Review of Smilla's Sense of Snow

Julia Ormond is dazzling in her portrayal of an intelligent, extremely forthright woman with a chilling exterior and a big heart...big, at least, for one little boy. Watching her up against other personalities as she tries to solve a murder is fascinating for the first half of the film. But once the murky plot starts to clear, the film degenerates into a mediocre thriller, complete with fairly cliche car chases, gun fights, and even a virus from outer space. I ended up wishing that the Ormond character had been part of a different movie.