Liam Neeson takes us on a expected, but enjoyable revenge tale in 'Cold Pursuit'.

Cold Pursuit is such a simple and predictable movie that it’s enjoyable and even fun in its self-awareness. It plays out as a typical Liam Neeson movie, one in which most viewers will expect what’s to come next…

Nels, who is a grieving father seeks out revenge against drug dealers who killed his son Kyle. To avenge his son, he takes on a nonconforming journey in order to find and kill everyone who was involved in his son’s death.

Doesn't the plot sound familiar? Like something we've seen before, perhaps in Taken? However, this time instead of trying to save his daughter or seeking out an act of revenge on his wife killers, the protagonist is trying to avenge his son; it’s almost incredible how generic and expected the story-line here is. Based on Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance and directed by the same director, Hans Peter Molland, Cold Pursuit seems like a watered-down version of the original, as it’s the usual case with American remakes. Somehow its cold and dark vibe from the original is partly missed here, but not entirely, thanks to the involvement of the original creators, the distinctive features that made the original film a success can still be noticed in the remake.

Unlike Taken, Cold Pursuit is not nearly as dramatic and serious. Its atypical tone is mostly a plus; there’s just enough of silly humor that blends well with more dramatic moments. There doesn’t seem to be missing typical violent moments that are so often featured in Liam Neeson movies, and well, these scenes are the strongest elements, mixing the drama and humor. If we go past its ridiculousness and absurdity, Cold Pursuit is a pretty entertaining action flick, even if it’s not nearly as exciting as Taken was. Editing and fast pace are the highlights, making the story and characters easy to follow.

One of the biggest downsides of the movie are its characters, none of them except for our hero are any memorable. As expected, Neeson fits the lead role perfectly, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen him do before. Emmy Rossum plays a stereotypical and bland cop, while Laura Dern is completely wasted in a small part that could as well be written out and nobody would notice the difference. Even the villain played by Tom Bateman is the most cartoonish and stereotypical antihero that there could be in his egocentrically way.

Cold Pursuit is not a good movie in a sophisticated meaning of that word, but it’s the type of a film that will find its fans, especially among the audience that enjoys easy-going action movies with a lot of fighting and running. Thanks to its self-awareness, the finished product is not only average, but also a thrilling and exciting watch, and overall succeeds in its intended creation.

2.5/5

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