Ice Road: Vengeance (2025) – Liam Neeson Returns in a High-Altitude Action Sequel That Struggles to Stay Grounded
Liam Neeson is back in Ice Road: Vengeance, the action-packed sequel to the 2021 Netflix hit The Ice Road. This time, the aging action star trades icy highways for the treacherous mountain roads of Nepal, setting the stage for a new fight for survival. This time against mercenaries, not nature.
Plot Overview: Ice Road: Vengeance 2025 movie
In Ice Road: Vengeance, Neeson reprises his role as Mike McCann, a former ice road trucker haunted by loss. After the death of his brother Gurty, Mike travels to Nepal to honor his final wish—scattering his ashes on Mount Everest. What begins as a somber tribute quickly spirals into chaos when Mike and his Everest guide, Dhani (Fan Bingbing), board a tourist bus that’s hijacked by armed mercenaries.
The attackers are after Vijay, a local man trying to stop a corrupt businessman from displacing villagers to build a dam. With innocent tourists caught in the crossfire, Mike must channel his survival instincts to save everyone—and perhaps redeem himself in the process.
A Familiar Formula with a Mountain Setting
Much like Non-Stop and The Commuter, Neeson’s character stumbles into trouble simply by boarding public transport. Here, the “Kiwi Express” becomes ground zero for a tense hostage situation. The film follows a predictable but occasionally thrilling structure, with gunfights, bus crashes, and dramatic cliffside rescues peppered throughout.
Despite the title, there are only a few truly “icy” roads, and the majority of the movie unfolds on narrow Himalayan passes. The plot may stretch credibility—Mike disables a bus engine from the passenger seat—but it’s all in service of the kind of popcorn spectacle Neeson’s recent career is known for.
Performances & Direction
Liam Neeson delivers a solid performance as always, bringing emotional weight to an otherwise thinly written role. His best scene isn’t during a shootout, but a brief, personal moment where he corrects someone who calls him “American” instead of “Irish.” Fan Bingbing offers reliable backup, taking over the “action sidekick” role with quiet intensity and solid screen presence.
Director Jonathan Hensleigh returns, but struggles to bring anything fresh to the sequel. Much of the direction feels safe and formulaic, leaning heavily on overused action tropes and underdeveloped side characters.
Action & Visuals
Ice Road: Vengeance delivers some modest thrills, but nothing particularly memorable. Set pieces feel recycled, and the CGI—especially during green screen sequences—often looks dated. The highlight comes when the group is forced to repair the bus themselves, adding some DIY suspense and minor character development.
Unfortunately, the film is weighed down by clunky dialogue and unnecessary flashbacks. Even the late Gurty’s presence feels shoehorned in, more sentimental filler than emotional payoff.
Final Verdict: Ice Road Vengeance Movie Review
Ice Road: Vengeance tries to keep the Liam Neeson action brand alive, but ends up skidding off track. It lacks the gripping tension of Taken and the novelty of The Ice Road. While the Nepalese setting adds visual variety, the story remains disappointingly by-the-numbers.
For fans of Neeson’s gritty action roles, this may be a passable watch. But for most viewers, it’s a generic sequel that offers little more than a checklist of tired tropes. If this is indeed one of Neeson’s final action outings, let’s hope The Naked Gun reboot brings more bite than Vengeance ever could.
⭐️ Rating: 2.5/5 – A scenic but forgettable action sequel.
