Ice Road (2021) - Burning desire and duels in the ice and snow - 8/10 (27/10/21)

Ice Road is yet another action-thriller starring Liam Neeson in a typecast role he has played over and over again throughout the past two decades and counting. And this is perfectly fine.

In this particular film, Liam Neeson plays a tough, resilient and generous truck driver who accepts the nearly impossible mission to deliver wellheads to a collapsed mine in northern Manitoba where workers are trapped and fighting for their lives. In addition to inclement weather and rapidly melting ice, parts of the mining company intend to sabotage the rescue mission by any means necessary. The truck driver needs to cooperate with his brother suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a rebellious indigenous woman in constant conflict with the law and his severe but fair boss to save the workers under the most challenging circumstances.

Even though the movie offers nothing new, it has been executed with great care which makes it one of the greatest genre entries in recent memory. It's very positive that an indigenous character is portrayed by an actual actress with indigenous heritage in form of the very convincing youngster Amber Midthunder. The idea to include a character suffering from multiple mental disorders adds a psychological depth that spreads the positive message that even people who are suffering from such illnesses are able to be clever, empathic and reliable heroes. The settings are excellent for this movie as it was shot in Manitoba and actually takes place in the Canadian province itself. Nothing is worse than movies that are shot in Toronto for monetary reasons but make you believe that the plot takes place in New York City. The movie convinces with excellent pace from start to finish without feeling rushed. The special effects are employed with care and feature truck chases, fist fights and explosions among many other elements. The light and sound effects blend in very well and are best enjoyed at your local cinema.

Action-thriller genre fans should certainly appreciate Ice Road for its characters, pace and settings. The movie is great at what it is without trying to add anything new to the genre. Grab some drinks and snacks, sit down with a few friends and enjoy this entertaining escapism on a slow evening.