Film Review: The Gray

"Once more into the fray..."


When I sat down in the theater I was very excited to see what I thought would be a guilty pleasure,
full of blood thirsty wolves and gritty one liners However, I was presently surprised that it actually had a
story satisfying on a deeper level. 

We are told very little about John Ottway when we first met him. (Liem neeson best know for films such as "Schinder's list", Star Wars: the Phantom Menace and more recently appearing in high action roles like "Taken ")  We see a man who has run to the "edge of the world" to Alaska's frontier working for an oil refinery. With a rifle, protecting the workers from packs of local wolves. Giving him a "very particular set of skills" perfect for the events ahead.

We are teased early on with small bits and pieces of
Ottway's past. What had brought him to such a remote and unforgiving place? we soon learn that his life is full of darkness. He's in the grip of suicidal despair over the loss of the love of his life.

With his love gone he seems to have lost all purpose to his life. Ottway early on in a voice over says " He isn't doing any real good for the world any more"  his only real purpose is protecting the oil refinery workers from the ruthless wolves. So, after boarding a flight from the refinery, along with some of the crew, to some place presumably warmer and happier and the plane crashes, Ottway does the only thing that
gives his life meaning: protect these men from wolves and survive .

Ottway along with six other survives from the crash, must fight the elements than soon a vicious wolf pack. Each one of the seven are harden men in their own right, soon after the plane crash their true colors are reveled. Ottway tries to hold the group together but the presser of the cold and constant attacks from the unmercifully wolves starts to quickly make the loose band turn on one another, as the film goes on each man is shown for who he truly is.

My only complaint is that I felt the wolves themselves as characters were underdeveloped ( I wanted to hate them more) However, Director Joe Carnahan gave the Gray a sense of ruthlessness from the land, to the wolves and the men themselves. I was taken with the cinematography and cold colorless feel to the film,
the gray left me both satisfied and wanting more. It may not be for every one but I liked it .- Rating 7/10


Rated R, Running time: 117 minutes

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0138620/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000553/