The Gray Man - A time pass action entertainer that shines in parts.
'The Gray Man' is named the most expensive movie ever made by Netflix. The streaming giant teamed up with the 'Avengers' makers Russo Brothers to direct this spy thriller. Ryan Gosling plays the titular role while Ana De Armas portrays his parallel lead and the 'Captain America' actor Chris Evans becomes the villain. The highlight is that Tamil cinema's powerhouse actor Dhanush is entering the Hollywood arena with 'The Gray Man'. We'll see whether the film has satisfied the fans' expectations.
The plot revolves around the cat and mouse chase between a CIA agent and a sociopath hitman whose mission is to hunt the former down. Ryan Gosling is seen as the Sierra Six aka the Gray Man who works for the CIA. He finds out that certain higher-ups in the agency are using him to eliminate some former employees and encounters a piece of crucial evidence against his higher-ups that they have gone sideways. Then, the villains want to hunt Six down and get their hands on the evidence.
Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans are the major attractions of The Gray Man. The swag they carry and the screen chemistry between them are what make the cast and mouse game intriguing. Ana De Armas, who made a kick-ass debut as an action star in a cameo in No Time To Die, has done a spectacular job in this film too. Rege-Jean Page, Julia Butters and Billy Bob Thornton did their roles neatly. Last but not least, though Dhanush appears in a minor role, his character has enough significance in the story. The 'Asuran' actor hasn't got much talkie portions but he impresses the audience with the stunt sequences.
Coming to the writing, The Gray Man is a decent adaptation of the novel but the whole thing falls short because a viewer isn't able to emotionally connect with the characters. The plot offers nothing new as it moves exactly on the expected lines and lacks twists and turns. The narrative is a bit straightforward and reminiscent of the other espionage thrillers out there. Though Netflix's most expensive film is not a befitting answer to the Bond, Bourne, or Mission Impossible franchises, it is a safe bet for the streaming platform as the movie is still pretty good for a time pass action entertainer.
What works best in The Gray Man is the fight and chase episodes. The exhilarating action portions, especially the entire sequence in Prague, keep you chained to the edge of the seats. Henry Jackman's musical score and Stephen F Windon's cinematography contribute a lot to making this a fun watch. Also, not to forget Jeff Groth and Pietro Scalia's sleek editing which resulted in providing an engaging runtime for the movie.
Verdict - A watchable action flick which is yet another Netflix Original that never fails to entertain.
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