Bullet Points: The Ice Road
Will Liam Neeson ever retire from Old Man Action? Why do I keep asking the same question? I think we all know the answer. Liam is back and this time he is driving a big truck on ice in the Netflix original movie, The Ice Road. Buckle up!
- The Plot: An explosion traps a team of miners, and it is up to Liam Neeson and the gang to save them before they lose air and suffocate to death. The only way to rescue the miners is to drive big trucks across a dangerous ice road. What could go wrong? The Ice Road is written and directed by the guy who helped write Armageddon, Jonathan Hensleigh. The Ice Road also stars Laurence Fishburne, Holt McCallany, Matt McCoy, Marcus Thomas, Benjamin Walker and Amber Midthunder.
- Liam being Liam: Once again Liam plays a guy with a one-syllable name, Mike. He is not as self-righteous in The Ice Road. He is more concerned with taking care of his brother, Gurty (Marcus Thomas). Gurty has severe PTSD from combat, and he suffers from cognitive deficiencies. But, he is one helluva mechanic, and he also has a pet ferret or maybe it is a rat. I could not tell. I do not need to tell you what Liam does in The Ice Road. I am sure you can figure it out.
- Predictably: I can promise you that nothing is unpredictable in The Ice Road. You have seen this movie many times over before. If you have watched any action rescue mission movie in the past 40 years, you will guess the next scene. Just remember: Predictably is not necessarily a bad thing. The Ice Road might suffer from some awful CGI, but the action never quits. I am constantly talking about modern action films lacking action, but The Ice Road keeps the action coming. It is mostly big truck action, but it is action.
- Final Thoughts: The Ice Road does not reinvent the action wheel, but it is pure popcorn entertainment. The CG is cringeworthy. Laurence Fishburne deserved more screen time. A certain subplot still makes zero sense to me. Yet, I felt a sense of comfort watching Liam Neeson do his thing. I have a feeling a lot of critics will slam The Ice Road, but I believe it is a very watchable Netflix action movie.
- Grade: B
Look for The Ice Road streaming on Netflix right this minute.
