The comedy-horror subgenre comes with a considerable degree of difficulty: both genres tend to undercut each other. Even the single masterpiece to emerge from this unholy union —Gremlins, of course— is more likely to make you laugh than shriek.

Cold Storage gives it the old college try and, at times, pulls it off. Based on the pulpy bestseller by David Koepp (who also wrote the script), the film makes the gore register by going extra gnarly and pads the cast with three highly respected British thespians slumming it with gusto. Would you like to know more?