An Alaskan Oil Drilling Team are on their way back home after completing their current work rotation. Also with them is Ottway, played by Liam Neeson, he has no skills with the Drilling Team, but he is hired as a protector of the workers, as wolves prowl the areas in which they work, and can be prone to attack, hence Ottway and his trusty gun.
The plane journey home is cut short when the plane gets into trouble and crash lands in the frozen wilderness of Alaska. It becomes a battle to survive, not only their injuries, but also the elements and the savage wolves who see them as their next meal. It may sound all too familiar, but trust me it is brilliantly played out. There are initially 7 survivors, but slowly this number dwindles down through various reasons.
The film builds up the nerve tingling suspense. Not knowing what is round the next corner. As ever with a film of this type, there is what I call "the jerk" character, a rather two dimensional unsympathetic waste of space. And yes "The Grey" has one.
The photography is quite stunning, the plane crash is awesome, and has to rank as one of the best on film, and the conditions the team were working in really do add authenticity.
At almost 60 years of age, and having starred recently in films like "Taken" and "Unknown", Liam Neeson seems to show no sign of slowing down, if anything he is going in the opposite direction. He does a wonderful job as Ottway, a man determined to beat the odds.
As we approached the end of the film, I was not sure in which direction I wanted it to go, whether Ottway be the all conquering hero, or have him die through whatever cause. I need not have worried as the film delivers a quite brilliant ending, and one I was delighted with.
(I have since discovered that there was an extra scene after the credits which belittles the ending I mentioned above, and for once I am glad that I did not see the full credits)
A great battle of man against nature........8 out of 10
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