Nathan Daniels and his wife Margaret move into a home they've inherited in the beautiful yet desolate mountains of Iceland. Used to a fast-paced, risk-taking lifestyle, Nathan finds the mountains quiet and unnerving. As each day passes the mountains seem to loom closer to his home, almost suffocating him in their massive peaks.

Frustrated he goes out and curses the mountains, to show them whose boss. Margaret warns him about the legend of the frost giants, and asks him to refrain from showing the mountains his anger. But Nathan doesn't believe in legends, and continues to voice his hatred for the mountains.