Liam Neeson is prepared to LIVE AND DIE ON THIS DAY in "The Grey."
(WLTX) - Seven oil-rig workers become the walking dogfood in "The Grey."
Liam Neeson plays a tortured man named Ottway. His wife is constantly on his mind and, without her, he doesn't even care to live. Ironically, a "nothing to lose" attitude might be the best thing for his current situation.
Strangely enough, it was his job to protect the others from wolves while they worked. Pardon the inevitable expression, but now, "the hunter is the hunted." Therefore, since he knows the most about pack behavior, Ottway is the questioned leader of the bunch.
As they fight for their lives, we learn more about the guys and wonder who's next on the menu. However, it's never a guarantee that the dogs will get them. The extreme conditions and accidental circumstances dwindle the numbers as well.
"The Grey" can be a hard piece of flesh to swallow. For instance, I doubt they'll ever show this movie on a plane. I can't recall seeing so much of a crash-landing from the interior perspective. If you are flying anywhere anytime soon, PLEASE AVOID THIS MOVIE!
Once this unsettling tone is established, they seldom stray from it. There's a lot of discussion about death - and what comes next - told over a very haunting score. It may look like it's just "man vs. beast" but it carries the weight of most war movies.
Personally, I thought it was well-done. But only because it truly frightened me. I can certainly understand if someone hated it for the exact reasons that I liked it. Therefore, I'm still not necessarily recommending it.
If it sounds like something you'd enjoy, I must let you know that there's an "Easter Egg" at the end of the credits (though it might create more questions than answers).
For anyone "on the fence" about this one, I'd probably advise you to stay away. Otherwise, you might have trouble sleeping due to a movie you weren't that interested in seeing to begin with!
By Lee O. Smith, News19 Movie Reviewer