Movie review: The Ice Road

 Following the collapse of a mine in remote northern Canada, struggling ice road trucker Mike and his brother lead a rescue mission of semi-trucks loaded with heavy equipment across a frozen ocean to save trapped miners.

Liam Neeson (Mike), Marcus Thomas (Gurty), Laurence Fishburne (Goldenrod), Amber Midthunder (Tantoo), Benjamin Walker (Varnay), Holt McCallany (Lampard), Martin Sensmeier (Cody), Matt McCoy (Sickle).

The Ice Road begins with some character introductions and plot setup as we learn how Mike and Gurty are down on their luck and scraping to survive. Things quickly change with the mine collapse trapping most of the miners and the equipment needed to save them across a frozen ocean. Mike decides to take on the task of driving a load of heavy equipment across the ice after which the film is simply action and adventure with some bits of suspense and a thin sub-plot for distraction.

Acting was decent from Neeson, but the film was not. Liam, you make a good action hero but you need to stop taking these repetitive, plot deficient, roles trying to capitalize on your name. Thomas was decent as was Fishburne in a smallish role. Midthunder was okay while Walker delivered his usual. The remainder of the cast was okay.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are pretty good though integration with VFX was seriously lacking at times. Action scene CGI could have also used a bit of help. Dialogue was mediocre with reasonable depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are fairly boring.

Overall The Ice Road is a solid Action & Adventure flick, if you have not seen many Action & Adventure flicks. The film never really develops energy or character engagement and feels like a generic cookie-cutter film with little depth or originality.

With some violence and foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 7.1.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Thriller, Action Thriller, Action Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel