The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMovie reviewsAmazon Prime Video

The Ice Road

The Ice Road | Movie review
28 June 2021
Joe Milo
Avatar
Joe Milo
28 June 2021

Movie and show review

Joe Milo

The Ice Road

★★★★★

Release date

25th June 2021

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Platform

Amazon Prime Video

In the frozen wastes of northern Canada, a mine collapse traps a group of miners deep underground. Their only hope is Liam Neeson in a big truck who, in a race against time, has to deliver a crucial piece of drilling equipment. But standing in his way, is the Ice Road. 

This is the premise that opens the latest film from Jonathan Hensleigh, veteran of action-adventure cinema whose previous works include 2004’s The Punisher. It’s a good premise, with solidly defined stakes and an interesting setting, but it must be said that the result never quite lives up to it. 

The greatest issue with The Ice Road is that it changes tack halfway through. Whilst the story is set up to be one of survival and man against nature, around an hour in it suddenly shifts in the direction of an action-adventure thriller, complete with moustache-twirling antagonists and high-speed snowmobile chases. It not only feels like a clunky way to add additional layers of drama to the plot, but also doesn’t ever come off as entirely convincing. It eventually results in an extended runtime that drags on and on through a series of unconvincing action sequences that do little, only managing to meander around in the conventions of the genre. 

On the whole, the acting is fine and Neeson puts on a standardly gruff performance. The solid supporting cast, including Lawrence Fishbourne and Holt McCallany, are also very watchable, but every role is let down by a sub-par and, at times, incredibly cringeworthy, screenplay. There is little in terms of original characterisation and even some of the more interesting sub-plots, such as Neeson dealing with the realities of his brother’s aphasia, are let down by ham-fisted dialogue and forced character development.  

There are visually striking moments and the frozen landscape does provide a nice backdrop for some of the more intense sequences, but it doesn’t manage to carry the film through the boring and clichéd scenes, of which there are a few.

One to watch for those who enjoy trucking and Liam Neeson, but otherwise not enough to pique interest.

★★★★★

Joe Milo

The Ice Road is released on Amazon Prime Video on 25th June 2021.

Watch the trailer for The Ice Road here:

Related Itemsadventuredramajonathan hensleighliam neesonreviewthriller

More in Movie reviews

Where is Anne Frank?

★★★★★
Emma Kiely
Read More

Anaïs in Love

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

The Feast

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

My Old School

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Nope

★★★★★
Selina Sondermann
Read More

Eiffel

★★★★★
Diletta Lobuono
Read More

Fadia’s Tree

★★★★★
Marissa Khaos
Read More

Prey

★★★★★
Selina Sondermann
Read More

What Josiah Saw

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Joe Milo

The Ice Road

★★★★★

Release date

25th June 2021

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Platform

Amazon Prime Video

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Coldplay at Wembley Stadium: “A night that will be remembered by 80,000 people for years to come”
    Live music
  • My Old School
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Sprung
    ★★★★★
    other
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2022: Mr Moon at C Aquila
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Camden Fringe 2022: Keep It Down at Hope Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Camden Fringe 2022: The Man Who Wouldn’t Be Murdered at Lion & Unicorn Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “It’s by going to the intimacy of our own perspective that we can hope to then speak to a more general audience”: Charline Bourgeouis-Tacquet on Anaïs in Love
    Cinema & Tv
  • Trending summer dresses everyone wants to own in a heatwave
    Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2022: In PurSUEt at Underbelly, Cowgate
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2022: Mr Moon at C Aquila
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “It’s by going to the intimacy of our own perspective that we can hope to then speak to a more general audience”: Charline Bourgeouis-Tacquet on Anaïs in Love
    Cinema & Tv
  • Coldplay at Wembley Stadium: “A night that will be remembered by 80,000 people for years to come”
    Live music
  • Where is Anne Frank?
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Anaïs in Love
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • My Old School
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The Land’s Heart Is Greater Than Its Map at the Barbican | Theatre review
Game, set and munch: Ten places to enjoy Wimbledon without hitting the courts