Reviews
Cold Storage
Combining the talents of Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell with the legendary Liam Neeson and dropping them into a sci-fi horror comedy about a parasitic zombie-like fungus is a pretty crazy premise, but one that proves to be a match made in heaven. The result is a fun, crowd-pleasing popcorn flick that most audiences will have little trouble finding enjoyment in. Directed by Jonny Campbell and written for the screen by David Koepp, who interestingly adapts his own novel here, Cold Storage delivers all the elements of an old-school feature and across its brisk 97-minute runtime offers solid value for money.
The main bulk of Cold Storage takes place almost two decades after a mysterious, highly infectious, mutating fungus is discovered in Western Australia by military man Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson) and his trusted sidekick Trinny Romano (Lesley Manville). The pair manage to contain the virus and transport it to the middle of nowhere in America, where it lies dormant for years, with the once secure military facility that housed it now operating as a 24-hour self-storage site.
Here, Travis (Joe Keery), a recently paroled criminal, and Naomi (Georgina Campbell) work the graveyard shift as security guards. For the most part life is uneventful, until a strange alarm leads them to uncover the long-buried secrets of the former military base, unwittingly releasing the alien substance onto unsuspecting cats, deer, and loved ones in a wild and wacky turn of events.
With the fate of humanity now in their hands, it falls to Travis and Naomi to team up with Quinn and take the virus head on. Various characters are thrown into the mix to create chaos and a handful of tension-filled moments, though they mostly serve as cannon fodder for the virus and the grotesque forms it turns living creatures into. Even so, the film never takes its foot off the pedal, constantly throwing in some genuinely hilarious comedic gags, including a few pointed comparisons to COVID.
It would be easy to dismiss the film as just another creature feature with exploding eyeballs and zombified monsters a frequent feature, but that feels like a rather lazy comparison given how much there is to enjoy here. And sure, while a virus threatening the survival of humankind is far from a new concept, and there are certainly a few predictable beats along the way, you would be hard pressed to find a movie this consistently fun, making the journey well worth overlooking those flaws, even if there is an argument to be made that Cold Storage could, and perhaps should, have taken a few bigger narrative swings.
Liam Neeson, as expected, is excellent. His comedic timing here is surprisingly sharp, and could easily be likened to his work in The Naked Gun from last year, with nearly every gag landing. That said, it is Keery and Campbell who truly get the chance to shine, with the story largely revolving around their characters, and it is an opportunity they grab with both hands. Their on-screen chemistry is as infectious as the disease itself. Keery’s performance does recall his most famous role as Steve from Stranger Things in several ways, but as with that show, he is terrific here, and it only heightens anticipation for his future feature-length roles. Campbell, meanwhile, proves she has the confidence and presence to be a compelling lead.
A special mention must go to the make-up department, who ensure the zombified humans look as terrifying as they are gory. It would have been very easy for these effects to feel artificial, but instead they are disturbingly convincing, to the point of being genuinely uncomfortable to watch. Visually, there is also a sequence towards the end that would not feel out of place in a major blockbuster. Given the film’s relatively modest budget, it is impressive just how good it looks, and you will absolutely know the moment when it arrives.
While Cold Storage may feel generic at times and is not going to go down as one of the best movies of the year, it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. It is a wild and exhilarating cinematic experience that should still resonate with audiences. Equally as funny as it is gory, Cold Storage offers more than enough to keep viewers engaged and on the edge of their seats, making it well worth a trip to the cinema this February.