Cold Storage

Have you missed a zombie-core? Well, maybe it’s about time — because there’s actually something to go see in the cinema and have a genuinely fun evening.

Cold Storage, directed by Jonny Campbell, might be exactly that kind of movie. This is only his second feature film, despite a pretty extensive background in television, and for this project he managed to put together a solid cast. Liam Neeson, Georgina Campbell — who’s been popping up more and more lately — Joe Keery in his first major leading film role, and Lesley Manville. It’s a curious lineup, especially for a movie that wants to try something a little different in a very predictable genre.

The story follows Travis and Naomi, two employees working at a self-storage facility, who suddenly find themselves face to face with a dangerous virus that turns people into zombie-like creatures. The virus spreads fast — and kills even faster. The setup itself is fairly logical: lazy government workers once discovered an extremely dangerous virus, froze it, shoved it somewhere deep into storage, and completely forgot about it. Years later, of course, it gets activated. Enter Robert Quinn — a former military operative who has already dealt with this infection in the past. He comes out of retirement to prevent the virus from spreading across the country and, eventually, the entire planet, because if that happens, humanity is basically done. This is where the characters collide: a small group of people trying, very low-key, to save the world.

In many ways, Cold Storage uses all the familiar tropes of post-apocalyptic and zombie cinema. What makes it stand out, though, is its scale — or rather, the lack of it. This isn’t a global outbreak with cities falling apart, massive hordes of zombies, and humanity already doomed. The entire story is contained within one small location: this self-storage facility. A handful of characters, a confined space, and a very specific mission. Because of that, the film plays with slightly different colors — it feels more intimate, more focused. You’re less invested in who survives (because, let’s be honest, in films like this it’s usually pretty predictable) and more interested in whether they’ll actually manage to stop the virus from spreading any further.

The movie doesn’t shy away from clichés and never tries to pretend it’s something bigger or smarter than a fun horror flick. It could have been funnier at times, more epic in others, maybe even more tragic or emotionally deep. But what it does really well is entertain — and that’s its strongest quality.

As for the cast: Liam Neeson is charming and leans into his comedic side as always, while Lesley Manville works as a great “partner in crime” alongside him. Joe Keery is quite charismatic in his first big leading role, and while Georgina Campbell may not be the standout of the cast, she handles her character and storyline perfectly well.

In the end, Cold Storage is pure entertainment. This is the kind of movie you go see with popcorn, nachos, and a group of friends — laughing at dumb jokes, fun moments, and ridiculous deaths, while watching infected heads explode. The film doesn’t hold back on makeup and brutal scenes, and visually it all comes across as pretty eccentric. The character dynamics and their attempts to build some sort of emotional connection even vaguely reminded me of Zombieland.

So no, this isn’t a masterpiece, and it’s not trying to be one. But for a fun, brain-off evening at the cinema, Cold Storage is absolutely worth it.

6/10

Thanks to CANAL+ and Kino Świat for the early screening.