The Grey

I didn't like all those dream scenes, they are inconsistent with the setting, and sometimes the too digital or too artificial wolves (like Gmork in The Neverending Story but at least he was scary). But I have no problem with it within this small survival subgenre. Well-layered characters, absence of pathos, excellent kill scenes, and above all, captivating atmosphere, mainly thanks to the brilliant sound design (the wolves in the forest, etc.). Some scenes (jumping over a chasm, or even the excellently and suggestively filmed airplane crash) are intense and have incredible balls, and the viewer feels like they are pushing their limits along with the main characters. Fortunately, they didn’t screw up the ending. (04/15/2012)

Such a relaxed boyish outdoor film - they flew in, camped, they opened a bottle of Jack, talked about God, whores, children, and sometimes someone was eaten by a wolf. In my opinion, Carnahan's attempt at a harsh survival drama has nothing to do with horror, and rather it is much more of the director's attempt at a serious existential theme that is overwhelmed by the strange artificial taste of digital "evil" and digital epic. The decor suits the film very well, Liam Neeson suits it, Streitenfeld's lyrical music also suits it (I would rather expect such music in a Nordic film)... but it hurts the film a lot that Carnahan has a tendency to tighten the cruelty and ruthlessness of nature ad absurdum: I can imagine that as a raw drama without a single digital touch, this could be a brilliant theme for Peter Weir. Carnahan's attempt to go for meat and blood is lost - not because it is less effective, but rather because it exaggerates the effects unnecessarily. I don't deny him partial things. The introduction and conclusion are as strong as a bear's neck. But the effort to keep dialogues above the level of pathos and empty proclamations are not as successful. The Grey is a film that tries to get moving with the handbrake on. At the same time, it's a pretty ironic image that our wildlife imagery is bounded by Hollywood movies, the Discovery Chanel and CGI effects. But Carnahan wanted to show us exactly what is missing in these images (the spiritual transcendence of existence betrayed at the mercy of the wilderness). And it didn't work out for him. When one of the characters shouts, "You are not animals, we are animals," he is wrong. There are no animals in this movie. It therefore lacks even a hint of fascination with anything other than campfire metaphysics. (03/16/2012)

After the mixed reviews (very well received by American critics and IMBD users, but considerably worse on Filmbooster; the action trailers are apparently misleading), I forgot my expectations of a tense action survival movie and went to the cinema with an open mind, ready for anything and willing to let Carnahan to please me as he saw fit. Unfortunately, mate, you didn’t make me very happy. Technically speaking, The Grey is gorgeous, but the script grinds and can’t decide what the prevailing theme will be: horror atmosphere, brutal attacks by wolves, blokeish adventure survival, a study of relationships between castaways, a philosophical analysis of the desire to fight and live… In the end it’s about everything and nothing. As a parable, it does work somehow, but otherwise, I have mixed feelings about it. In order to overcome all those little things that bothered me, that “effective” parable would have to be much sharper. Disappointment and 6/10. PS: This film has grown on me after some time, I might give it another chance. (03/09/2012)

Demonized CGI wolves in a movie that can’t decide if it wants to be a snowy, melancholic existential affair about coming to terms with loss or an uncompromising movie about survival with rather over-the-top scenes saying something like “Liam Neeson is the new MacGyver/Bear Grylls/Chuck Norris". Both approaches work well alone, but they clash with each other too much in this picture. And that’s a shame. (03/12/2012)

"Fuck it. I’ll do it myself." Snow, dogs, despair, fear, death. The Grey isn’t a classic survival thriller, the central theme is too profound and thoughtful. A pretty depressing central theme, by the way. A “life’s a bitch" central theme. The journey south with the survivors of the air crash is just something extra, for fun. Tense fun. Breathtaking and chilling scenes full of fear alternated with excellent action scenes. To add to things, we have the awesome Liam Neeson who tramples all competition. The gang with the snappy lines that are with him are just added spice. Each death in the movie is powerful, each is different. Carnahan has made a complete turnabout since his last movies and it’s a damn good one. P.S.: Wait for the post-credits scene. I got a book. It's called: "We're all fucked". It’s a bestseller. (03/09/2012)