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Action & Adventure Pick: The Grey (2011)

Joe Carnahan’s 2012 effort The Grey is interesting not just because of the kind of film it is, but because of the way it became a victim of its marketing campaign. Billed as an “Action & Adventure” movie, it veers far closer to the side of character-driven drama with a healthy serving of wilderness survival. However, the film’s promotional material made it seem like another Taken-esque Liam Neeson actioner, complete with man vs. wolf fisticuffs.

I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t dive too far into it here, but I can safely say that’s not really what this movie is. At all. Liam Neeson stars as John Ottway, a man stationed in Alaska tasked with killing wolves that threaten an oil drilling team. When their plane crashes in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Ottway must lead the survivors to safety, battling harsh weather conditions, mortal injuries and a vicious pack of wolves that begin to hunt them.

Now, while The Grey might not be the action-heavy thriller that many were expecting, it has some gripping sequences that are shot wonderfully by Carnahan. The director is known for his high-octane, adrenaline pumping action scenes, as seen in such films as Smokin’ Aces and The A-Team, yet The Grey employs a more subdued approach, resorting to heightened tension and concentrated suspense. The film’s harsh environments also act as a beautiful canvas on which the events to unfold, and help lend visual weight to the unrelenting, harrowing struggles facing the characters.

The intriguing survival story is juxtaposed against a personal struggle in Ottway’s character, a man suffering from depression undergoing a philosophical crisis. The supporting cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson, Nonso Anozie and James Badge Dale, all of whom play well-rounded and interesting characters that act as more than just the typical nameless, forgettable faces we’ve seen in similar films.

All in all, The Grey is an interesting little film (clocking in at 117 minutes) that tells a strong character story, but also gives some memorable action sequences and suspenseful moments that lead to a gripping climax; one of the more noteworthy films in Liam Neeson’s newfound career as an action star.