Into the last good fight I'll ever know.
Live and die on this day.
Live and die on this day." - John Ottway
(POSSIBLE SPOILERS; though, the fact that characters die isn't a spoiler. I mean, they are ordinary dudes against wolves... granted ordinary dudes led by Liam Neeson, but still)
Okay, the world better not end if more movies like this are gonna be made this year. It's funny, but I am uniquely optimistic about 2012. Nothing seems amiss, at least, no more than usual. And plus, how ironic that in our supposed last year I'd start my theater going experience, after 2011's Tintin (which I may review later), with a stark and unforgiving movie that also exemplifies man's willingness to survive.
I wasn't the only one fooled by trailers. Everything about this screamed 'FOR GUYS.' A small group of men stranded in the frozen Alaskan wilderness being hunted by a vicious pack of wolves... oh yeah, and they're being led by Liam Neeson. Hells yes. I, honestly, didn't know what to think, especially when it came to that now beloved shot of Neeson preparing to fight the wolves with broken airline liquor bottles and a knife taped into his hands. I was on the edge to thinking the film could either be really awesome or just a hokey cash grab that's banking on Liam Neeson's natural badassery. It was something quite different actually.
First, the premise: Liam Neeson is playing Ottway, a skilled sharpshooter who works for an oil refinery out in Alaska where he is paid to protect the workers from wolves in the area. And when he and the other people there are taking a flight out on leave their plane crashes in the middle of the snowy wastelands. Down to less than ten men, Ottway, being the most experienced, takes charge of helping everyone survive. But the harsh elements quickly pale in comparison when they realize that they are in the midst of a den of a wolf pack. Ottway and his motley crew begin their seemingly futile attempts to find a way out of the den or kill the wolves before they are all dead too.
The filmmaking aspects of The Grey are out of sight. This was made by Joe Carnahan, a director whose previous works I thought showed a lot of promise. These include the gritty detective drama Narc, and the balls to the wall action thriller Smokin' Aces, both films I thought went about their familiar storylines in interesting ways. He also did The A-Team awhile back, but I didn't have much interest in seeing that. The Grey is definitely his best work, though. The photography incorporates a lot of handheld camera work, giving it a more up close and personal feel that is effective. This doesn't deprive the film of amazing shots in any way. With the dark, fire lit nights, the desolate winter environment, and the almost demonic wolves, it always has a beautiful sort of dreamlike look to it. The music is effective, and I'm pretty sure the last scene features a rendition of "John's Walk" one of my favorite pieces of music. I also give the movie props for having probably the most terrifying plane crash I've seen; it's the pilot episode of Lost times a hundred. The movie was produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, so it was gonna be a big movie for better or for worse. This time better. This was just a well rounded film to me...
Which would not be totally rounded had it not had such a great cast of characters, and a small one at that. I apologize to female viewers who may want to see this movie, it's quite a sausage fest, and I'm not spoiling much by saying that any women who are encountered meet... unfortunate ends fast. However, the cast here is very good. The Grey gets credit for being able to get me to care about everyone one of the cast in some way, and for each of their seemingly inevitable deaths being just as horrific or tragic as the last; though, the first one is one of the more gut wrenching death scenes I've watched in awhile. A few notable figures in the survivors group include Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), probably the most civil of the group and willing to help, Talgat (Dermot Mulroney, though, you may not recognize him) who seems to be a compassionate person of faith, and Diaz (Frank Grillo) the group's token troublemaker punk, who is probably the most memorable next to Ottway. The face of the movie (seriously, need the poster show more) is Liam Neeson, though. And shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, does the man own this movie. It is certainly one of his best roles that I've seen him in. His character is complicated, every bit as much of an outcast from society as the workers he loathes in the beginning, and every bit as scared as them once they are faced with death. While he is not a total badass per se, he is the one who knows all about wolves and comes up with unique ways to kill them without guns or to more importantly elude them.
Now for the lesser known cast of characters: the wolves. Again, don't expect too many man vs. beast moments, because there is no contest in most cases. They are just stronger, faster, and more durable than a fragile human body. Its clear the wolves could probably just all gang up on the men at any moment and the movie would be over, but they are kind of like our modern equivalent to velociraptors, they are extremely dangerous and powerful but are also intelligent and strategic. So the wolves literally pick the group off one by one, and thus are not seen a lot. I'm kind of glad about that. The trailers showed the wolves mostly being CGI, but they are always shot and obscured in just the right ways that they are still believable. Besides there is no way anyone could get a real wolf to fake attack people like they do in this movie. Most of them are gray wolves, and there are around ten of them, and they are led by the Alpha. The alpha is basically your childhood idea of a wolf, but even scarier. Apparently a lot of the info on wolves supplied in this movie are accurate, but even so, the wolves seem more like nightmarish monsters than anything else. Their hideous howls, the fierce look of their eyes. Whose the superior being, again? Oh yeah, and here's a fun fact, wolves are one of, if not, the only animals who seek revenge, which will be freakishly obvious at a certain point.
I will just spare anyone right now who thinks this is Taken with wolves, it's not. Not to sound highfalutin, but it is a pretty deep and introspective movie. The characters clearly live by certain philosophies, all of which are painfully overwhelmed by the indifferent wild. Ultimately that's what the movie is about rather than a fight with wolves 'cause it's extreme, or, at least, that's half of what its about. On the one hand it shows quite literally that in the end our codes and gods won't save us, but our willingness to fight for our lives might, and on the other the film brutally hits it home that nature is unforgiving and is rarely beaten. To me at least, and I hope I'm articulating it correctly. I thought it was a very fascinating movie, while also having its share of awesome moments. Then again, I've been a sucker for man against nature stories since The Edge, which this film really reminded me of.
The ending, more than anything, is what will divide people on the movie. It was ruined for me three times the day I saw the movie, and it still struck a chord in me. Whatever people felt it may have lacked, I personally couldn't see anything being filmed that is cooler than what I imagined. The after credits shot alone gives you a strong enough impression of how things go down.
Well, my opinion is pretty clear. I loved it. See it.
Four out of four wallets of death.
This has been a review Your Modest Guru is kind of proud of. Thanks for reading.
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