Movie Breakdown: The Gray Man
Pre-Screening Stance:
I sure like the cast on this one – Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas – and the Russo brothers are responsible for some of my favorite MCU entries, but I have to say I’m heading into The Gray Man with fairly low expectations. Here’s hoping it pleasantly surprises.
Post-Screening Ramble:
If I didn’t know any better, I would have definitely thought that The Gray Man was directed by Michael Bay. Here’s the basic story. Six (Ryan Gosling) is the best at being one of those super skilled CIA agents that goes around and does secret jobs. One night, after a gig goes south, he realizes that he’s been sent to kill someone who is also one of those super skilled CIA agents that goes around and does secret jobs. After being given some info he’s not supposed to have, the CIA turns on him and hires a mercenary, Lloyd (Chris Evans), to hunt him down. From here, a lot of guns are fired, tons of punches get thrown, and everything explodes.
As you can tell, the plot of The Gray Man is pretty cliche and nothing to write home about, but that’s not to say the movie is entirely a dud. Gosling and Evans both look like they’re having a good time, which helps keep things afloat. Also, there’s all the action, and when I note “all the action,” I actually mean all of it. It’s almost as though the Russo brothers wrote a litany of flashy set pieces first, and then went back and loosely connected them via a few story points, which whatever – fine – but with nearly zero quiet moments, the visual onslaught does lose its luster as the movie goes along. And then, well, you’re just not left with much.
The Gray Man is a hollow effort that you’ll watch once, moderately enjoy, and then likely forget. The movie hits Netflix tomorrow, July 22.
One Last Thought:
I realize that speeding up fights and car chases and the like can help an action scene look cooler, but the Russo bros do it at such a gratuitous level here that it often looks as though they’re trying to fast forward through their own movie.
