The plane crashes (boy, does it crash) in the remote Alaskan nowhere, and the rough-and-tumble oil wildcatters who survive must fight their way to safety. That in itself might be enough from which The Grey could fashion a ... more »suspenseful thrill-ride, but the movie has one more ace up its sleeve. Wolves! A pack of them, starving and considerably irritated that these outsiders have blundered into their territory. And while it is true that most real-world wolves are hardly man-eaters, director Joe Carnahan and cowriter Ian Mackenzie Jeffers are really not all that interested in reality. Despite some hair-raising moments and a healthy spattering of gore, The Grey is an existential action picture, and the wolves function only as all-purpose predator (being computer-generated, they never really look real anyway). What's really at stake are the souls of these men--how they get along together, and how they face death. Yes, there is always something faintly absurd hanging around this movie; it's like a Jack London story adapted by Luc Besson. But out of its pulpy mash, Carnahan extracts something gutsy. It certainly helps that he's got the mighty Liam Neeson on board as the most capable of the survivors; Neeson exudes the kind of authority that the average action hero can only play-act. Dallas Roberts and Dermot Mulroney add color, and Frank Grillo jumps off the screen as the most belligerent of the desperate crew. It's possible for a movie to have an absurd premise yet carve something unexpectedly philosophical out of that: The Incredible Shrinking Man and Rise of the Planet of the Apes come to mind. Add this one to that oddball list. --Robert Horton« less
Not really worthy of a rewatch or keeper due to the brutality of the plotline on all ends.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Eron R. from SAN ANTONIO, TX Reviewed on 10/26/2013...
We really enjoyed this movie. I think the advertisements for this movie were way off. It made it seem kind of silly. We decided to try it anyway because I like Liam Neeson so much. Well worth it. Great man vs nature and man vs self.
4 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Vanessa V. (sevenspiders) Reviewed on 3/11/2013...
I flippin' hate reviews that dismiss a movie the reviewer disliked because "its a guy movie" or "its a chick-flick" and therefore not relevant to that reviewer because of his or her gender.
The Grey is a deliberate, thoughtful action film. It is bleaker than most and present no easy definition of good or evil (hmmm, maybe that's why its called The Grey...) That may or may not be your cup of tea, but suffice it to say that this female moviegoer admired the acting and screenwriting greatly.
6 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Sandra F. (Sami) from ST PETERSBURG, FL Reviewed on 5/17/2012...
I ordered this movie because I like Liam Neeson. Maybe I just didn't get it because I was totally disappointed. This is the most pointless, depressing movie I have watched in a long time. Nothing but despair and dying. I think this is strictly a "guy movie" because of the content. I can only recommend "The Grey" to men who like this sort of thing.
2 of 7 member(s) found this review helpful.
Klava D. (bookfan1) Reviewed on 4/3/2012...
A word of caution - this movie is very violent!
This movie takes place in Alaska, and was actually filmed in British Columbia. The main character is played by Liam Neeson, a hunter who is hired by an oil company he works for to protect the company's workers that are working on the pipeline from wild animals, specifically wolves. This movie revolves around a plane crash and the few survivors' attempt to reach safety under very treacherous conditions and under constant threat from the wilds.
I started out not liking this movie, but it gripped me and held my attention throughout the movie. Just a tip - if you decide to watch this movie, make sure you stay until the very end of the credits because otherwise you'll miss something.