2025, MA15+ (strong violence), 96 mins
Walkden Entertainment/Defiant Entertainment
Stars Joel Kinnaman, Cara Jade Myers, Danny Huston
Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky
A solid, well-crafted actioner that keeps viewers engaged for the entire running time, Icefall feels like a throwback to ‘90s action flicks (with a particular nod to Cliffhanger) and also gets a big boost from a better than average cast and the fact that it was filmed on real wintry locations, which gives Icefall an air of authenticity that a lot of recent films in the genre lack.
The story follows a ruthless gang of thieves, overseen by the softly-spoken but menacing Rhodes (Danny Huston), who have pulled off the perfect heist netting them a small fortune in cash. But an unforeseen plane crash over Alaska scatters the suitcase holding the stolen cash underneath a frozen lake, and the gang launches a desperate attempt to recover the money.
But before they can retrieve it, it’s discovered by a lone poacher, Harlan (Joel Kinnaman) who is in turn captured by a no-nonsense indigenous game warden named Ani (Cara Jade Myers) who mistakes him for a thief himself. But it’s not long before the villainous gang arrives and is hellbent on getting the money back at any cost, forcing Harlan and Ani to flee across the frozen landscape and forced to improvise a variety of decidedly low-tech methods to fight back against their well-armed pursuers.
The acting is way above par what you’d expect from a genre flick like this. Myers, so memorable in the recent Killers of the Flower Moon, brings an authenticity and grittiness to her role, and proves to be a surprisingly effective action hero. Kinnaman is also impressive as a man with a tragic backstory, and is given some very effective moments of pathos.
The always-great Huston doesn’t get a tonne of screen time but commands the screen every time he appears, and is able to convey so much with minimal dialogue and his natural intensity. It’s also bittersweet to see the late, great Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves) make an appearance given his recent passing, with this being one of the final roles the actor filmed before his death, but he is excellent as always.
The violence is at times as brutal and unforgiving as the Alaskan wilderness, with one memorably nasty moment involving a bear trap, but the pace never slackens and director Stefan Ruzowitzky delivers a supremely entertaining thriller that will please anyone looking for a throwback to the days of straight-forward, unpretentious old school action flicks.
3.5/5 STARS
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 