In a Cold Vein – Movie Review (3/5)

IN A COLD VEIN is a crime thriller with a crisp runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes and a plot that evolves non-stop. It has both twists and turns that surprise and a few very predictable plot developments. I was entertained but not particularly impressed. Read our full In a Cold Vein movie review here!

IN A COLD VEIN is a new genre hybrid that I enjoyed for its fast pace and entertainment value more than its overall storyline. The plot of this crime thriller was interesting and surprising at first. However, some of the later twists didn’t work too well for me.

That’s just my personal experience, but with a runtime of just 85 minutes, it’s definitely worth checking out. I just always get a little annoyed when I feel the ending lets down what came before. In fact, I found myself not really liking any of the characters towards the end of the movie, which is never good.

Continue reading our In a Cold Vein movie review below. Find it on VOD from July 17, 2026.

A night of survival and revenge

In this crime thriller hybrid, you’ll also get a lot of action-packed scenes. In a Cold Vein focuses on a kidnapped man left for dead, who goes after the people who ordered the kidnapping and attempted murder of him. As a result, the entire movie is one long night of survival (at first) and then pure revenge (in the end).

The man, who was kidnapped and left for dead, is described in the plot as simply “a desperate father”, but he is (of course) much more than that. However, in this plot is a clue as to how it will all unfold.

After surviving the attempt on his life, he goes on a mission to find his missing son. You see, there is much more to this story than “just” him being kidnapped. And it will result in several people getting hurt along the way.

Twists and turns… maybe one too many?!

As much as I love it when a story keeps me guessing, I also need to care about the characters. For this to happen, I need to get to know them. And I also need to trust them and somewhat understand them.

With In a Cold Vein, this was the case at first, but the final twist was maybe a little too much for me. Hey, I get it, and it certainly explained a lot. Still, it didn’t result in the overall story evolving in the best way. Not for me, anyway.

The description of “the truth behind the conspiracy is a shocking betrayal” will quickly lead to a few “usual suspects”, which means the surprise isn’t that big. It worked, sure, but could’ve been better. Again, that’s just me, and I still want to acknowledge that the overall pace and action worked well in this crime thriller.

Watch In a Cold Vein on Digital

Eric Owens is the writer and director of In a Cold Vein, which turned out to be a movie where I enjoyed the craft more than the story. Or the form over the content, if you will. It’s not that the story is bad; it just didn’t really work too well for me. I know, I sound like a broken record, but it’s the reason I’m not more excited.

And, to be honest, I should be more excited as the pace and acting worked well. This wasn’t made with a huge budget, and the production quality is solid.

Also, the cast with Evan Gamble (Fear the Walking Dead) in the lead, plus Brian Villalobos (Man Finds Tape), P Michael Hayes, Mor Cohen, Cliff Dean, Marc Pouhe,  and Steve Brudniak (Hypnotic) worked really well. There’s a real lack of women in the cast (just one, really), which never does much good for any movie.

Overall, the biggest issue I had with the movie was that everyone was sort of the “bad guy” while also having redeeming qualities. I much prefer it the other way around: A “good guy” who is ready to do something bad when the situation calls for it. As a result, this isn’t my jam, but I acknowledge that it isn’t a bad movie either.

In a Cold Vein is available on Digital and On Demand on July 17, 2026.

Details

Director: Eric Owen
Writer: Eric Owen
Cast: Evan Gamble, Brian Villalobos, P Michael Hayes, Mor Cohen, Cliff Dean, Marc Pouhe, Steve Brudniak