Liam Neeson takes on a familiar role in Cold Pursuit, where he plays a man driven by vengeance. His character, Nels Coxman, is a respected resident of Kehoe, Colorado, known for running a snowplow business.
Everything changes when his son, played by Neeson’s real-life son Micheál Richardson, is mysteriously killed. Determined to avenge him, Nels embarks on a ruthless mission, even if it threatens to tear apart the rest of his family. Directed by Hans Petter Moland (Out Stealing Horses), the film features Laura Dern (Big Little Lies) as Grace, Nels’ wife.
Laura Dern and Liam Neeson bring intensity to this icy tale of retribution (Photo: Cold Pursuit/MAS Production, Paradox Films, and StudioCanal)What Happens in Cold Pursuit?
This chilling revenge tale follows Nels Coxman (Neeson) as he tracks down those responsible for his son Kyle’s (Richardson) death. Working as a snowplow driver in Kehoe, Nels shares a quiet life with his wife, Grace (Dern), until tragedy strikes.
While being honoured for his service, his son is abducted and murdered by a local drug cartel. Nels then sets out on a mission to eliminate the gang members one by one, gradually closing in on their leader, drug lord Trevor “Viking” Calcote (Tom Bateman).
Laura Dern and Liam Neeson in Cold Pursuit
Nels’ actions unknowingly trigger a deadly rivalry between two drug factions. When Viking discovers that his men are disappearing, he assumes the rival Ute cartel, led by White Bull (Tom Jackson), is behind it. Seeking revenge, Viking retaliates by murdering White Bull’s only son, Baby Hawk (Kyle Nobess), as a warning.
However, this act only fuels White Bull’s desire for retribution. “A son for a son,” he vows. As tensions between the gangs escalate, Nels takes Viking’s son, Ryan (Nicholas Holmes), hoping it will draw Viking out. But Viking is already aware of Nels’ actions and prepares an ambush.
Who Are the Key Players in Cold Pursuit?
Nels Coxman is the central figure, driven by a thirst for revenge against Viking and his organisation. Although he turns to his brother Brock (William Forsythe), a former mob enforcer known as Wingman, for guidance, Nels handles things on his own.
Viking, along with his cartel, is desperate to uncover who has been targeting his men and what happened to his drug shipment. His vendetta against White Bull intensifies after he murders Baby Hawk, and he further escalates the conflict by blaming one of his own men, Dexter (Benjamin Hollingsworth), and sending his severed head to White Bull to settle the score.
This decision backfires when Viking’s right-hand man, Mustang (Domenick Lombardozzi), betrays him after learning that Dexter was his lover. White Bull and his Ute gang initially had little direct conflict with Viking’s crew. However, once Baby Hawk is killed, White Bull is determined to wipe out Viking’s entire operation.
Officers Kim Dash (Emmy Rossum) and John Gipsky (John Doman) are also key figures in the revealing events. Dash seeks information from a Denver vice detective regarding the gangs, while Gipsky’s level of knowledge about Viking’s activities remains uncertain.
How Does Cold Pursuit End?
A final confrontation filled with bloodshed brings everything to a close. Viking learns Nels’ whereabouts after a janitor at Ryan’s school sees him leaving with the boy. Although Viking initially agrees to pay the man for the information, he ends up killing him instead.
Viking’s brutal miscalculation fuels White Bull’s unrelenting pursuit of justice (Photo: Cold Pursuit/MAS Production, Paradox Films, and StudioCanal)When Nels realises Viking’s gang is heading for him, he takes Ryan and leads Viking to his snowplow business. Instructing Ryan to stay hidden, Nels prepares to take Viking down, but things do not go according to plan.
As gunfire erupts, Viking’s attempt to surprise Nels is foiled when White Bull arrives and turns the ambush against Viking. Almost everyone from both gangs is killed, leaving only their leaders standing.
Desperate to flee, Viking makes a run for it, but Nels blocks his escape. With no way out, White Bull shoots Viking in the chest, ending his reign. Before dying, Viking gives Officer Gipsky a message for his ex-wife.
With their battles seemingly over, White Bull and Nels drive away together in Nels’ snowplow. Holding a gun to Nels’ head, White Bull asks him what he is doing, to which Nels calmly responds, “My job.” With Viking out of the way, the two men find themselves at an unspoken truce over the loss of their sons.
However, as the film nears its end, White Bull’s last surviving gang member, Avalanche, accidentally dies in a paragliding mishap, landing in Nels’ snowplow. Could this signal the start of another war?
