What Is Cold Prey About?
The premise of Cold Prey in 284 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the stark, snow‑capped wilderness of Jotunheimen, a tight‑knit group of friends escapes the crowded ski resorts for a weekend of fresh powder and uncharted slopes. Their camaraderie is evident as they trade jokes and daring challenges down steep faces, the cold wind biting their cheeks while the mountains loom like silent sentinels, hinting at the isolation that only true wilderness can offer.
When a reckless run leaves Morten Tobias with a badly broken leg, the group’s carefree rhythm shatters. Jannicke steps forward, displaying calm competence as she improvises a makeshift splint with whatever is at hand, turning scarcity into survival. Beside her, Eirik works to keep the group’s morale steady, while Mikal and Ingunn hover between concern and restless energy, each trying to fill the sudden void left by their injured companion.
With night falling and rescue out of reach, the friends stumble upon an abandoned ski lodge perched high on the ridge. The building, frozen in time, offers a brief refuge, its dusty rooms and dimmed corridors whispering of forgotten stories. As they restore a flickering generator and settle into the uneasy safety of the wood‑panelled walls, an undercurrent of unease settles in—creaks echo in the silence, and shadows seem to shift just beyond the glow of lamps, suggesting the mountain holds more than just snow.
Against this backdrop of cold stone and relentless wind, the group’s dynamics sharpen. Jannicke’s resourcefulness, Eirik’s steady presence, Mikal’s restless curiosity, and Ingunn’s quiet resolve intertwine, each personality reacting to the tightening grip of isolation. The film teeters between the serene beauty of a frozen landscape and a growing sense of dread, inviting viewers to wonder what lurks beneath the surface of the silent, snow‑bound refuge.
What Happens in Cold Prey?
The complete story of Cold Prey, from the first scene to the last, in 1,027 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In Jotunheimen, The Boy with a large birthmark covering one eye runs frantically through a blizzard, pursued by an unseen entity. The chase ends with the pursuer catching up, despite the boy’s pleas, and he is buried alive in the snow. A chilling prologue that casts a long shadow over everything that follows.
Years later, a tight-knit group of friends heads to the mountains for a snowboarding trip. Jannicke leads the charge with her boyfriend Eirik in tow, joined by their friends Mikal, Ingunn, and Morten Tobias. They seek solitude away from crowded slopes, hoping the fresh powder will provide the perfect backdrop for their weekend. The group’s camaraderie is evident as they joke and push each other to descend steeper faces, the cold wind biting at their cheeks, the mountains encircling them with a silent, watching presence.
Their plan for a quiet escape is soon complicated when Morten Tobias suffers a bad break to his leg. [Jannicke] demonstrates calm, competence, and practical resourcefulness, setting the fracture with whatever is at hand, even improvising with alcohol and a drop of superglue when traditional medical supplies are scarce. The car is too far to fetch help before nightfall, and there is no cell reception to call for rescue. They stumble upon an abandoned lodge, the kind of place that seems to hold its own secrets, and decide to bar their vulnerabilities there while they figure out their next move.
Inside, the mood shifts from relief to unease as the group discovers signs of a long-forgotten past. A box with a single shotgun shell and a bottle of glue feels incongruous against the backdrop of a deserted resort. The generator is repaired by [Eirik], restoring power, lights, and a sense of normalcy, but the quiet is haunted by distant creaks and the creaking of wood. As the night unfolds, Mikal and Ingunn slip away to explore more rooms, while Jannicke stays close to Morten Tobias, trying to patch his leg and keep him warm. A guestbook in a dusty parlor reveals that the last guests checked in decades ago, with a chilling message: “We hope you find your son,” and a faded family photo bearing the birthmark over a boy’s eye, a cruel echo of the opening scene.
The lodge’s atmosphere thickens with tension as the group settles in for the night. The atmosphere is punctured when Mikal’s flirtatious bravado turns dark, and Ingunn resists his advances. A sudden, brutal intrusion follows: a shadowy shape stalks the corridors, and Ingunn is attacked in the hall, dragged away before anyone can intervene. The next morning, Eirik finds Ingunn’s body in the snow after a desperate attempt to fetch help, and is struck down by a blow from a hidden assailant wielding a pickaxe. The sense of danger becomes undeniable as the group realizes they are not alone and the lodge is no sanctuary.
With panic tightening its grip, Mikal tries to apologize in a bid to restore order, while Jannicke and Morten Tobias push forward, drawn toward the basement in search of answers and a possible means of escape. They uncover items that feel out of place in a lodge long shuttered since the 1970s, a jarring clue that someone—or something—has been here more recently than the building’s records suggest. A heavy silence settles in as they confront the reality that an intruder remains at large, a figure who stalks the halls with a single-minded ferocity.
