Liam Neeson's New R-Rated Sci-Fi Horror Movie Sets Rotten Tomatoes Record In The Last 4 Years
Liam Neeson is soaring with a stellar Rotten Tomatoes record for his new movie. The iconic action star recently portrayed a Pentagon bioterror operative in the new movie Cold Storage, in which a parasitic fungus broke loose in an abandoned military base. Also starring Stranger Things’ Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell, the trio must contain the deadly organism, or it could destroy humanity. The horror comedy is based on the novel by David Koepp, who is also the mastermind behind writing Jurassic Park. Ahead of its release, reviews of Cold Storage were mostly positive, with critics praising the fast pace and finding the balance between laughs and scares, as well as the callback to classic creature movies. In addition, the dynamic between Keery and Campbell is charming, while Neeson himself has a standout performance with his dry humor. As a result, the adaptation earned a solid 77% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 69 reviews.
Liam Neeson's Robert looking dismissively at Joe Keery's Teacake and Georgina Campbell's Naomi in Cold Storage
With the movie now available in some theaters, audiences are in agreement with critics, finding Cold Storage to be an entertaining popcorn flick. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score is settling at 78%, and if that remains, it would be Neeson’s best-rated movie with viewers since 2022. His highest-rated audience score up to this point was his Memory, which earned 80%. Whereas Cold Storage saw critics and audiences in agreement, his 2022 mystery thriller had a major divide, with the Tomatometer at 29%. Nevertheless, Cold Storage’s audience score narrowly beats out In the Land of Saints and Sinners and The Naked Gun, which earned 74% and 72%, respectively. The latter was his most recent role, where he portrayed Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen’s iconic character in the franchise’s fourth movie installment. It turned out to be a moderate box office success after earning $102 million.
Liam Neeson Movies
Rotten Tomatoes' Critics Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Memory (2022)
29%
80%
Marlowe (2022)
25%
37%
Retribution (2023)
30%
67%
In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023)
83%
74%
Absolution (2024)
56%
32%
Ice Road: Vengeance (2025)
15%
24%
The Naked Gun (2025)
87%
72%
Cold Storage (2026)
77%
78%
After starring in several dramatic films in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Schindler's List and Under Suspicion, Neeson quickly became an action star, thanks to his iconic role in the Taken trilogy. Since then, many of his movies in the 2000s and the 2010s have been in the action genre. With the actor now in his early 70s, he recently stated that “nothing definitive on the horizon” concerning his future in action movies, but admitted that there is a limit, saying: “I don’t want to insult audiences if they’re watching whole fight scenes and it’s not me.” While Cold Storage still shows Neeson in action, it’s also allowed the star to continue to showcase his comedy chops since the release of The Naked Gun. On the other hand, it won’t be his only 2026 release, as he is set to star in the heist 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, which is scheduled for April 17.
Despite the strong reviews from critics and audiences alike, the new film has only made roughly $2 million at the global box office. Even though the commercial performance could see better days, the under-the-radar movie still has a chance to find some success via streaming, as word of mouth will be crucial.
Cold Storage was directed by Jonny Campbell, and Koepp was the screenwriter. The film was produced by StudioCanal and Pariah. The remaining cast includes Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, and Lesley Manville. This is Neeson and Redgrave’s first movie together. Redgrave is the mother of the late Natasha Richardson, who married Neeson in 1994. Richardson died in 2009 following a skiing accident. Cold Storage is now playing in theaters.
Release Date
February 13, 2026
Runtime
99 minutes
Director
Jonny Campbell
Writers
David Koepp
Producers
David Koepp, Gavin Polone
Cast
Georgina Campbell
Naomi Williams
