In 1914, a man, known only as Friend, is sent to a remote island to stay for a year as a meteorologist. When he arrives, his predecessor is dead and deranged Gruner has fortified the lighthouse with traps against a monstrous enemy. Cold Skin is a Lovecraftian creature feature. The days have a quiet atmosphere with tension between daunted Friend and overbearing, violent Gruner. The nights are a fight for their lives against humanoid fish creatures that seem to only swarm and kill. The only one of these seen extensively is a female Gruner enslaved, which leads Friend to see humanity in the monsters and monstrosity in the man he depends on. The ending isn’t predictable and the only flaw is Friend’s horrible choices at times. Cold Skin is both a creature feature and a character study of the two men.
Cold Skin was screened as party of the Fantasia International Film Festival ’18
