In The Grey Review: It’s a film with Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie directing it, but somehow it didn’t come with a lot of buzz. Many cinema buffs may not even be aware that this film even came out. It just went under the radar so much that I didn’t even see it in its first run as it was never released in India. Finally, it’s available on VOD and I have the opportunity to view it, and I was impressed.
One of the biggest strengths of In The Grey is its cast. The film stars Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González and the trio are the core of a military, strategic and action-packed story. The story is about a strong woman who undertakes the almost impossible. Her goal is to woo a man who owns an island, has its own army and security networks, and wields a great deal of influence. It’s really just an easy goal to state and so hard to make, get $1 billion from a man who isn’t going to give it to you. The focus of the film becomes watching this team take on this insurmountable challenge.
In short, it didn’t give me any reason to lose my interest in the story at any point, but without giving away any spoilers. The thing that struck me most, was not the action… but the number of plans that went into each operation. In The Grey does not spend much time on explosions, gun fights or the “show” part of the film – it’s more about how tasks are planned and carried out. I was amazed at the amount of detail included at a few select locations. Planning is grounded and surprisingly realistic. It shows a good example of how seemingly simple operations can be very complex in terms of preparation, coordination and contingency planning.
It’s also a degree of detail seen in the action moments. From the tactical use of firearms, coordinated assaults, high-stakes pursuits to intense confrontations, it is all delivered in a sleek manner. Guy Ritchie makes sure that all of his big set-pieces are doing the story rather than just being there to embellish. The action is lively and fashionable, but doesn’t always forget the overarching mission that sets the story in motion.
I also had fun with Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal. The film doesn’t use much of the traditional comedy though, interestingly. Not many jokes are made in an explicit way, but the moments of interaction between the characters can still make one laugh. They just have personalities that gel together naturally so there are times of fun that are a natural result of the situation, rather than a forced fit. Although the film is rather serious the lighter moments help to keep the film entertaining throughout.
I realized while watching the film, that I didn’t see a lot of problems. I found the pacing to be just right so that I never wanted to watch the clock as the film went along. The whole mission, the strategic thinking and the performances worked together to keep me hooked the entire time.
Nevertheless, this film has some flaws. The main story line is focused almost entirely on finding and confronting one person to retrieve the money. This may not kick up the same adrenaline rush that a larger-scale action spectacle or superhero blockbuster can offer, as the story stays on this point and doesn’t overlook it with too frantic a pace. There are a few sections that might seem a little obscure, though, especially where it gets into the weeds over details of operations and strategic moves. Sometimes it lowers the emotional effect, and can make it more difficult for some viewers to fully immerse themselves in the narrative.
One thing I still don’t get is the flop which the movie faced. The reported cost of the project was put at anywhere between $60 million and $80 million, but the worldwide box office receipts were estimated at about $13 million or $14 million. I don’t think the mediocre performance is indicative of the quality of the film after watching the film. Rather, it seems to be a lack of visibility and distribution. Many would not have known that the movie exists. It could have come out as a direct streaming release, which could have found a lot more people.
Overall, In The Grey is a fun and well made action thriller which is worth watching if one prefers to see a well written mission based plot. It doesn’t have the mass appeal of a superhero tale or an action-packed 3-hour film, but it’s just as worthwhile and a well-crafted operation led by competent characters in a plausible world. The movie never lets us down, is very entertaining, and underrated to say the least.
It’s also notable that the material is mostly family-friendly by modern action standards, and thus it’s a safe watch for a broad audience.
Rating: 3.75/5
