CLIPS MOVIE REVIEWS

by Roger Tennis

On CLIPS In February, 2012

THE GREY

Wolves attack survivors of an Alaskan wilderness plane crash in this thriller directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Liam Neeson.

TRIVIA: Liam Neeson starred in what 2010 thriller directed by Joe Carnahan?

ROG'S VIEWPOINT
      (2 CAMS)        RATED R

Members of an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash strands them in the Alaskan wilderness. The rugged Ottway (Liam Neeson) takes control to lead the men to safety. But a pack of wolves, protecting their territory, threatens the vulnerable group. "The Grey" is a predictable survival thriller that suffers from the lack of sympathetic characters. Liam Neeson, today's leading action star, heads a good cast that includes Dermot Mulroney, Joe Anderson, Dallas Roberts and Frank Grillo. But most of the survivors are so unlikable that the audience will be siding with the wolves. After a deliberately slow opening, director Joe Carnahan picks up the pace as the bodies pile up. For fans of this genre, there's plenty of action and a few edge-of-the-seat moments. The snow-covered British Columbia landscape doubles for a desolate Alaska. Flashbacks of Ottway's wife (Anne Openshaw) are included to add some depth to the character, but they serve more as interruptions. This movie earns its R rating for violence, bloody images and language. Without any humans to root for, unless you're taken with Neeson, "The Grey" is more of a sheep in wolf's clothing.