Movie Review: 'The Grey'

The Grey Starring Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo Directed by Joe Carnahan Rated R

The Grey is an odd mix of a survival, horror, action, and drama.  It does each of these elements well, with a noticeable lack of special effects.  It's ability to blend each element, well, I'll discuss that in more depth soon.  But, more than anything else,  it hangs on the ability of Liam Neeson to hold the audience's interest with sometimes just him, alone, giving his lines or even without words.  Love him or hate him, one thing is for sure; the man can hold the screen like few actors can.  Oh, and he really is a badass.

Working in northern Alaska as a guard against wolves, Ottway (Liam Neeson) says he feels most comfortable around the ex-cons, felons, and those generally wanting to get away from society.  In a way, he fits in; yet, something about him stands out.  This becomes even more apparent after a violent plane crash results in him surviving with six others, few resources, uncertain where to go, and a large pack of wolves that are rather unhappy with them in their territory.

With everything going on,  The Grey takes a very simple approach.  It seems writer/director Joe Carnahan really wanted to get back to the basics after The A Team;  while I'm not critiquing it in any way (it was a fun movie), it couldn't be more different than his work on The Grey.  Even the airplane crash was simple yet dramatic and suspenseful.  You don't even get to see the plane crash, it's all from the point of view of the passengers dealing with the sudden chaotic onslaught of a plane going down in the artic tundra.  It's gritty, raw, and, in a world where I see way too many movies with other the top effects, a breath of fresh air.

But, like I mentioned above, the individual elements that make this movie good also make it a bit of a struggle.  We have deep characters (with a good supporting cast), an extreme survival situation (I felt cold just watching the film), and a pack of giant wolves chasing seven injured and practically unarmed men (which can be a debate unto itself).  But most of the characters don't get enough screen time,  at least before something happens to them, so we don't get a chance to really care about anyone other than Ottway.  Survival?  It looks freaking cold, but you can't hide the faces of the men you need to know about.  Annoyances to most,  but as each aspect of the movie develops, it becomes fairly obvious what's missing.  Rather, it becomes clear what they're trying to make your focus: Liam Neeson.

Since Taken proved that Neeson can captivate an audience with a monologue, that idea is taken to the next level in The Gray.  He does a great job portraying a man beaten down by his past, shows how a series of traumatic events can change someone, and even when there's nothing left, the will to fight and live can keep a man going long after he should have fallen.  They're dynamics that not many actors can pull off, especially when they're practically all by themselves, and Neeson does it almost effortlessly.

That isn't to say that supporting cast isn't compelling.  Dermont Mulroney and Frank Grillo lead the group of actors that are really just there to frame the story around Liam Neeson.  You can't really have a dramatic story of survival and perseverance without those that you can't easily predict the fate of.  Well,  you can, but it's risky and you lose that extra bit of contrast between characters.  Still,  they can be fun to have on the screen, and add a much needed dynamic to break up an otherwise dark and depressing tale.

The Grey was actually one of the first films I left feeling conflicted.  It's run time was nearly two hours, but in some ways it felt longer, yet others shorter.  Some aspects of the film felt slighted, while others felt like they get too much attention.  It has several powerful messages, and has the potential to leave you on the edge of your seat when the credits roll; or leave you downright frustrated, judging by the response in the theater as everyone was leaving. 

But one thing was for sure, the entire experience was worth seeing Liam Neeson's amazing performance.  If I was to rate that by itself,  I'd have to ask for a higher rating than 5/5 Abiding Dudes from my editor.

Comments

[WAR]

You know what you get when you add all those descriptive words in your first sentence together? Its called a suspense thriller, how about you call it that next time. Since you are unaware of this genre I'm guessing I'm not gonna waste any more of my time by reading the rest of this review. Stop reviewing movies before you hurt yourself. I'll be seeing this movie and posting a real review that I will come and link here later.

[Josh Baldwin]

If it actually was able to blend all those descriptive words into one thing, I would've called it a suspense thriller. And if not calling it that makes you not want to read the rest of the review, well, I think that speaks more about you than me. Which in turn will make me not want to read your review, as you attempt to get people to visit your site by trolling on other sites.