Liam Neeson is a survivor. In The Grey he is a survivor, too. After their plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, Ottway and a group of fellow roughnecks struggle to endure extreme weather, ferocious wolves and worst of all, each other. In the Arctic men are tough, rugged and strong of spirit, but Mother Nature is the great equalizer and she is not fighting fair.
As a natural leader, Ottway tries to gather the men and make provisions for their eventual rescue. But first he must face off Diaz (Frank Grillo) an ex-con who is anything but agreeable. Those who make it past the first day must now bind together and work towards a common goal. But when you are dealing with contentious, antisocial, independent men, this is easier said than done.
In the shadows, just out of sight, there is a presence sinister and grave. Ottway knows it’s the wolves; it’s been his job to track them down. But now, without a rifle, the two killers are on equal terms. The wolves show their hand and one by one they start taking the survivors down. Will Ottway keep everyone safe? Or, is death just a matter of time? The Grey is about living and dying and the peace you must make with yourself every day.
Shot on location in 40 below weather The Grey is completely authentic when it comes to the Arctic conditions. But the wolves are mythic, ethereal and larger than life. This is not a documentary or just a survival tale, this film is spiritual, epic and concerns the soul. This is a film about life and death and what we hold dear. The wolves in many ways are a metaphor.
As a fan of adventure films I did like The Grey, but to be honest, I didn’t love it. I would see anything with Liam Neeson in it, so that wasn’t the problem. He is very good here. My problem with the film was its spiritual nature. I was hoping for more complexity and more personal change within the characters. If you are in a group of men and you are being picked off one by one and you have no idea who is going to be next, it is going to shake you to the very core. The film does touch on this, but for me it was too superficial. On the plus side there are some great death scenes, good action sequences and some breathtaking photography of nature’s severest weather. The wolves are scary, too. All in all, this film will make you shiver in more ways than one.
Rating: Bargain Matinee A cool thriller
About Me
- Melanie Wilson
- My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson
No comments:
Post a Comment