Netflix has been in the news a lot recently — mostly in the financial
section, not entertainment. The streaming behemoth’s stock price has
fallen sixty percent from previous highs and
betting markets on BetOnline
thinks it can fall even lower.
Now more than seemingly ever, Netflix needs a “hit” to stop subscribers
from churning and gaining new ones. Stranger Things' latest season proved
to be a hit but now Netflix is banking on a brand-new movie, The Grey Man,
to be its next. The new flick, which cost over $200 million, to produce is
out as of July 22 and this is your complete look at it. By the end of it —
without revealing spoilers — you’ll know whether it’s worth watching or
not.
Ryan Gosling stars as The Grey Man’s main character, “Sierra Six.” In
the movie, Gosling does what he usually does — looks cool and kicks
ass.
Image courtesy of Netflix
Quick Plot Summary
If James Bond and Jason Bourne had a baby, it would be The Grey Man. By
that alone, you can guess this is an action-packed spy thriller. The story
follows a highly-trained “secret” assassin who does the CIA’s dirty work.
He ends up falling out of favor with the CIA after discovering
incriminating information on his employers. Sure enough, the CIA launches
an all-out manhunt, dotting the world in the process, to have him
killed.
The plot borrows elements from other popular action movies of modern
times. The globe-trotting ways of James Bound. The
bring-the-corrupt-system down ethos of Jason Bourne. And the worldwide
bounty-hunting adventure of John Wick. Are you sold yet?
On-Screen Star Power
More than anything else, this movie is driven by its on-screen talent.
It’s a who’s-who list of A-listers including Ryan Gosling (the
protagonist), Ana De Armas (the sidekick), and Chris Evans (the
antagonist).
For Gosling and De Armas, it’s a reunion after starting in Blade Runner
2049 five years ago. Their chemistry in this movie isn’t as strong, but
then again, the script doesn’t allow for it. The main star, Gosling, once
again plays an ambiguous character that prefers speaking with actions
rather than words — a la the aforementioned Blade Runner and Drive. Here
again, he delivers in the role.
Evans plays the coo-coo villain of the movie, tasked with bringing
Gosling in by any means necessary — literally as his ethics are
nonexistent as the script reminds us multiple times. It’s a sharp
departure from Evan’s most famous role, Steve Rogers aka Captain
America.
The supporting cast includes Billy Bob Thornton, who makes his first film
appearance since 2018. Bollywood star Dhanush also makes his Hollywood
debut. Jessica Henwick and Rege-Jean Page also star to round out the
big-name cast, which surely ate up a huge chunk of the
$200-million-dollar project.
Surrounding Touches
The third biggest selling point of the movie — after its A-list cast and
action-packed plot line — is the film's directors. It’s made by the Russo
brothers, Anthony and Joe. That surely will appease the Marvel diehards as
the brothers directed four different MCU films, including The
Avengers.
The Russo brothers also earned writing and producing credits on the
flick. However, we should mention, this is a book adaptation. The original
Grey Man novel was written by Mark Greaney in 2009 and spawned 11
sequels.
As we mentioned before, the plot treks throughout the world, mostly
Europe and Asia. The movie features several set pieces in Bangkok, Berlin,
Prague, and Vienna, among many others. The Russo brothers douse these
settings in color. There’s neon-lit nightclubs, a massive firework show
(with a fight in the base where the explosions are going off), and a
green-grassed maze (with another fight inside of it).
One of the film’s biggest action set pieces takes place on the streets
of Prague and involves a moving train dashing through the city.
Image courtesy of Netflix
Final Verdict
So is the movie worth spending two hours on (the runtime is 129 minutes)?
Well, yes and no.
If you’re a self-appointed critic, this might not be for you. The movie
doesn’t exactly take itself seriously — at one point Gosling is called
Ken, a character he will soon play in Barbie. Because of that, the action
and acting is all over the top, perhaps even cheesy for the most critical
film lovers.
However, if you prefer “popcorn” movies, then this will be right up your
alley. The star power is fun to observe, the visuals are pretty, and most
of all, the constant action will stop you from ever thinking of clicking
away. Watch this if you need a two-hour “escape” from real life.