The Ice Road, starring Liam Neeson, crashes its way through a treacherous and icy landscape to deliver a high-octane, if formulaic, action thriller.
While the movie does not exactly break new ground in terms of storytelling or innovation, it manages to grip you with nerve-wracking scenes of danger on the fragile, icy surface.
Liam Neeson once again steps into the role of a reluctant hero who must overcome staggering odds, adding a level of gravitas to a plot otherwise heavy with clichés.
Whether you find it icy cool or just cold depends on your appetite for action flicks that prioritise suspense over depth.
What Is The Ice Road About?
The Ice Road revolves around Mike McCann (Liam Neeson), a truck driver who takes on a dangerous mission to save a group of trapped miners in Canada.
A remote diamond mine has collapsed, and the only way to save the miners is to deliver wellheads via an 18-wheeler truck across frozen lakes, known as “ice roads,” within a specific timeframe before the ice melts.
Mike is joined by his brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas), a mechanic with PTSD, and Tantoo (Amber Midthunder), a native truck driver whose brother is among the trapped miners.
The team is led by Jim Goldenrod (Laurence Fishburne), an experienced trucker who understands the risks involved. As they embark on their journey, they face a slew of challenges, including engine failures, ice breakage, and sabotage, all of which threaten not just the mission but their very lives.
As the group progresses, it becomes clear that there is more to this mission than meets the eye.
Corporate greed looms as the real villain, forcing our heroes to navigate not just treacherous terrain but also moral quandaries. Each character is tested in various ways, bringing out different dimensions of their personalities.
In true action-movie fashion, the climax involves several heart-pounding sequences of narrow escapes and daring manoeuvres.
Will the team be able to deliver the wellheads in time to save the miners? And can Mike unveil the saboteur within their ranks?
The Ice Road Official Trailer
Is The Ice Road Worth Watching?
There is no doubt that Liam Neeson can lead an action movie. It really has become his bread and butter, helped by his trademark intensity and vulnerability. And as with similar roles, in The Ice Road, he can still make you root for his character even when the script falls short.
And the script does fall short. The plot is fairly formulaic, offering little in the way of twists or surprises. A few unexpected turns could have elevated the narrative to a new level.
The lack of realism beggars belief and I can't imagine it has many fans among the ice road truckers who actually do this job for a living!
On the upside, the tension is palpable throughout the film, with excellent set pieces and stunts that make for a gripping watch.
Sure, it evokes a chilling atmosphere, both literally and metaphorically. Plus the icy landscapes of far Northern Canada are breathtaking. But outside of Neeson's Mike McCann, other characters feel underdeveloped and one-dimensional.
It may be an impossible rescue mission, across treacherous ice roads but writer-director Jonathan Hensleigh could have done a lot better.
Cast Of The Ice Road
Liam Neeson (Silence) as Mike McCann, a seasoned truck driver with a sense of duty and moral integrity. He's the driving force and top-tier action hero of the movie.
Marcus Thomas as Gurty McCann, Mike's younger brother and a mechanic. Gurty suffers from PTSD and his character offers a softer contrast to Mike's toughness.
Amber Midthunder as Tantoo, a native truck driver whose brother is among the trapped miners.
Laurence Fishburne as Jim Goldenrod, the experienced trucker who leads the mission.
Where Was The Ice Road Filmed?
The Ice Road was primarily filmed in Northern Manitoba, Canada. The production made use of the icy landscapes and cold conditions of the region to authentically depict the perilous journey across frozen lakes.
Winnipeg, the capital city of Manitoba, also served as a shooting location for some of the indoor scenes and other sequences. The use of real locations adds a layer of authenticity to the movie, giving the audience a sense of the dangerous conditions.
The specific geography and climate of Manitoba provided a natural setting for a film about traversing hazardous, ice-covered terrain.
