Once more into the fray

Into the last good fight I’ll ever know

Live and die on this day

Live and die on this day

The Grey is the type of film that gives me hope for Hollywood and the film industry. There is a constant barrage of crappy movies that are superficial and meaningless. Even movies that have potential end up failing due to horrible writing, vapid plots, and even worse acting. Liam Neeson and The Grey are set apart from this crowd.

Neeson plays another one of those “tall and somber” characters in the midst of an extraordinary set of circumstances. While travelling home to Anchorage from the northern oil fields, a plane goes down in the Alaskan wilderness. Neeson tries to lead the survivors while they are being hunted by what can only be described as dire wolves.

That’s all that I’ll share about the plot, because I hate spoilers just as much as smith machines. The story may seem very basic, but there’s an underlying theme of emotional struggle that peaks through. However, this movie thrives on thrilling suspense. There are moments of such ball-busting intensity that made my palms sweaty while I leaned forward in my seat. Expect blood and death.

The plot isn’t void of characters, and it thrives on the interpersonal relationships of the survivors. Catastrophic events change people, bringing out the worst and best in men. That’s what this movie is all about; man’s ultimate struggle for survival. Whenever I watch or read these stories, I always wonder how I would function or react in similar scenarios. It’s impossible to know whether we will be sniveling fools or fighters until the death.

Great stories will leave you with something. I love that lasting feeling or impression you get when the credits start to roll. Sometimes it isn’t what you want, but you can always glean a lesson or a theme from it. The best stories drop their themed bomb right at the ending, and The Grey does this powerfully. I highly recommend this thrilling survival movie for both it’s entertainment and teaching quality. It’s one of the few movies out today that isn’t a pile of shit.