The Grey: AKA: Fuck Wolves

Wednesday night I did it. I picked the time, I picked the place, and I picked a really great friend and we did it. We saw The Grey. I remember back when they were casting this film, we had a lot of people go in, in fact a lot of the audition scenes made it into the final script. But I digress, before seeing the film I was presented by two very strong, very polar opinions. Everyone who saw it seemed to either LOVE it or HATE it. There seemed to be no in-betweens. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am that in between.  I didn't hate the movie, but I didn't love it either. I'm glad I went to go see it and I enjoyed it, but is it something I NEED to own and watch repeatedly? Not so much. So let's break it down a bit. By the way, if you haven't see the film yet and wish not to be spoiled, stop reading now.

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD

The Good
1) The casting. This is a big thing for me, doing what I do, I rejoice in great casting. Well done  First of all when it comes to "surviving" Liam Neeson is the man. He is by far my "action hero" of choice.  A friend of mine once described what he "learned" from Taken as "never bring a gun to a Liam Neeson fight", meaning if you are on the wrong side of Mr. Neeson, you are going to die, regardless of what kind of weapon you have. Now let's look at the other men of our motley crew.

• Joe Anderson. Really I don't think anything else needs to be said. I have been in love with this man, talent, looks, accent and all since I saw Across the Universe.  Despite his small role, he was still spot on for it, and I'm always happy he's working. Side bar, I am riddic excited for The River starting this Tuesday on ABC.
• Dallas Roberts, Frank Grillo, Ben Brey, Noso Anozie were all great and Dermont Mulroney was almost unrecognizable as Talget. The man has come a long way and definitely proved that he can hold his on in a movie that doesn't include the word "wedding" in the title.

2) The wolf sounds. Ok, so I know that sounds really weird, but whenever you heard the wolves, but didn't see them, especially in the scene where they are chowing down on the wolf meat, was absolutely TERRIFYING. Throw in the fact that all you saw was there breath rising into the dark sky, and you couldn't help but feel horrified.

The Not So Good

1) The lack of Liam Neeson vs. Wolf fight scenes. So they entire time they are being stalked by a pack of ravenous, pissed off wolves and all the trailers seem to have built this movie up as Taken with wolves, yet in the movie we never actually get to see this epic wolf battle we are promised.

2) The ending. It isn't that the ending wasn't good, it was actually better if you stayed and saw the additional scene at the end of the credits, but it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I expected more of a definitive ending, and instead was given something that I like to call the "open to interpretation" ending. 

3) The dialogue. So I imagine that being trapped in the frozen wilderness while being hunted down by rabid wolves would not create an environment where you would be spouting Shakespeare, but some of the dialogue was just awful. Hendrick's whole speech towards the end, when it was down to him and Ottway, about how he saw Ottway on the last night of camp and never expected to see him alive again, came off more homoerotic than thoughtful. 

The Rando

1) Okay, so this film basically shows you all the most terrifying ways to die, plane crash, drowning, falling across a large chasm and through a ton of trees, freezing, eaten by wolves. I have to say if I have to die I vote freezing to death, Burke had no idea how lucky he was.

2) Part of me was a little annoyed that Hendrick and Ottway gave up on Diaz so quickly. I get that it was for their own survival, and that they probably not to change his mind anyway, but I can't help but think that I wouldn't be able to deal with the fact that I left him there, if I ultimately survived.

All and all I didn't love the movie, I didn't hate the movie, I just liked it. I'm glad that I saw it, and if I walked into a room and someone was watching it I wouldn't walk out, but I don't know that I need to own this one.