I feel like the Cold Prey series is one of the best-kept secrets within horror, well, up until now.
This Norwegian slasher trilogy boasts one of the most brutal killers, plus hands down one of the finest horror sequels in living memory, that outdoes Halloween II (1981) at its own game.
Second Sight Films’ bumper release gives us plenty of extras, for the first two films including commentary tracks from the both directors whilst genre expert Philip Escott is joined by Christer Andresen to talk us through the much maligned third film.
For the unacquainted, Cold Prey follows five friends who head off to the Norwegian mountains, but after an unfortunate incident, find themselves hunted by a serial killer known as the Mountain Man, equipped with a pick-axe and no mercy.
What enhances the first film is the sequel though, as the sole survivor of the original film is taken to hospital alongside the supposedly dead killer, and it becomes a game to wait until he wakes up and the bloodshed begins. The tension executed by Cold Prey II director Mats Stenberg is unreal, and the film manages to outdo its predecessor in every way as the Mountain Man returns to wreak havoc.
With the story seemingly over, Cold Prey III takes us back to the ’80s for a prequel that doesn’t hit the heights of the other two films, but for completists will be an oddity to check out.
As far as modern slasher series’ go outside of the Halloween and Scream movies, Cold Prey sits near the top of the under the radar pile and now with this bumper release it will finally get its flowers.
The Cold Prey Trilogy is available now in a Blu-Ray boxset from Second Sight Films.
Bloody Flicks 