Liam Neeson has crafted a fun little career for himself. He has won over the critics since Schindler’s List and recently, he has won over action fans with Taken. The evolution of his persona has left a mystery as to what type of movie he is appearing in. I went into the Grey expecting Neeson to fight packs of wolves with his bare hands, and maybe, emerge as the new leader of the pack. Instead, director Joe Carnahan has crafted a survival movie which delivers a treatise on how men deal with a life and death situation. What it lacks in wolf boxing, it gains in nuanced study of the human psyche.
Fleeing an incident involving his wife from the past, Ottway (Neeson), becomes a skilled hunter for an oil company in Alaska. After a failed suicide attempt and a plane crash, he is stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with 5 other survivors (Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Joe Anderson, Dallas Roberts and Nonso Anozie). These men are hunted by a pack of wolves, who believe their land is been threatened by the outsiders. As a result, Ottway must rise to the occasion and help lead these men out of dire straits.
Do not believe the marketing for this movie. It would make you to believe this is Taken in Alaska. The movie has higher aims then that. In these intense situations, people adapt in many different ways, many of which are explored in this film. There are very powerful scenes, such as how a man deals with his imminent death, as well as a soul pouring conversation during a lull in the journey. There are some good action sequences as well, but none of them compare to the introspective moments the characters get to show the audience.
Part of this story could also be a real life horror tale. The wolf scenes are smartly filmed: the wolves use their black fur to hunt/attack under cover of darkness. Eerie dread consumes most every night time scene, particularly when the eyes of the wolves can only be seen. By keeping the attacks minimal, Carnahan increases their impact. A more understated horror element is the scenery. Alaska has never looked bleaker. While Alaskans will be quick to point out their beautiful nature preserves, the place where The Grey is filmed provides a glimpse of the parts of Alaska they neglect to mention. These outside forces throw on more malevolence to an already frightening situation.
Not all of the backstories are properly explored. Ottway’s transformation risks credulity; the motivation for the change feels like a logic jump. The movie can drag in the middle, as not all of the scenes between characters work well, and the ending was underwhelming at best.
The acting is solid across the board. Although his character’s past is not properly executed, Neeson sells his character transformation from suicidal to survivalist. His Ottway does not use forceful language that much, but he lets his presence lead the group, and Neeson is one of the few actors able to pull this off. Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo also give unexpected and thoughtful depth to each of their characters. While they don’t outshine Neeson, they do get their moments to make audiences care about their fates. Also notable is James Badge Dale who is one of the first characters to be placed into a life and death situation, and in the few minutes we spend with him he leaves a great impression.
In recent years, Neeson has proven he can be the action hero we wanted. With the Grey, Neeson also reminds viewers that he can also be the professional actor that is the envy of his peers: how he can disarm with a stare or emotion, not just a punch. The Grey left lots for me to pontificate as I left the theater. While not Taken, I was definitely taken aback.