Cold Pursuit (2019) - Gritty - 8/10 (01/03/19)

Cold Pursuit is a remake of the Norwegian movie In Order of Disappearance. While I usually dislike Hollywood remakes, this film is a quite positive surprise.

The director of the original movie was also given the chance to direct the remake and it is obvious that he has put all his creativity, heart and soul into this project.

The locations have changed from Norway to the United States of America but manage to be quite similar since the film takes place in the wondrous winter landscapes of Denver and Kehoe in Colorado.

The lead character seems to be a perfect role for Liam Neeson who plays yet again a quiet family father with a thirst for revenge. He stars alongside other great actresses and actors like a particularly emotional Laura Dern and a versatile Tom Bateman who incarnates an unpredictable psychopath.

The conflict between arrogant white drug dealers from the big city of Denver and calmer yet equally deadly First Nation members from the remote winter resort of Kehoe adds some depth to the movie in form of a socio-critical undertone that shows how white men have mistreated First Nations for centuries.

Cold Pursuit also convinces with a shot of black humour and even some situation comedy. The former can be witnessed in form of the names of deceased characters that appear on screen during the movie and in the credits to pay homage to the title of the original film. The latter is exemplified by the memorable performance of Elizabeth Thai who plays a particularly angry, domineering and headstrong wife who overprotects her husband.

The movie only has a few minor negative elements which are related to the plot. It seems unlikely that the leader of a drug cartel kills the son of a long-term associate but potentially dangerous opponent based on a few vague assumptions. The fact that the lead character kidnaps the son of the drug cartel leader and carelessly drives around with him is also a headscratcher. The fact that the final confrontation is poorly prepared by the lead character despite his murderous objectives is also surprising to say the least.

If you are able to ignore some strange plot twists and at times illogical character development, you will enjoy a gritty tale of revenge with excellent actresses and actors, equally enchanting and sinister locations and a particularly elevated death count. Even by Liam Neeson's gloomy standards, this is one of his most brutal films ever and certainly not a movie for the whole family. Cold Pursuit is the movie to watch during this harsh winter season.