In a surprising turn of events, Joel Kinnaman's action-thriller Icefall has surged to the top of Prime Video's domestic streaming chart, overtaking several high-profile releases. The film, directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, has found a massive audience on the platform, even though it didn't make much of a splash during its initial PVOD release in 2025.
Icefall follows a poacher and a Native American game warden who team up to track down millions of dollars scattered in the wreckage of a crashed plane. Kinnaman plays the arrested poacher, while Cara Jade Myers portrays the young warden. The cast also includes Danny Huston, Graham Greene, and Martin Sensmeier, all of whom have strong ties to Taylor Sheridan's universe—Huston played a villain in Yellowstone, Greene appeared in Wind River, and Sensmeier has been part of both Yellowstone and its prequel 1883.
The film's success appears to be driven by word of mouth, as it currently holds no official Rotten Tomatoes score, with three of four listed reviews being negative. Its audience score sits at a low 21%. Yet, according to FlixPatrol, Icefall has climbed to number one on the domestic Prime Video chart, surpassing big-budget titles like Masters of the Universe and Project Hail Mary. It also outperformed the fantasy comedy Good Fortune, starring Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen, and Keanu Reeves, and the espionage thriller The Amateur, featuring Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Bernthal, and Rachel Brosnahan.
This isn't the first time a Kinnaman-led project has found new life on streaming—his RoboCop reboot also gained a second wind on Prime Video. The actor remains firmly in the action genre, having recently starred in John Woo's Silent Night and set to appear in Renny Harlin's The Beast.
The success of Icefall highlights the growing trend of streaming platforms giving overlooked films a second chance. It also taps into the audience that has made Taylor Sheridan's gritty, character-driven stories so popular. With its blend of Wind River's tension and John Wick's action, Icefall seems to have struck a chord with viewers looking for a straightforward, adrenaline-fueled escape.
For fans of classic American thrillers, Icefall offers a modern take on the genre, with stunning visuals and a gripping premise. While it may not have won over critics, its streaming success proves that audience taste can often diverge from critical consensus.
Icefall is now streaming on Prime Video. For more updates on this and other streaming hits, stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot.
