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The Grey: 5 Parting Thoughts
By Dan Horn
February 6, 2012 - 18:42
My threshold Rotten Tomatoes rating that decides which movies I'll see
in theaters is around 70%, above which the feature film
The Grey was
hovering somewhat closely. Couple that rating with a very deceptive ad campaign
which, much like
Drive's, touted
The Grey as some sensationalized
action film, and I was becoming more and more reluctant to pay the ridiculously steep modern box-office ticket prices. Still, I determined to see it. After watching the film, I
was surprised that it had amassed only a C equivalent rating. So, I read
what some of the negative reviews had to say in regard to the dark
survival thriller.
To say I was appalled is an understatement. The idiotic things that some
of these reviewers were articulating kept me up at night, grinding my
teeth. Most of the negative reviewers found fault in
The Grey's "big
ideas," "philosophy," and "metaphysics." God forbid a movie would mean
anything!
The Grey has "big ideas" like Jack London's
To Build a Fire had big
ideas, rudimentary realities that may not be for the faint of heart, but
certainly aren't quite as monumental or as subversive as those naively
Calvinistic would like you to believe. What really gets my goat is that
those imbeciles are actually getting paid to write fucking reviews that
tell you to avoid movies that have some sort of message!!!!!
Jesus Christ, I'm having a nervous breakdown. Pull yourself together, man!
Anyway,
The Grey is a fantastic film, if you can overlook its deeply
flawed CGI and brief lapses in directorial finesse. However, for that
director in question, Joe Carnahan,
The Grey sees him taking steps back to
his
Narc-era brilliance, and several simultaneous steps away from his
Smokin' Aces and
A-Team silliness. Similarly, leading man Liam Neeson
steps outside of his recent actioner arena to deliver a brutally human
performance. The supporting cast is likewise rounded out by incredible
and palpable performances.
I wanted to review
The Grey at length, but, seeing as how this review is
quite a bit late, I have to wonder if I'll say anything that hasn't
already been said. So, I'll simply leave you with five parting thoughts
on the film:
5. Up 2 SD mental health resources advertising in the particular theater
in which I saw
The Grey was a bit like Paula Deen sponsoring diabetes
medication.
4.
The Grey: You'll never want to go into the frozen tundra again. #JawsInAlaska
3. New tagline for the DVD release: "Will continue to remind you of the
utter futility of your life even days after you've seen the film!"
2. Second DVD tagline: "Suicide propaganda at its most nihilistic!"
1. Suffice it to say, Liam Neeson is no Bear Grylls.
Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12