THE GREY
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Written by: Joe Carnahan & Ian Mackenzie Jeffers
Starring: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson, Nonso Anozie, and James Badge Dale
I’ve got a confession to make: I’ve never been Director Joe Carnahan’s biggest champion. After his phenomenal debut with NARC, he’s been on a dizzying spiral of A.D.D. challenged films. SMOKIN’ ACES and A-TEAM were so unnecessarily frenetic, loud and in your face, they are virtually unwatchable (even with the promise of my third husband Bradley Cooper’s abs). However, all has changed with his newest offering THE GREY, which ushers in a markedly different Carnahan. Quite frankly, this is the one I want to stay. It’s genuine white-knuckle suspense that will leave you gasping for air. And much like the film’s protagonist, it doesn’t relent, it doesn’t back down, and will leave you feeling haunted.
In THE GREY, Liam Neeson plays John Ottway, a professional ass-kicker marksman assigned to kill wild beasts out to attack Alaskan oil rig workers. He walks the Earth like a zombie – so reticent to be counted amongst the living. It’s not until a horrific plane crash in the Alaskan tundra kills all but eight men, that Ottway is forced to fight for his life and the lives of this motley crew of survivors. However, Mother Nature has plans for this gang and one by one, she – and a clever pack of wolves – begin to leave their mark on the group.
There’s no doubt about it. THE GREY is an unflinching look at survival – both psychologically and physically – in the wilderness. Gripping, nail-bitingly intense sequences abound. It’s a handwringing, harrowing action-adventure film mixed with a beautifully poetic, poignant, and compelling look at life and death. And Carnahan guides the project with such tremendous focus and a calm, steadied hand. Knockout performances from the ensemble cast are a true testament to how strong the script by Carnahan and Jeffers (based on his short story Ghost Walkers) is. Neither over nor underwritten, each cast member is given a chance to shine. Diaz (Frank Grillo) is a man full of bluster and swagger but Grillo imbues his performance with a deep, heart-rending vulnerability. Dallas Roberts turns in an elegantly understated performance as Henrick, the quiet observer in the pack. Neeson gives one of the best performances of his career as Ottway – it’s inspiring to see his character go from resigned to revived throughout the course of the film.
Shockingly, the blood-thirsty, snarling wolves garner no audience sympathy whatsoever. And it takes a powerfully written film to turn me against the animals featured. (Confession #2: I felt bad for the baby dragon the SUCKER PUNCH girls slayed). Yes, man is encroaching on their territory, but we want these eight men see defy their insurmountable odds. The other two superstars of the film are happening behind the camera. Masanobu Takayangi’s stunning cinematography juxtaposes the men’s dark, depressing quest to stay alive against the gorgeous, peaceful, snow covered backdrop. Mark Gingras and David G. Evans’ all-encompassing sound design is particularly effective during the scenes where you don’t see the wolves, amping up the psychological terror.
Make sure to stay through the end credits – not just to decompress from the heartbreaking journey you were just taken on, but because there is one last moment that provides a bittersweet endcap for Ottway’s tale.
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