The danger erupts into a full confrontation when the Mountain Man, a fearsome figure clad in animal skins, appears outside the shed where Mikal has hidden. The moment is brutal and intimate: Mikal is killed in the open, and the danger shifts inward as Jannicke and Morten Tobias confront the looming threat. In the confusion, Eirik is found bound but alive in a back room, a cruel reminder that survival means choosing whom to trust and when to fight. The Mountain Man’s presence intensifies as he traps the group in a tense standoff, banging on doors and forcing them to improvise desperate plans to stay alive.
Jannicke choreographs a dangerous gambit to turn the tables. She sabotages the generator to draw the Mountain Man toward the basement, grabbing a box cutter as a potential weapon. She and Morten Tobias navigate the perilous corridors, trying to outpace the intruder and free Eirik, who remains a human shield in the back room as the Mountain Man closes in. When Eirik is finally killed in a brutal display, the group’s resolve hardens into a desperate will to survive. With Mikal dead and Ingunn already taken, Jannicke and Morten Tobias improvise a way to endure the onslaught and break free, even as the Mountain Man’s silhouette looms with ominous certainty.
The chase spills onto the snowy slope, where Jannicke makes a perilous dash for safety and finds herself alone with the darkness and the bodies of friends who could not outrun the night. She shelters behind the lodge’s shed, then seizes the opportunity to reclaim a weapon and fight back as the Mountain Man corners her by a ravine. A brutal, gripping struggle erupts, and the two grapplers tumble toward the cliff edge. In a pivotal moment, the reveal comes: the Mountain Man’s identity is exposed as [The Mountain Man] was once a boy himself, his life shaped by a cruel past—the moment he is unmasked, his birthmark mirrors the earlier image of the boy from the poem of the cold dawn. Overwhelmed by the realization, the Mountain Man loses his guard, and [Jannicke] seizes the opportunity to strike with his own weapon, sending him crashing into the ravine below.
The fall of the Mountain Man is brutal and final, surrounded by the bodies of Jannicke’s friends and the bitter, silent snow. Exhausted, she collapses, the weight of the night’s violence pressing down as the mountains look on with indifferent calm. The epilogue closes on a stark note: the valley remains hushed, the lodge’s secrets buried beneath the snow, and one survivor: a body-strewn landscape that speaks to the merciless nature of the wilderness and the endurance of a lone fighter who chose to live through the night.
Cold Prey Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Opening Prologue: The Buried Boy” to “Aftermath and Dawn”. 13 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Opening Prologue: The Buried Boy
A boy with a birthmark covering one eye runs through a raging blizzard in Jotunheimen, pursued by an unseen entity. He pleads for mercy, but is eventually buried alive under the snow. The scene closes on a chilling image that casts a long shadow over what follows.
When:Prologue Where:Jotunheimen, Norway
- 2
Snowbound Weekend Begins
Years later, a tight-knit group arrives in the mountains for a snowboarding weekend. Jannicke leads with her boyfriend Eirik, joined by Mikal, Ingunn, and Morten Tobias. They seek solitude away from crowded slopes, hungry for fresh powder and an escape from everyday life.
When:Day 1, afternoon Where:Remote Norwegian mountains
- 3
Injury Forces Shelter
Morten Tobias suffers a bad leg fracture while on the slope, forcing the group to improvise. Jannicke stays calm and immobilizes the limb with whatever is at hand, even using improvised splints, alcohol, and glue when supplies are scarce. With the car too far and cell reception non-existent, rescue seems unlikely before nightfall.
When:Day 1, late afternoon Where:Snowy mountains trail
- 4
Abandoned Lodge as Refuge
The group discovers an abandoned lodge and decides to hole up there for safety. They bar their vulnerabilities and prepare to figure out their next move through the night. The building's silence hints at secrets long buried in the snow.
When:Evening Where:Abandoned lodge, mountains
- 5
Signs of a Forgotten Past
Inside, the mood shifts to unease as they find signs of a forgotten past. A box with a single shotgun shell and a bottle of glue feels out of place in the dusty resort. When Eirik repairs the generator, power returns and a sense of normalcy briefly returns, only to be punctured by distant creaks.
