From planes to trains to even submarines and nearly everything in between, Liam Neeson has had an action flick set on nearly every vehicle imaginable - perhaps a jetski next?

 

Seemingly inspired by the hit History Channel show Ice Road Truckers, The Ice Road is set in the world of truckies driving across dangerous landscapes. Although Liam Neeson will always be watchable and there are many elements to like here, The Ice Road melts away revealing a largely implausible plot with cartoon-like villains.

 

After a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada, an ice driver leads an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the lives of trapped miners despite thawing waters and a threat they never see coming.

 

The vast majority of Neeson’s action flicks have intriguing, action stacked narratives with well developed characters which form a cohesive, highly entertaining film. The Ice Road has a lot of potential in a lot of the film's elements from Neeson’s relationship with his brother Gurty to the action sequences out on the ice to the implicit commentary on big corporations polluting the environment and exploiting people. 

 

But these elements aren’t brought together artfully or cohesively enough to make this film a standout. The brother relationship is a shadow of what it could be, the action at times can be stilted and formulaic and the implicit commentary neglecting to land a killer punch. 

 

Although Liam Neeson will always be watchable and there are many elements to like here, The Ice Road melts away revealing a largely implausible plot with cartoon-like villains.