Review: The Grey
4 stars.
Bundle up—just watching this movie will make you feel cold. As a small group of airplane crash survivors trek across the frigid waste of Alaska’s wilds, led by the introspective and phenomenal Liam Neeson as the suicidal John Ottway, the howl of the wind and wolves will make viewers shiver in their seats. This is not a happy film, as the men are hunted one by one by the wolves. But it is triumphant in its own way. It’s rare for a survival film to have characters so empathetic to the audience as these, but that is what makes the film work so well. Their conversations concerning humanity, family, God, life and death are made increasingly hard-hitting as they are hunted by a primal pack of wolves.
This is the fearless sort of filmmaking that we’re lucky to see receive a wide release. “The Grey” is not afraid to venture into the existential territory many fans of action films may find unfamiliar. It’s a great development for films of each genre. Be warned, this is not the action-thriller it was marketed as—it’s far better than that.
If you like this, check out “Fight Club.”
