Based on the novel by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo, The Snowman is a crime thriller directed by Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). The film premiered at the Haifa International Film Festival and stars Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, and J. K. Simmons.
For Detective Harry Hole (Fassbender), the murder of a young woman on the first snow of the winter feels like anything but a routine homicide case in his district. From the start of the investigation, The Snowman has personally targeted him with taunts—ones that continue to accompany each new vicious murder. Fearing an elusive serial killer long-thought dead may be active again, the detective enlists brilliant recruit Katrine Bratt (Ferguson), to help him connect decades-old cold cases to the brutal new ones. Succeed, and they will lure out the psychopath that’s been watching them from the shadows for who knows how long. Fail, and an unthinkable evil will strike once again during the very next snowfall.
“When I read a story, I try to find an animal for each character,” Alfredson says. “Is he or she a rabbit, wolf, dog or a cat? Not visually, but the soul of a certain animal. To me, Harry is an owl; he is someone people don’t see, but who sees everyone else. He’s very smart and silent; he knows when to speak and when to interact.”
The Snowman is rated 14A.