The Ice Road: A Thrilling Ride on Thin Ice?
When a methane explosion traps a group of miners in a remote diamond mine, a rescue mission becomes a race against time. The only way to transport the necessary equipment is across the treacherous frozen surface of Lake Winnipeg. Desperate, the insurance company turns to long-haul trucker Mike (Liam Neeson) and his brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas), who suffers from aphasia. Assembling a ragtag team, they embark on a perilous journey where the ice cracks beneath their massive trucks, and hidden adversaries lurk in the shadows.
Liam Neeson as Mike in “The Ice Road”
Liam Neeson, a veteran of the action genre, continues to showcase his action prowess in “The Ice Road.” This time, he wields a multi-ton truck as his weapon of choice. While the acrobatics of his earlier films may be a thing of the past, Neeson still delivers thrilling maneuvers, turning a tense journey into a high-stakes sport.
Laurence Fishburne as Jim in “The Ice Road”
A Race Against Time and Treachery
The drivers face not only the imminent danger of the melting ice, exacerbated by an unusually warm April, but also the threat of corporate malfeasance. As the clock ticks down for the trapped miners, the survival plot takes center stage, overshadowing the corporate intrigue. Director Jonathan Hensleigh maintains suspense as the team – the loyal brothers, a Native American woman named Tantoo (Amber Midthunder), their company boss (Laurence Fishburne), and a mysterious stranger (Benjamin Walker) – navigates the treacherous terrain.
Twists and Turns on the Frozen Road
However, the plot takes a predictable turn when the seemingly innocuous character reveals their true colors. Neeson reverts to his familiar persona, confronting the traitors and shifting gears with practiced ease.
Liam Neeson as Mike in “The Ice Road”
Lost in the Ice
Unfortunately, the intrigue of “The Ice Road” thaws out halfway through, leaving behind a trail of ice and a lack of genuine excitement. The action sequences, filmed with shaky camera work inside the truck, are reduced to a series of jarring cuts. The fight scenes feel obligatory rather than integral to the plot. The subplot involving Neeson’s brother, intended as a sentimental touch, ultimately feels clumsy and detracts from the film’s overall impact.
At some point, the trucks and their choreographed movements overshadow the human drama. “The Ice Road” feels more like an extended commercial for Kenworth trucks than a compelling action film starring Liam Neeson. The director even gives significant screen time to caged rats, a Chekhov’s gun that fires at a convenient moment.
A Frigid Verdict
In conclusion, “The Ice Road” could have relied solely on the spectacle of massive trucks traversing thin ice and the unpredictable behavior of rodents, perhaps even without Neeson. Despite its attempts to ramp up the stakes with overturned trucks and character deaths, the film ultimately falls short of its potential. It feels like an unofficial sequel to “Cold Pursuit,” another Neeson film set in a snowy landscape with a revenge plot.
Hensleigh drew inspiration from classics like “The Wages of Fear” and “Sorcerer,” but “The Ice Road” fails to live up to its predecessors. It will likely fade into obscurity within Neeson’s filmography. His recent works have been eroding the ice beneath him, limiting his opportunities for self-expression. While Hensleigh’s past screenwriting credits include iconic action films like “Die Hard with a Vengeance” and “Armageddon,” “The Ice Road” serves as little more than a refreshing cinematic cocktail for audiences seeking respite from the summer heat. Make no mistake: this new film with Neeson is a refreshing cocktail.