Cold Prey III

In 1988 a troupe of teens heads to an abandoned hotel hoping to steal a night of thrill. They find the place silent and decayed, its halls whispering with memories. As darkness settles, an unseen killer begins to close in, hunting through the pine and snow of the Norwegian woods. The group tries to stay ahead, improvising makeshift defenses and arguing over what to do next. The tension comes from the isolation, the claustrophobic corridors of the ruined hotel, and the fear that one false move could end it all. What follows stays focused on survival, as trust fractures and old wounds echo outside.

Directed by Mikkel Brænne Sandemose, Cold Prey III is the third entry in the Norwegian horror series. It comes from a story by Martin Sundland, Lars Gudmestad and Peder Fuglerud, with a brisk shoot that captures snowbound landscapes. It was released in 2010 and keeps the franchise focused on claustrophobic environments and survival.

The film earned about 2,439,448 dollars worldwide, marking a modest but respectable performance for a Norwegian horror sequel. Its box office reflects steady interest in Nordic genre cinema during the early 2010s and suggests a loyal audience for the Cold Prey franchise across Scandinavia.

Cold Prey III is part of a Norwegian teen terror tradition that has found a dedicated audience beyond its borders. It has sparked conversations about the balance of atmosphere and brutality in Nordic thrillers, and fans note the stark winter imagery and practical effects. In online discussions it is discussed for its cold settings and straightforward suspense, contributing to a wider appreciation of Nordic genre cinema and inspiring younger filmmakers.

Reception for the film has been mixed, with some reviewers praising its lean survival horror approach and others wishing for more character depth. The installment preserves a tight focus on a small group under siege, using the forest and ruined hotel as a claustrophobic stage. Themes lean toward isolation and the pressure of making split second decisions, the fragility of trust when danger closes in, and the weight of past secrets shaping how the survivors respond to threat.