The Grey

Films about survival in the wild, especially in desolate, cold places aways lean to the extreme in terms of intensity and desperation of those seriously in a hurt locker. In the case of "The Grey", this concept is loud and painstakingly clear.

In Alaska, an oil drilling team is finishing their 'shift' of work, so they load themselves on a plane home. As they start flying over the mountains, the weather causes the plane to crash. Only eight survive consisting of Ottway (Liam Neeson), Diaz (Frank Grillo), Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), Talget (Dermot Mulroney), Burke (Nonso Anozie), Flannery (Joe Anderson), Hernandez (Ben Bray), and Lewenden (James Badge Dale). As they decide to move from the crash site so as they don't freeze to death, they come across a pack of wolves who are bent on hunting the humans as intruders in their territory. Will any of them survive as the wolves start picking them off one by one?

This was intensely directed by Joe Carnahan ("Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane" '98, "Narc" '02, "Faceless" (TV movie) '06, "Smokin' Aces" '06, "The A-Team" '10). the emotions he was able to get the actors to emit was amazing considering they were constantly in life or death situations. It was equally well written by Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers which was based on a short story, "Ghost Walker" by Jeffers.

What really made this film so compelling was what these guys had to go through as far as how they handled the different reactions to death and dying or at least the threat of it. The anger, fear, the faith, lack of faith, bargaining that a lot of them went through was so realistic and credible that it made this intensely gritty, graphically depicted movie shine. The ending could've been a little tighter than was presented, but maybe that was to add to the intensity. You can be the judge of that one.

I would like to dedicate this review to my good friend and confidante, John K. Dickson whom passed away on 1-31-12. He saw this film just two days before he died and thought it had a great story. This was his last film to view, so since he was such a film buff and a great movie buddy, it would be fitting to dedicate this film to his memory. So long John.

Out of 4 stars: 3.5                    Rated: R                       117min.