When Tyler Crowe (Eric Lively) is kicked off the U.S. Ski Team for his maverick style, he returns to his roots, reconnecting with his best friend, a radical snowboarder named Mark Rider (Kellan Lutz). The two quickly fall into their old ways, freestyling down the mountainsides at breakneck speeds, pulling off remarkable arials and other stunts. After Mark's ski partner is injured the night before undertaking a new movie project in Alaska, Tyler is asked to act as a replacement. Together the two head off to attempt a daring and risky descent down a previously unconquered mountain, all for the sake of film greatness. Tensions mount as the filming is delayed by training and winter weather. Soon, Mark begins to suspect that Tyler is trying to steal his spotlight, and this, along with Tyler's involvement with Mark's sister, Elisa (Peyton List), drives the two apart. But after tragedy strikes, Tyler must decide where his loyalties lie.

I will admit that I went into the movie with very low expectations. It is, after all, a direct-to-video ski movie, and frankly, the majority of movies in this category probably should never have been filmed. Searching the ratings that Deep Winter received from other sources, it seems that many other critics think the same of this movie. However, I actually enjoyed this film. The plot is predictable and the young leading cast did have some difficulty in finding their characters, but fine supporting roles by Michael Madsen, Robert Carradine and Luke Goss, along with absolutely breathtaking scenery and some really fantastic ski/snowboarding footage gave the movie just enough to put it ahead of the class. The lack of bonus features was a bit of a disappointment. If nothing else, I would have enjoyed a quick behind-the-scenes featurette documenting any on-location filming in Alaska and Utah.

Deep Winter will likely not be in the running for any Oscars, but from a purely enjoyment-based standpoint, I would recommend this movie to anyone that is a fan of this genre.