When:Night Where:Lodge interior (parlor/generator room)
- 6
Guestbook Clues
Mikal and Ingunn slip away to explore more rooms while Jannicke stays close to Morten Tobias to tend his injured leg. They uncover a dusty guestbook indicating the last guests checked in decades ago, along with a faded family photo showing a boy with a matching birthmark. A chilling message, 'We hope you find your son,' hints at a long-buried secret.
When:Night Where:Lodge parlor and upper floors
- 7
Intrusion and First Casualties
Tension spikes when Mikal's flirtatious bravado turns dark and Ingunn resists. A shadowy figure stalks the corridors and Ingunn is dragged away before anyone can intervene. The next morning, Eirik slumps into the snow after a failed attempt to get help, and a hidden assailant strikes him with a pickaxe.
When:Night to next morning Where:Lodge corridors; snow outside
- 8
Basement Revelations
With panic rising, Jannicke and Morten Tobias push toward the basement in search of answers and a way out. They find items that feel out of place for a lodge shuttered since the 1970s, indicating a more recent presence. They also discover Eirik bound but alive in a back room, a cruel reminder that danger remains at large.
When:Morning Where:Lodge basement and back rooms
- 9
The Mountain Man Strikes
The Mountain Man finally reveals himself outside the shed where Mikal has hidden. He kills Mikal in the open, and the danger shifts inward as the others confront the intruder. Eirik's fate catches up with the group when he is found bound and is killed during the confrontation.
When:Night Where:Outside shed; lodge interior
- 10
Jannicke's Gambit
Jannicke orchestrates a dangerous gambit by sabotaging the generator to draw the Mountain Man toward the basement. She and Morten Tobias navigate perilous corridors to reach Eirik, who has become a human shield in the back room. The plan culminates in a brutal sequence as Eirik is killed and the remaining two must improvise to survive.
When:Night Where:Lodge basement and corridors
Show the other 3 events of Cold Prey Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Desperate Chase on the Slopes
The chase spills onto the snowy slope as Jannicke dashes for safety. She shelters behind the lodge’s shed, then retrieves a weapon to fight back as the Mountain Man corners her by a ravine. The two tumble toward the edge, and the Mountain Man is toppled to his death.
When:Night Where:Snow slope, ravine
- 12
Unmasking the Killer
In the final confrontation, the Mountain Man's birthmark is revealed to be identical to the boy from the prologue, linking past and present in a cruel twist. Jannicke seizes the moment to strike, sending him crashing into the ravine below. Exhausted and scarred, she becomes the sole survivor of the ordeal.
When:Night Where:Ravine edge
- 13
Aftermath and Dawn
The valley lies quiet at dawn as the lodge's secrets are buried beneath the snow. Bodies lie scattered, and one survivor clings to life as she makes her way out of the nightmare. The wilderness asserts its merciless inertia while the lone fighter begins to rebuild in the pale light of a new day.
When:Dawn Where:Valley and lodge vicinity
Who Are the Main Characters in Cold Prey?
9 characters, among them Jannicke (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal), Ingunn (Viktoria Winge) and Morten Tobias (Rolf Kristian Larsen): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Jannicke (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal)
Played by Ingrid Bolsø Berdal
Jannicke is the group’s decisive, protective presence. She takes charge when they realize the stranded group cannot reach help and coordinates medical care for Morten Tobias. She improvises under pressure, searches for supplies, and ultimately faces the Mountain Man in a desperate struggle. Her resolve anchors the survival arc of the story.
- 🧭 Leader
- 🧰 Resourceful
- 💪 Courageous
- 🗝️ Determined
- I(
Ingunn (Viktoria Winge)
Played by Viktoria Winge
Ingunn is a quick-witted, independent friend who pushes back against Mikal's advances. She remains vigilant, trying to keep the group together as danger closes in. Her fate—being attacked and killed—amplifies the horror and underscored the stakes of staying together.
- 🛡️ Protective
- 💪 Resolute
- 🗡️ Brave
- MT
Morten Tobias (Rolf Kristian Larsen)
Played by Rolf Kristian Larsen
Morten Tobias is the loyal, practical friend who keeps a level head when the group is stranded. He tends to the injured, shares supplies, and supports planning for escape. He proves brave in the face of danger, ultimately paying with his life to slow the Mountain Man and protect others.
- 🧭 Loyal
- 🧰 Practical
- 🔥 Brave
- E(
Eirik (Tomas Alf Larsen)
Played by Tomas Alf Larsen
Eirik is the practical, supportive member who takes the initiative to seek help for the injured. He breaks into the deserted lodge to check for supplies, risking his safety. He is captured and used as a human shield by the Mountain Man, ultimately killed.
