THE GREY

		Review by Ken King
THE GREY - 2012 USA Release: Jan. 27, 2012 1984 Private Defense Contractors, Chambara Pictures, Scott Free Productions, LD Entertainment, Inferno Distribution, Open Road Films Rating: USA: R

Liam Neeson (KRULL, EXCALIBUR, HIGH SPIRITS, DARK MAN, DECEPTION, THE HAUNTING [1999], BATMAN BEGINS, THE OTHER MAN, CHLOE, AFTER.LIFE, CLASH OF THE TITANS, UNKNOWN, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, NON-STOP, A MONSTER CALLS, MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL) stars in this film co-wrote, produced, and directed by Joe Carnahan (THE FOURTH KIND), as John Ottoway.

A down on his luck man who works at an oil field in Alaska, his main job is to kill wolves who might impede progress when the other men he works with are out in the snowy conditions and maybe unaware of the danger always lurking around every corner. John carries a heavy burden on his heart. It is almost more than he can bear.

Then comes the day Ottoway and a large group of his fellow oil field workers board a plane for home. Everything seems to be okay at the start. The plane goes up and John takes a little siesta. As the flight goes on, it is apparent that the aircraft is suffering severe turbulence. Very shortly after that, the plane is on its way down. The jet crashes hard to the unforgiving ice and snow. There are few survivors. Eight to be exact, including Ottoway.

The small group of men set about trying to build a fire from anything they can salvage from the plane wreckage and plan their next move on how they will be living to see another day and then another.

It isn't too long after this, wolves, having smelled blood and death in the air, start circling the survivors and moving in for the kill. The animals are staved off for a little while, but they keep returning. Soon, the beasts begin picking off the weakest and working their way up the group's pecking order and their leader, John Ottoway.

Not only are the wolves a constant danger, but so are the elements and the men are in constant danger of freezing to death and falling prey to the other natural pitfalls of the Arctic splendor.

How many will make it out alive and how many will perish. That number dwindles with every passing moment. Soon, there may not be anyone left standing. Not even John Ottoway.

THE GREY also stars Frank Grillo (MINORITY REPORT, CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER, THE PURGE: ANARCHY, DEMONIC, BIG SKY, CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR, THE CRASH, STEPHANIE, WHEELMAN, BEYOND SKYLINE, INTO THE ASHES, AVENGERS: ENDGAME) as John Diaz. Diaz is the pretend bad boy of the group. He has seen time "on the inside" and mostly likely got through it with his macho swagger. The Alpha Wolf from the pack stalking them, changes up much of Diaz's attitude rather quickly, once he's told the wolf can smell bullshit just as acutely as Ottoway can, and both the wolf and John sees Diaz as one of the next weak links to exploit.

Dermot Mulroney (SURVIVAL QUEST, BRIGHT, COPYCAT, THE TRIGGER EFFECT, UNDERTOW, ZODIAC, INHALE, BEYOND, STOKER, INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3, LAVENDER, AMERICAN HORROR STORY [TV], THE PURGE [TV], DEADLY ILLUSIONS, THE BLAZING WORLD, GONE IN THE NIGHT, UMMA) as Talget. Talget is the sympathetic member of the crew. He misses his daughter and wants to get back to her.

Dallas Roberts (SISTERS [2006], TELL TALE [209], THE FACTORY, SHADOW PEOPLE, THE WALKING DEAD [TV], MAYHEM, MY FRIEND DAHMER) as Peter Henrick. Henrick is the scribe for the men who have fallen. He carries their wallets with their driver's licenses and ID's, so they can be identified by their families and give them proper funerary arrangements.

Joe Anderson (CREEP, SILENCE BECOMES YOU, THE RUINS, THE CRAZIES, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2, HORNS, SUPREMACY, HANNIBAL [TV], ABATTOIR, THE RECKONING) as Flannery. Much like, Diaz, Flannery starts out in the movie as something of a loudmouth and braggart. After the plane crash and his subsequent injury, he sees that all his bluster isn't going to get him very far.

Nonso Anozie (GAME OF THRONES [TV], ENDER'S GAME, DRACULA [TV], ARTEMIS FOWL, ZOO [TV], SWEET TOOTH [TV]) as Burke. Burke's motivation for living is like Talget's. He has a young daughter that is his whole world.

James Badge Dale (LORD OF THE FLIES, IRON MAN 3, WORLD WAR Z, SPECTRAL, HOLD THE DARK, THE EMPTY MAN) as Lewenden. He is one of the men in the plane flying home to see his family. Lewenden's injuries are quite severe. His future doesn't look bright from the moment he is introduced on screen.

Ben Hernandez Bray (UNKNOWN, CHANNELING, REAL STEEL, STILETTO, ALIAS [TV], FEAR THE WALKING DEAD [TV]) as Hernandez. Hernandez is left to stand on guard duty after Ottoway, so the latter can sleep. He is alert on his watch, but soon it is revealed he isn't quite as sharp as he should be.

The wolf pack doesn't forget.

And finally, Anne Openshaw (FATAL REUNION, SECRET LIVES, BLOOD: A BUTCHER'S TALE, AMERICAN MARY, R.L. Stine's THE HAUNTING HOUR [TV], R.L. Stine's MOSTLY GHOSTLY) as Ottoway's Wife. Not much is really known about her. She doesn't even have a name in the movie. John Ottoway never even mentions a pet name where she is concerned. You just know she has been there to tell him to "Be strong."

FINAL THOUGHTS
Though Joe Carnahan's film has a basic plot of man's survival against nature's forces, it is riveting from start to finish. The scenery is beautiful and I would swear to almost anything, that a few of those black wolves in the movie had to be friggin' werewolves, they were so big and menacing with a sort of otherworldly intelligence going on combined with animal cunning. The prospect that this could be a possibility, but knowing it most certainly wasn't the case, made the film all the more exciting.

Honestly, I thought Joe could have brought up the history of what happened with Ottoway's wife a bit sooner than later. What he did reveal about it, didn't come off very satisfactory.

Other than that, I think Carnahan's characters were fleshed out as much they could be in this type of movie. To elaborate further and give them all drawn out histories would have made the movie seem longer than it was, and an exercise in boredom with enough snow onscreen always to make one sleep rather comfortably.

Definitely, one of the better survival movies of this sort out there.

Four Shriek Girls.

This review copyright 2022 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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