Cold Storage

Cold Storage Review: A weak plot doesn't stop this film's brilliance

Brighton Nelson

22 Feb 2026 — 5 min read

Cold Storage was one of my most anticipated films of February and, by extension, the year at large. A new horror project starring one of my favorite actors, Joe Keery, along with Liam Neeson and Georgina Campbell? Sign me the Jecht up. I was there opening night, thoroughly excited for what was to come. And, did it live up to my lofty, sky-high expectations? That's what I will be delving into in today's Reel Ranker review.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but as usual, I'll explore the negatives first, then hammer the review home with the positives. The main problem I have with this film is that, while it's a fun time with a unique flair and wonderful performances, the plot is, more often than not, entirely by the numbers and uniquely uninteresting. This is definitely a film carried by its performances and style. Another odd problem with this film is the complete underutilization of Liam Neeson, master of action and deadpan humor. He doesn't even meet the other main characters until well into the third act, and all the little cutaways to his detective work and whatnot don't really add much to the film, nor do they utilize Neeson's talent. These few problems will likely keep the film from becoming a new horror-humor classic for many, despite how good it is.

I can't get over how much I love this film's color scheme.

However, while I couldn't have cared less about the film's mediocre plot, the film delivered Joe Keery's humor and fantastic gore in spades. I wouldn't change a single thing about the dialogue or the horror elements here, because, frankly, it's fantastic stuff. The color design of their outfits, contrasting with the storage facility and the green, gloopy, gory viral explosions, and Keery's bleached-blond hair, gives the film a tangible, memorable style that fits fantastically with the equally vibrant humor and performances.

The set piece of the storage facility was also quite a bit more interesting than I expected, with the mystery elements of the lower floor being discovered behind the wall as the major highlight of the plot. The film's Liam Neeson mystery subplot may have been weak, but the few minutes of mystery delivered at the beginning, the discovery of the lower floor, was superb. The cold open was another great bit of the plot, amplified by its cosmic atmosphere.

Cold Storage (2026) Horror Movie | Horror Brains — Whoever designed this poster is an absolute genius. It's simple, but it's absolutely stunning. Easily the most eye-popping poster I've seen in years. I usually hate to use my title picture in the article for redundancy's sake, but I had to comment on this.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 77%
Letter Score: A
Star Ranking: 4 out of 5

Cold Storage may have had an uninteresting plot that underutilizes many elements that could've over-the-topped the film; the film's unscathed elements fire on all cylinders throughout the entire runtime. The acting is endlessly fun, the movie has an impressively unique style, and the horror elements are truly fantastic. While it likely won't become a new widespread horror classic, since it didn't create many ripples or innovate within the genre, this will forever remain a classic in my heart for its excellence in what it did right.

Interested in checking out my reviews for some other recent horror projects? Check them out below!