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The Gray Man
Netflix scores with 2022's The Gray Man, a slick and expensively mounted espionage thriller in the best tradition of James Bond that works thanks to some stylish direction and a pair of charismatic lead characters.
The film stars Ryan Gosling as Six, a CIA-trained assassin who, at the completion of an assignment, finds himself in possession of a very important disc that contains some very incriminating evidence involving his employers and also finds himself at the mercy of a dangerously psychotic assassin and torture expert named Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans).
Co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who were behind most of the Avengers franchise, deserve the lion's credit for this elaborate story, adapted from a novel by Mark Greaney, that actual takes a couple of decades to play out and, of course, is not played out in chronological order. The story makes some odd time jumps. The film opens with Six being released from jail by his new boss, Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton), then jumps eighteen years where we learn Fitzroy's niece has been kidnapped, then flashes back to two years between Six's first meeting with the niece, then moves to the present where Six has to face the unbalanced Lloyd while trying t keep Fitzroy and his niece safe. We could have done without the two year flashback, which just seemed to pad screentime.
What I did like about this story is something that usually bothers me in stories like this. A lot of times in spy movies likes this, especially when most of the players involved, seem to be working for the same organization, it's difficult for the viewer to decipher who the white hats are and who the black hats are, but it really works to this film's advantage. A through line for this Six character throughout as that he doesn't know who he can trust and, fortunately, he does realize this early on and entertainment values is gleaned throughout as we try to figure out who Six can trust and who he can't. Loved when the niece told Six that his name was unusual and he replied, "I know, 007 was taken,"
The Russos keep this story moving all over the planet in several exotic locations, moving at breakneck speed so we don't notice minor plot holes which eventually become irrelevant. The film features extraordinary production values, including breathtaking cinematography, film editing, production design, and sound.
Ryan Gosling could use this film for his audition as the next James Bond, providing the story with a durable and undeniably human hero at the center of this story and LOVED Chris Evans, as the evil and crazy Lloyd. The IMDB reveals that Evans was originally offered the role of Six but chose to play Lloyd instead. He made the right decision. He brings a delicious snarkiness to the role that recalled Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor in the original Superman. A frail-looking Thornton and Alfre Woodward score as Six's few allies in the story as does Julia Butters, who had a featured role in Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood as Thornton's niece. It's slightly longer than it needs to be, but solid entertainment is provided as long as you don't think about it too much.
Netflix scores with 2022's The Gray Man, a slick and expensively mounted espionage thriller in the best tradition of James Bond that works thanks to some stylish direction and a pair of charismatic lead characters.
The film stars Ryan Gosling as Six, a CIA-trained assassin who, at the completion of an assignment, finds himself in possession of a very important disc that contains some very incriminating evidence involving his employers and also finds himself at the mercy of a dangerously psychotic assassin and torture expert named Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans).
Co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who were behind most of the Avengers franchise, deserve the lion's credit for this elaborate story, adapted from a novel by Mark Greaney, that actual takes a couple of decades to play out and, of course, is not played out in chronological order. The story makes some odd time jumps. The film opens with Six being released from jail by his new boss, Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton), then jumps eighteen years where we learn Fitzroy's niece has been kidnapped, then flashes back to two years between Six's first meeting with the niece, then moves to the present where Six has to face the unbalanced Lloyd while trying t keep Fitzroy and his niece safe. We could have done without the two year flashback, which just seemed to pad screentime.
What I did like about this story is something that usually bothers me in stories like this. A lot of times in spy movies likes this, especially when most of the players involved, seem to be working for the same organization, it's difficult for the viewer to decipher who the white hats are and who the black hats are, but it really works to this film's advantage. A through line for this Six character throughout as that he doesn't know who he can trust and, fortunately, he does realize this early on and entertainment values is gleaned throughout as we try to figure out who Six can trust and who he can't. Loved when the niece told Six that his name was unusual and he replied, "I know, 007 was taken,"
The Russos keep this story moving all over the planet in several exotic locations, moving at breakneck speed so we don't notice minor plot holes which eventually become irrelevant. The film features extraordinary production values, including breathtaking cinematography, film editing, production design, and sound.
Ryan Gosling could use this film for his audition as the next James Bond, providing the story with a durable and undeniably human hero at the center of this story and LOVED Chris Evans, as the evil and crazy Lloyd. The IMDB reveals that Evans was originally offered the role of Six but chose to play Lloyd instead. He made the right decision. He brings a delicious snarkiness to the role that recalled Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor in the original Superman. A frail-looking Thornton and Alfre Woodward score as Six's few allies in the story as does Julia Butters, who had a featured role in Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood as Thornton's niece. It's slightly longer than it needs to be, but solid entertainment is provided as long as you don't think about it too much.