For a movie about a snowman, it’s a lot more complex than one might think.

Beginning with a flashback to a young boy’s childhood in Norway, it shows an abusive man who beats his mother and leaves. In his pursuit, his mother drives after him but eventually stops controlling the car and rolls to a stop on a frozen lake. The boy hops out but his mother does not and she sinks to the bottom, making no attempt to get out.

That’s the beginning to a movie that is full of unexpected twists and turns.

It follows a somewhat oddly named detective Harry Hole as he deals with his alcoholism. His first appearance in the movie is him sleeping on a bench in a public park, with a bottle of alcohol by his side.

After returning to the police station, he has a new detective in his department. After investigating a missing person case together, he discovers files she meant to keep secret.

They detail a case from years past in a different city, involving a cheating wife and a wealthy business leader. That case turns into a murder.

The missing persons cases they investigate together eventually become linked and follow a certain pattern.

It’s always snowing when these people go missing. And those people are women who are cheating and got pregnant.

It becomes clear that the cases are a part of a serial killer’s plan. The detectives spend all of their time pursuing the killer.

Harry Hole is also trying to repair a struggling relationship between him, his son, and his ex-wife. It’s especially difficult when a new boyfriend is in the picture, further tearing his ex-wife away from Hole.

This movie is not meant to be a horror movie. There is not going to be jump scares around every corner.

Snowman, however, hooks the viewer with an interesting backstory and further intrigues them with a series of cases that get increasingly concerning.

Subtle clues are given to the viewer, so one will find themselves racing against the detectives to piece together what’s going on.

If mystery movies with a scary undertone are an appeal, Snowman is a definite watch.