The Grey (2011)

After their plane crashes in Alaska, six oil workers are led by a skilled huntsman to survival, but a pack of merciless wolves haunts their every step.

Director:

Joe Carnahan

Writers:

Joe Carnahan (screenplay), Ian Mackenzie Jeffers (screenplay),

Stars:

Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Liam Neeson	...	Ottway
Frank Grillo	...	Diaz
Dermot Mulroney	...	Talget
Dallas Roberts	...	Hendrick
Joe Anderson	...	Flannery
Nonso Anozie	...	Burke
James Badge Dale	...	Lewenden
Ben Bray	...	Hernandez (as Ben Hernandez)
Anne Openshaw	...	Ottway's Wife
Peter Girges	...	Company Clerk
Jonathan Bitonti	...	Ottway (5 years old) (as Jonathan James Bitoni)
James Bitonti	...	Ottway's Father
Ella Kosor	...	Talget's Little Girl
Jacob Blair	...	Cimoski
Lani Gelera	...	Flight Attendant

Storyline

In Alaska, a team of oil workers board a flight home; however, they cross a storm and the airplane crashes. Only seven workers survive in the wilderness and John Ottway, who is a huntsman that kills wolves to protect the workers, assumes leadership of the group. Shortly after they learn that they are surrounded by a pack of wolves and Ottway advises that they should seek protection in the woods. But while they walk through the heavy snow, they are chased and attacked by the carnivorous mammals.

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Plot Keywords:

alaska | fear | punched in the face | isolation | foot chase | 

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Taglines:

Live or Die on This Day

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 January 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un día para sobrevivir

Filming Locations:

Smithers, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$19,665,101 (USA) (27 January 2012)

Gross:

$51,533,608 (USA) (6 April 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Open Road Films (II), Inferno Distribution, LD Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The plane shown in the movie is a McDonnell Douglas MD-80.

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Goofs

When Pete leaves the other two by the river, John has two pairs of white sport shoes. But before he stops in the final scene he has two pairs of black mountain shoes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ottway: A job at the end of the world. A salaried killer for a big petroleum company. I don't know why I did half the things I've done, but I know this is where I belong, surrounded by my own. Ex-cons, fugitives, drifters, assholes. Men unfit for mankind.

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Crazy Credits

There's a scene after the end credits.

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Connections

References MacGyver (1985)

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Soundtracks

"Running A.D. Part 2"
Songwriter Mark Kevin Wilson
Produced by Vintage Masters Music
Performed by Lucian Blaque
Courtesy of Fervor Records Vintage Master, a division of Wild Whirled Music

User Reviews

Survival tale goes against the grain

I'm surprised to see the number of negative reviews here and also surprised as to the number of comparisons to Lee Tamahori's 'The Edge'; a completely different type of film in my opinion despite the similar locales. Unrelentingly bleak with almost no glimpse of warmth ( both literally and figuratively!) during the whole running time it's easy to see that this film will not be for everyone. The absence of a heroic ending and the depiction of the absolute fragility of man (and futility of machismo) will also serve to divide audiences even further. But, if you can get past these things and can overlook a couple of plot points that might seem illogical you are in for one heck of visceral cinematic ride. The story is simple - Liam Neeson is a distraught widower contracted to shoot Wolves in the Alaskan oil fields. On a flight to the mainland for R&R the plane goes down in the middle of nowhere and he and six other passengers are the only remaining survivors. The motley group must contend with a grim situation that see's them dropped in a freezing barren wasteland with no food, shelter or weapons and a pack of hungry Timber Wolves keen to pick them off one by one. I liked the AO Scott review for this film in which he pointed out that the film posed and answered a number of theological and existential questions in a very quiet and dignified way. Quite un-Hollywood. This is no Tom Hanks picture and unlike the aforementioned The Edge it's never for a minute considered an option for the men to make a stand against the Wolves in the way that Charles and Bob did with Bart the Bear in that film. They are completely at the mercy of the environment and it's predators whilst also being aware of the increasing futility of their plight. The film goes against the grain right from the outset and it's a stylistic decision from the creators that simultaneously elevates it above many of it's counterparts but also probably limits it's broader appeal - an early scene immediately after the crash where Neeson comforts a dying man is one of the most powerful and beautiful pieces of acting I've seen in recent years. To summarize, I found the film a very intense watch and it stayed with me for long time afterwards. Surely the hallmarks of a great picture?