spin. This is a movie very much made for fans of so bad it’s good horror.

Should You Watch Jack Frost?

No, you really shouldn’t watch Jack Frost. It has built up a cult following on the back of nothing. It’s very try hard, unfunny, dull, and a bit of a chore to watch. It aimed hard for the “So bad it’s good” crowd and got it. It doesn’t deserve the cult following it has and is, simply, so bad it’s bad.

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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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