Whiteout is a perfectly adequate diversion for a couple of hours. The terrain is magnificent and the setting of the base convincing and atmospheric. There are some decent performances, but the characters are somewhat off-the-shelf and, ultimately, the film is let down by its story, which is underwhelming, the motivations of those involved seeming unimportant to the point that you might wonder why they bothered. Kate Beckinsale is as watchable as ever, and there is a genuinely moving scene between her and the underrated Tom Skerrit in which it is easy to become emotionally involved. Beckinsale's back-story is also a convincing attempt to explain why someone might take a long posting in the Antarctic. If you want snowbound action with real scares however you are better with John Carpenter's 'The Thing' - or if it's intrigue in a winter landscape that draws you, the excellent 'Bear Island' from a novel by Alistair MacLean is well worth seeking out.
Review of Whiteout
