6/10
Small-scale character-driven war drama
2 December 2010
A group of medics become isolated in the North African desert when travelling to Alexandria to escape a siege. They pick up a South African soldier, and along with this enigmatic man they navigate the hostile terrain…

This is a good war drama. The group have to contend with various dangers – the hostile environment, the Germans and an enemy within. The latter is posed by the South African whom they soon discover is a spy for the enemy. This provides dramatic tension as well as asking questions of the group. How do they deal with this spy? He may be an enemy agent but he has shown bravery and tenacity that they required in order to survive their dangerous adventure. So the theme of loyalty is an important one.

Despite the war theme, there is very little action to speak of here. The confrontations with the enemy are more tense stand-offs. And the other exciting moments are based around navigating the dangerous terrain, such as the mine-field scene. The small cast are good, with John Mills playing an alcoholic officer; his affliction puts him in some compromising positions that he is forced to deal with, as well as being relevant to the title of the film.

Ice Cold In Alex is a small-scale and character-driven war film. It's an adventure-drama as opposed to an action film. So if you prefer your war movies adrenaline-fuelled affairs this may not be the answer for you but if you like these flicks to pose some interesting moral dilemmas then this film should fit the bill.
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