Cold Pursuit

Cold Pursuit (2019)

73% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 88 reviews)

Runtime: 118 minutes

Directed by: Hans Petter Moland

Starring: Liam Neeson, Tom Bateman, William Forsythe, Tom Jackson, Laura Dern

From: Summit

Don't let the lead's real life controversy dissuade you from seeing this: 

I am happy to admit an assumption I had made was incorrect.

Wednesday night I revisited In Order of Disappearance; I don't need to review that again as the one I did almost two years ago still sums up my feelings after a second viewing. I did predict in the review that the remake's original title (Hard Powder) would be changed... this is more about me being cynical concerning Hollywood rather than any psychic abilities I may have.

I viewed Cold Pursuit last night despite those appalling comments that Liam Neeson made early in the week. I won't try to unpack all of that controversy or wonder if he has always been prejudiced; I'll never be able to figure out why he thought it was OK to make those comments at that time, as he was promoting his new flick and hasn't retired from acting. I know that will have a negative impact on its box office and that is a shame as this is will be worth seeing for some.

Before I saw the movie, I presumed that even with the original director doing the remake, that Hollywood will homogenize this and make it less unique and not as darkly humorous for the purpose of an attempt to further appeal to those that love Neeson in the Taken films or something like The Commuter. Turns out, I was mistaken; aside from a change in setting, this is a lot like the original so those that have seen Disappearance, most of this will be familiar.

If you are not familiar with Disappearance, NELS COXMAN (in the original film, NILS DICKMAN) plows the streets and roads of the small snowy village his lives in. His young adult son is murdered-made to look like a heroin overdose-by a gang and dad gets revenge by killing members of the gang... upsetting the vegan leader (I imagine that not even Letterboxd member Allison M eats the same meal three times a day like this guy does) and there are many moments of dark humor and some visual gags to boot. The violence alone makes this rated R as some dudes have their faces ruined from punches.

Those that haven't viewed In Order of Disappearance may dig this once they realize what sort of flick this is; I saw this with a surprisingly big crowd and not everyone was laughing, but a few really did enjoy Cold Pursuit. Those familiar with both may think the original is better (as I do) but are relieved that this wasn't poor like the majority of “Hollywood remakes a foreign film” pictures are.