Cold Storage
Cold Storage
Starring Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, Lesley Manville, Liam Neeson
Directed by Jonny Campbell
After the NASA space station Skylab crashed to Earth in 1979, scientists searched diligently for the remains, but something was left behind: a fungus that spreads quickly and, once it infects people, causes them to explode after spreading. Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson) and Trini Romano (Lesley Manville) are tasked with containing the fungus, and manages to get it into cold storage in an underground military bunker. However, as the years pass, the facility goes up for sale before it becomes a 24-hour storage facility with the fungus left behind. Now, overnight security guards Travis "Teacake" Meacham (Joe Keery) and Naomi Williams (Georgina Campbell) face a night of unspeakable horror as the fungus gets out and infects patrons and animals alike, bringing Quinn and Romano out of retirement to try to contain the fungus before it spreads - by any means necessary.
If you're looking for some fun b-rated horror that has a decent heaping of comedic gore and fantastic performances, "Cold Storage" is right up your alley. It doesn't take itself too seriously and allows you to fully immerse yourself into the story with relatable, fully developed characters and surprisingly decent CGI work for a low-budget film. Taking place almost entirely in one location, the harrowing tale of two mild-mannered security guards at an overnight storage building will not entirely move you to tears - except tears of laughter - as they go through the worst yet most exciting night of their lives. Throw in two Oscar-nominated actors who are allowed to let loose and have fun and you got a great film that doesn't have to be more than it is.
The terror comes from a space fungus that spreads like wildfire and when it infects a person (or deer, or cat) it leads to the carrier to explode into green goo splatter that's very enjoyable to see, considering the victims it chooses - like a deadbeat boyfriend, or a gang of hoodlums looking to rob some storage units that includes high-end TVs. Our hapless heroes find themselves drawn to the mystery of the evening, led by "Stranger Things" standout Joe Keery as the former convict-turned-good guy Travis "Teacake" Meacham and "Barbarian" star Georgina Campbell as the level, intelligent Naomi Williams. Their chemistry is off the levels and both are endearing, hilarious, and work brilliantly off one another.
Then there's the duo of Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville, both more known for serious, Oscar-nominated roles in "Schindler's List" and "Phantom Thread" respectfully, but here they're allowed to go all-in on the b-rated trope and have fun with their roles, particularly Manville's Trini Romano who is more upset that her son's car suffers damage than a possible world-ending event. Neeson as well shines as the gruff, no-nonsense Robert Quinn that has elevated his career in recent years, diving headfirst into his rough voice that commands attention and uses his own particular set of skills to keep the fungus at bay.
"Cold Storage" is a movie that doesn't teach you any lessons about life and won't be included in any critics' top lists of the year, but it's a darn good time at the movies and a great gateway drug for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the horror genre without being scared - in fact, it'll probably lead them down the b-rated rabbit hole to find other movies like this because it's so enjoyable.
The Score: B+
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