Liam Neeson's Worst-Rated Movie On IMDb Is A Sequel To A Netflix Action Hit

Liam Neeson has three movies in IMDb's top 250, which is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Outside of starring in flicks that many movie buffs regard as some of the greatest of all time, however, his general output is pretty good. His "old man Neeson" era has produced a slew of action gems, and his performance in "The Naked Gun" remake was critically acclaimed, proving that the beloved comedy franchise can continue without Leslie Nielsen and the gang. Neeson is a reliable hand, and he has a strong track record for producing hits, but he's also starred in some turds — and said turds have produced even worse sequels.

In 2021, Neeson starred in Jonathan Hensleigh's "The Ice Road," a Netflix action-thriller about some truckers who set out to save a group of people after they get stuck in a diamond mine. Neeson's character, Mike McCann, is the punch-happy driver tasked with leading the dangerous rescue mission, which forces the truckers to travel across a frozen lake that could spell instant death if something goes wrong.

"The Ice Road" was a hit for Netflix — one that stayed in the streamer's top 10 chart for weeks — but the movie received mostly negative reviews due to its predictable storytelling. It currently boasts 5.6 and 43% scores on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, so don't go into it expecting "The Wages of Fear" or "Sorcerer" — two movies that clearly inspired the film's plot. However, at least it fares better than the sequel, "Ice Road: Vengeance," which is Neeson's worst-ever movie, as evidenced by its 4.8 rating on IMDb.

"The Ice Road" is the poster child of the pedestrian, forgettable action movies that would have been released straight to DVD in the mid-2000s. You know — the kind of flick that used its notable cast to lure in action buffs who enjoy aimlessly perusing the DVD aisles in Walmart and Target. The curiosity factor is probably why enough people watched the film on Netflix for someone with money to greenlight a sequel, despite the lukewarm response from fans and critics alike. 

"Ice Road: Vengeance," released by Vertical in 2025, takes the action to Nepal and sees Neeson's character protect some bus passengers from a group of dangerous mercenaries. It's a simple premise that could have been fun in the hands of a director like Jesse V. Johnson, but like the first film, it's yet another run-of-the-mill effort made by people who are capable of producing better work (returning director Jonathan Hensleigh co-wrote "Armageddon," which is at least more entertaining than this franchise).

Neeson will make more great movies in his career, and "Ice Road: Vengeance" will become a forgotten footnote. That said, failing to use his particular set of skills in a flick that boasts lots of potential for entertaining mayhem is a missed opportunity.