When a highly infectious and catastrophically dangerous fungus escapes its holding cell deep within an abandoned US Military facility there are only three people between us and total annihilation; Self-Storage employees Teacake (Joe Keery) and Naomi (Georgina Campbell) and retired bioterrorism agent Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson). 

Cold Storage is an at times deliciously funny splatter B-Movie that never quite fully goes for it in a manner that would elevate it above ‘just a bit of fun’. Running at just ninety-nine minutes though it is worth your time if this is your bag. 

The plot is fun. We begin with a bit of real life history where we are told that in 1979 NASA’s first space station Skylab burnt up in orbit after years in space where experiments were conducted. We then jump to 2007 in Western Australia where an old Oxygen tank apparently survived and landed. Quinn and his colleague Trini Romano (Lesley Manville) are called to investigate the disappearance of townspeople in an apparent bio event. Here we are treated to Quinn’s hilariously sarcastic and dead pan attitude to things that everyone else would take rather more seriously. They then discover an infectious fungus that is secured in a US mountain facility that slowly over the years is forgotten until a Self Storage facility is built on top of it. 

The screenplay, written by David Koepp is based on his own novel. Koepp is one of the most famous and prolific screenwriters of all time and is responsible for scripts as diverse as Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Carlito’s Way, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man (2002) and Black Bag. On the whole he succeeds in his step into splatter although it occasionally feels a little restrained. 

Our heroes Teacake and Naomi display a good mix of self awareness around the peril they are in and curiosity to delve deeper into the mystery. However the sexual chemistry the film wants them to have is not on display at all. The absolute star of the show though is Liam Neeson who manages to deliver the tough man act in someone who is way past the point of being a tough man and some delightfully blunt and sarcastic put downs. 

Elsewhere there is some fun and gory fungus infections taking place in humans, elk, cats and rats. The gross out moments are fun, but a little few and far between. The first person perspective of the fungus as it spreads is also a fun camera technique employed occasionally as well. 

Overall Cold Storage is a fun foray into B-Movie territory that may not live long in the memory but will be a good time.