I walked out of the theater with this weird mix of amusement and mild disappointment. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but I also wasn't expecting to be so entertained by something so ridiculous. My brain kept replaying that scene with the mutated fungus spreading through the vents - it was equal parts horrifying and hilarious. I'm still chuckling about Liam Neeson's deadpan delivery of some truly absurd lines. The whole experience felt like eating junk food: not nutritious, but satisfying in the moment.
🎬 Watch the Official Trailer
What's Cold Storage About?
Cold Storage is basically what happens when you cross a workplace comedy with a zombie outbreak movie, but replace zombies with sentient mold. Two young employees at a high-tech storage facility accidentally unleash a rapidly mutating fungus during their night shift. When things go completely sideways, a mysterious government operative shows up to help them contain it. It's a race against time as this biological threat tries to escape into the world.
What Works in Cold Storage
- ✓ Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell had fantastic chemistry as the terrified employees - their panic felt genuinely contagious.
- ✓ Liam Neeson playing against type as a weary bioterror expert was inspired casting that paid off beautifully.
- ✓ The practical effects for the fungus mutations were surprisingly creative and gross in the best possible way.
- ✓ The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes the absurd premise actually work.
What Doesn't Work
- ✗ The plot has more holes than Swiss cheese - don't think too hard about the science or logistics.
- ✗ Some of the horror-comedy tonal shifts felt jarring, like the film couldn't decide what it wanted to be.
- ✗ The third act gets a bit repetitive with the 'run from the fungus' sequences.
Standout Moments & Performances
There's this incredible sequence where the fungus starts communicating through the facility's intercom system - it was both chilling and darkly funny. I actually jumped when it first happened. Another moment that stuck with me was when Lesley Manville's character, the facility manager, has to make a horrifying choice about containment. Her performance in that scene was heartbreaking. And I'll never forget Neeson's character calmly explaining the fungus's life cycle while chaos erupts around him - pure comedic gold.
Main Cast: Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, Sosie Bacon
Direction, Music & Visuals
Jonny Campbell's direction keeps things moving at a breakneck pace - you never get bored. The cinematography makes excellent use of the sterile, clinical facility setting, which makes the organic horror of the fungus even more disturbing. The sound design deserves special mention - the squelching, spreading sounds of the fungus will haunt my dreams. As for performances, everyone commits fully to the madness. Keery brings his trademark charm, Campbell is a believable everywoman, and Neeson seems to be having the time of his life playing against his usual tough-guy image.
Director: Jonny Campbell
Genres: Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction
Who Should Watch Cold Storage?
If you love B-movie creature features with self-aware humor, this is your jam. Perfect for fans of movies like 'Slither' or 'The Faculty' who don't mind some logical leaps. Great for a Friday night with friends when you want something entertaining but not too demanding. Also ideal for anyone who's ever worked a terrible night shift and fantasized about something more exciting happening.
Who Might Want to Skip?
Hardcore horror purists who want genuine scares should look elsewhere. Also, if you need airtight plots and scientific accuracy in your sci-fi, this will frustrate you to no end. Not for people who can't handle tonal whiplash between comedy and body horror.
Final Verdict
Look, Cold Storage isn't going to win any awards, but I had a genuinely good time watching it. It knows exactly what it is - a silly, entertaining creature feature with some solid laughs and decent scares. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, as long as you go in with the right expectations. It's the perfect movie for when you want to turn your brain off and watch some creative monster mayhem. Would I watch it again? Probably not in theaters, but definitely with friends on streaming with some pizza and beer.