- 🧭 Resourceful
- 🗡️ Brave
- 🧊 Courageous
- M(
Mikal (Endre Martin Midtstigen)
Played by Endre Martin Midtstigen
Mikal is the aggressive member whose domineering behavior provokes conflict and pushes others to the breaking point. After a tense confrontation with Ingunn, he heads off into the lodge with mixed guilt and resentment. He dies at the Mountain Man's hands, a stark consequence of the group's fractured trust.
- ⚔️ Aggressive
- 💢 Impulsive
- 🗡️ Violent
- TM
The Mountain Man (Rune Melby)
Played by Rune Melby
The Mountain Man is the unseen predator in skins and goggles who stalks the lodge's guests. He appears as a silent, relentless force who uses the environment to trap and kill. His backstory—being buried alive by his parents as a boy—provides a grim explanation for his violence and endurance. In the end, Jannicke defeats him in a brutal struggle that ends with a fall into the ravine.
- 🗡️ Predator
- 🪓 Brutal
- 🗺️ Relentless
- TB
The Boy (Erik Skjeggedal)
Played by Erik Skjeggedal
The Boy is the Mountain Man's past victim, marked by a birthmark over one eye. He represents the trauma that shapes the killer’s actions and the cycle of violence tied to the lodge’s history. Though unseen in the present, his image lingers as a haunting origin story for the killer.
- 👁️ Birthmark
- 🕳️ Trauma
- TF
The Father (Hallvard Holmen)
Played by Hallvard Holmen
The Father is a figure in the Mountain Man’s backstory, present in flashbacks that reveal the parents’ role in the act that marks the killer’s origin. His actions contribute to the grim family history that fuels the lodge’s haunting danger. The past actions cast a long shadow over the present threat.
- 👨 Father
- 💔 Tragic Backstory
- TM
The Mother (Tonie Lunde)
Played by Tonie Lunde
The Mother appears in the backstory as a parent involved in the act that shapes the Mountain Man’s violent past. Her presence underscores a family dynamic that neglects protection, intensifying the tragedy tied to the killer’s origins. Her role links past abuse to present predation.
- 👩 Mother
- 💔 Tragic Backstory
Where and When Is Cold Prey Set?
Cold Prey is set in Jotunheimen and Norway (Early 2000s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 2000s
The events unfold during a winter season in the Norwegian mountains, with a modern group on a snowboarding trip. The lodge had been closed since the 1970s, leaving behind a haunted, unused facility. The contrast between the past and the present heightens the sense of danger as the guests uncover a dark history.
Where
Jotunheimen, Norway
Jotunheimen is a rugged, high‑altitude mountain region in Norway known for dramatic peaks and deep winter snows. The story unfolds across a remote lodge perched in this harsh landscape, far from civilization. The wintry setting emphasizes isolation, survival, and the lurking threat in the storm.
- 🗻 Mountain range
- ❄️ Snow
- 🏚️ Abandoned lodge
What Are the Themes of Cold Prey?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Survival, Past Haunting and Isolation.
-
01
Survival
Survival drives every decision as the group battles freezing temperatures, injuries, and a deadly stalker. Jannicke must improvise, tending to an injured friend and planning an escape with scarce resources. The environment—storm, darkness, and limited contact—turns basic choices into life‑and‑death stakes. The film uses physical hardship to test character and resolve.
-
02
Past Haunting
The lodge's long‑buried past haunts the present as a killer's origin traces back to childhood trauma. The birthmark on the Mountain Man and the parents' act of burying him alive reveal how violence begets violence. The 1975 guestbook entry hints at a lost family, blending memory with menace. The interplay of memory and menace drives the horror beyond the present danger.
-
03
Isolation
Isolation in the remote lodge strips away social buffers, amplifying fear and desperation. The group fractures under pressure—claims of safety clash with acts of aggression, turning trust into vulnerability. The Mountain Man exploits this isolation to stalk and kill, transforming an interior conflict into fatal external threat. The setting itself becomes a weapon as weather and walls funnel danger toward the characters.
What Kind of Film Is Cold Prey?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A tense and brutal survival horror experience set in an isolated, snowbound landscape, where a group of friends is hunted by a mysterious killer, creating a claustrophobic and desperate atmosphere.
- claustrophobic
- tense
- brutal
- oppressive
- desperate
- chilling
- survival horror
- slasher
- isolation
- friendship
Content notes: graphic violence, stalking, buried alive, multiple murders.
Quiz
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Where to Watch Cold Prey
Stream it on Viaplay, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Google Play Movies. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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