Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo
"Live or Die This Day", this is a choice Ottway (Liam Neeson) struggles with every day. Writing a letter to his wife, Ottway cannot describe his feelings, often scribbling out his words. His job consists of protecting men on an oil drilling team from wolves. Ottway notes that most of these men are fugitives who could not adjust to the civilized world and are banished to the wilderness. Ottway goes outside to commit suicide but after hearing the howl of a wolf, he chooses to live. Flying home during a blizzard, his plane crashes; the survivors are faced with the task of choosing to "Live or Die This Day" while being stalked by wolves in the middle of their den, a place no man belongs.
The wolves act as an agent of nature; driving the survivors further into the wilderness, which claims as many lives as the wolves. The wolves attack the group at their weakest moments, when they act as individuals. Diaz (Frank Grillo) questions Ottway's leadership; he tries to put up a brave front like he's not afraid, though Ottway admits he's scared. Not long afterwards an omega wolf attacks Diaz, trying to prove himself to the alpha male. This exemplifies the best part about The Grey; the parallels between the survivors and the wolves. There is a philosophical (or spiritual) nature that runs throughout. The Grey is not about the wolves killing people as much as it is about holding onto a reason to live. While one man has religious faith, another lives to see his daughter again.
Joe Carnahan's minimalist approach is well executed. The wolves are almost never seen; they attack with the cover of snow or night. The camera never stays on the blood or gore too long nor does it ever feel gratuitous. The score and cinematography creates and builds up a sense of dread without resorting to the startle effect, placing the audience in the shoes of the protagonist. The movie has a beautiful but bleak quality to it. Even with all these great decisions, Carnahan's best one was casting Liam Neeson. Neeson gives one of his most personal and raw performances; his grieving and longing for his wife in the film comes from a place still tender in his own life.
The Grey is moving, soulful portrait on the meaning of living and dying. It's refreshing to come across a movie with such richness; a multi-layered movie with well fleshed-out characters and beautiful imagery, it's the perfect movie. The Grey is a masterpiece.
Score: 9/10
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