A little like Buzz Lightyear bringing a deadly, fast spreading parasite with him on his fall to earth. The 2026 dark comedic horror film Cold Storage, gives us a few nods and winks at those who came before. It also owes much to Alien; the franchise and The Thing. Even, The Hateful Eight can be seen here. Of course it also feels a little like Space Cowboys (2000): A tale of “over-the-hill” heroes.
*Truth be told, it also feels like a wink to Red (2010). Neeson filling in for Willis and Manville standing in for Mirren. If you care to go back even further, the schlocky fun of 1985 and The Return of the Living Dead, with it’s tale of stored zombies, is also clearly an influence. *
Cold Storage the Story
A returning space lab, in pieces, falls to the earth. It contains a highly aggressive fungus. It gets out. A retired “bioterrorism” specialist is called in.
The Cold Storage Cast (In Order of Appearance)
Rob Collins is Enos.
Sosie Bacon is Dr Martins.
Liam Neeson is Robert Quinn.
Lesley Manville is Trini Romano.
Joe Keery is Teacake.
Gavin Spokes is Griffin.
Georgina Campbell is Naomi.
Vanessa Redgrave – is Mary Rooney.
Richard Brake is Wesley Jerabek.
Cold Storage Works
Jonny Campbell directs the screenplay by David Koepp (presumably adapted from his book of the same name. Koepp is an excellent writer. This film shows us why. The storyline is interesting and odd. Campbell ensured that the darkly comedic film hits the spot.
Casting the right people helps immeasurably. Neesan has been around the Horror block a few times. He did his first comedy horror in 1988 ( High Spirits). Soon followed by Darkman (1990).
Vanessa Redgrave, of the Redgrave acting dynasty, was in the contentious 1971 Ken Russell film The Devils. She has appeared in more.
Manville is another horror alum. Her projects were on the small screen versus cinema. As is Campbell, appearing recently in the superb Barbarian in 2022 and the humdrum The Watchers (2024) to name but two. Don’t forget Ms Bacon, daughter of Kevin, as well.
Lastly? Good old Richard Brake has an overly large cameo. Brake is another familiar face to horror fans.
And the List Goes On
Cold Storage can also be seen as a splattery homage to a lot of the older science fiction genres. A touch of Fifth Element-esque humour and you’ll get the idea.
Chest Bursting Fun
The moment they start finding bodies, the fun really starts. Splayed ribs via a “birthing” event, means a guaranteed death. The big difference is the speed of the transformation. This one is fast. Fungi, it seems, is faster than a baby alien.
Ensemble by Any Other Word
This is a truly impressive ensemble piece. Sure, the big names work well together. However, every interaction is a exercise in bonding and great “to and fro” action and dialogue. Everyone brings something to the table here.
The Verdict
Cold Storage is a solid 5 out of 5 stars. This StudioCanal feature does feel like a more expensive cousin to A Sense of Dread, also out this year. It is streaming via MGM+ and on Prime. As one critic said, this is a popcorn movie and a lot of fun. Take it in the spirit of the creators and you will enjoy it.
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