Liam Neeson-fronted action-thriller movies are pretty dependable. The Northern Irish action star has spent the last decade and a half building a stable of adrenaline-fueled flicks that typically offer no-frills fun, and “The Ice Road,” which premiered on Netflix in the summer of 2021, certainly fits into the mold. And now its sequel has arrived on the streaming service.
Called “Ice Road: Vengeance,” this follow-up sees Neeson again step into the shoes of Mike McCann, a seasoned trucker who is also very handy with a firearm. The original was a Netflix success story, quickly climbing into the No. 1 spot in the platform’s top 10 most-watched list. And considering how much Netflix subscribers seem to love action-thriller efforts, I won’t be shocked if “Ice Road: Vengeance” trends the same path very soon.
But unlike its predecessor, which was a cliché but (oddly) comforting slice of action-thriller escapism, this sequel suffers from some pretty big cracks. Cracks so large that an 18-wheeler could tumble down them. So, while “Ice Road: Vengeance” might sound like an appealing watch on Netflix this week, here’s why I’m far from convinced it’s watchlist-worthy.
What is ‘Ice Road: Vengeance’ about?
Following the events of the first “Ice Road” movie, Mike McCann travels to Nepal to honor his brother’s final wish of having his ashes scattered atop Mount Everest.
Joining an experienced local guide, Dhani (Fan Bingbing), on a tour bus navigating the perilous “Road to the Sky” mountain pass, the vehicle is soon hijacked by a group of ruthless mercenaries. While McCann came to the region to escape his violent past and make peace with his brother’s death, he’s forced to slip back into his old habits to protect the innocent.
Naturally, he finds himself in the middle of a bigger conspiracy as the stakes are raised and the bullets start flying. Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh (Who also helmed the first “Ice Road” movie) and also starring Bernard Curry, Geoff Morrell and Mahesh Jadu, “Ice Road: Vengeance” is a quintessential Liam Neeson action romp that puts brawn over brains.
Should you stream ‘Ice Road: Vengeance’ on Netflix?
To give “Ice Road: Vengeance” a little credit (before I say a lot of negative things about it), it doesn’t make any false promises. The poster is a glossy image of Liam Neeson holding a firearm, looking vaguely frostbitten, with a snowy Himalayan mountain range behind him. That image tells you exactly what you’re going to get here: Neeson kicking some butt in a snowy setting. And if that’s all you’re looking for, then this “Ice Road” sequel will deliver.
The problem is that Neeson has done this dance many times already, and so much better in the past. If you want pure entertainment, the likes of “Non-Stop,” “The Grey” and “Cold Pursuit” offer up similar thrills, but with stronger scripting to back up the action. Then, if you want a Neeson vehicle that’s a little more thoughtful, last year’s “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” looks at the cost of a life of violence in a way that is far more substantive than anything on offer in the "Ice Road" franchise.
Unless you’re a Neeson completionist, or just happened to find the character of Mike McCan so compelling in the first “Ice Road” movie that you need to know what he does next, there really is little reason to recommend “Ice Road: Vengeance” over the more than a dozen similar action-thriller movies the veteran actor has made in the past. It's so numbingly predictable that even viewers who have only watched a couple of Neeson movies will be able to map it out from the start.
It won’t come as a shock to anybody who’s already seen it, but “Ice Road: Vengeance” earned some of the worst reviews of Neeson’s career. It holds an abysmal 17% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics tearing into it for its lazy plot, bland action and thinly-sketched characters. Reviewers also aimed at its flimsy CGI effects and its overall redundant nature as a sequel.
It’s not uncommon for popcorn action flicks such as this to be lambasted by critics but warmly embraced by viewers, but “Ice Road: Vengeance” is no such example. Again, looking at the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, its viewers’ score is similarly awful at 29%, which is significantly worse than even Neeson’s most poorly received efforts like “Run All Night” (56%) and “The Commuter” (40%).
If you’re looking for an action thriller to add some excitement to your mid-week watching, I strongly urge you to skip “Ice Road: Vengeance.” Instead, pick one of the much better options from this roundup of similar movies currently streaming on Netflix. Or, check out our full guide to everything new on Netflix in September 2025 for plenty more recommendations.
Watch "Ice Road: Vengeance" on Netflix now
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