Robert W. Butler

Early in "Whiteout," a murder mystery set in a South Pole research station, a federal marshal played by Kate Beckinsale strips down and takes a shower.

Why? No particular reason. But enjoy it while you can, fellas. She'll spend the rest of the film in a parka.

That scene makes about as much sense as anything else in Dominic Sena's thriller.

Beckinsale plays Carrie Stetko, who requested this remote, easy assignment after a particularly ugly on-the-job incident.