Greetings Folks,

I just finished watching Netflix’s The Ice Road, and I wanted to share my thoughts. Before we get started, check out the following trailer if you haven’t seen it already.

Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, The Ice Road stars Liam Neeson, Marcus Thomas, and Laurence Fishburne.

A diamond mine collapses in northern Canada, trapping the miners underground with only a limited amount of hours for survival. Goldenrod (Fishburne) assembles a team of truck drivers, including Mike (Neeson) and his brother, Gurty (Thomas), who must do the seemingly impossible and rescue the miners by delivering the equipment necessary to dig them out. The mission is anything but simple, seeing as how Goldenrod, Mike, and the team must drive their trucks over a frozen ocean during the deadliest time of year to get to them.

Liam Neeson and Laurence Fishburne, who collectively can do no wrong in terms of storytelling, sparked my initial interest in this film, but the plot line kept me engaged. The Ice Road was an enjoyable ride, with steady pacing, beautiful cinematography, and a crop of characters who brought unique elements to an uncomplicated narrative. The education I received on ice roads, as well as the many dangers truck drivers face, kept the characters humane and viewers like me empathetic to those in the field. And the plot twist, which happened before the climax, made for an interesting final act.

My only subjective pushback was towards the deaths in the film, two of them in particular. There didn’t seem to be enough build-up to them, and it came across as rushed for the purpose of added tension. But since truck drivers who commute over ice roads are placed in these real-life suicide missions, it made sense as to why it was done this way.

All in all, I enjoyed the film.

Grade of B+

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Photo Credit: Deadline