The Walking Dead alum Andrew J. West shines in So Cold the River

Fans may remember Andrew J. West from his time on AMC’s The Walking Dead and soon they can see him in the upcoming film So Cold the River.

There have been many amazing actors featured on AMC’s hit zombie drama series The Walking Dead and among those extremely talented individuals is Andrew J. West, who is known for playing Terminus leader Gareth in seasons four and five.

His ability to be confident and creepy while still being charismatic and entertaining made him stand out when he was on TV and his skills have translated to roles on shows like Once Upon a Time, Under the Dome, and Promised Land.

Soon, Andrew J. West can be seen in the upcoming Saban Films thriller So Cold the River. This movie is based on a book with the same title by Michael Koryta that follows the story of a documentary filmmaker named Erica Shaw (Bethany Joy Lenz) hired to create a profile of millionaire Campbell Bradford who is on his deathbed. The story takes some wild turns and moves into the supernatural as the story unfolds, leading to a massive climax that dropped my jaw to the ground.

So Cold the River spoiler-free analysis

Andrew J. West does a fantastic job as Josiah Bradford, a maintenance worker at the West Baden Springs Hotel where Shaw is staying and a descendant of Campbell Bradford. His ability to display a wide range of emotions in a short period of time is on full display in this role, and his interactions with Shaw as well as intern Kellyn Cage are excellent.

Where this movie really succeeds is its ability to bring inanimate objects to life. Much like the iconic film The Shining, So Cold the River is able to make the West Baden Springs Hotel feel like a character in the movie instead of just a setting. Also, the antique bottle of water Shaw is given by the person hiring her takes on a life of its own, becoming much more than just a prop.

The casting of this film was brilliant. Lenz and West are only two of the great individuals in this movie. Wonderful performances from Katie Sarife (Kellyn Cage), Anne McKinney (Deanna Dunagan), and Kevin Cahoon (Dylan) all are very memorable from their time on-screen and interact well with the other characters.

So Cold the River is a movie that thrives thanks to its focus on the characters while moving the story forward. The secondary characters are wonderful and entertaining, but focusing on the trio of main characters is what allows the story to feel so crisp and clean while other films of this nature get cluttered by trying to do too much.

Full disclosure: I have not read the book this movie is based on. Part of me likes that I went into the movie with no preconceived expectations or knowledge of events that were going to happen. However, after watching this film, I have already ordered my copy of this book and am excited to give it a read.

Fans of Andrew J. West on The Walking Dead should definitely check this movie out. Heck, fans of horror and supernatural thrillers will want to check this film out as well because of how well it was made and good iI truly believe it is. Huge thanks to ddPR and Saban Films for allowing Undead Walking the advance screening,

You can watch So Cold the River in theaters on March 25 and On-Demand on March 29. You can watch the trailer HERE.