Streaming on Netflix
There's no denying that The Russo Brothers have become a force to be reckoned with in modern cinema. After wowing audiences with their run of successful Marvel films, such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame (and causing some concern with their disappointing follow-ups 21 Bridges and Extraction), we were all wondering what would come next and if it would be an improvement over the last. Their latest outing, The Gray Man, a caffeine-induced spy vs. spy action thriller, may not win any awards for originality but will be remembered as a prime example of how to take overdone cliches and make them fresh. Also, a spectacular showcase of Ryan Gosling as a capable action star and just how fantastic of an actor Chris Evans is.
Based on the novel by Mark Greaney, the story follows a professional government agent codenamed Six (Ryan Gosling), who goes on the run after a failed assignment to take out a "bad guy." Upon discovering his handlers haven't been entirely honest with him, they hire a private contractor named Lloyd (Chris Evans), infamous for reckless and sadistic actions that yield results, to go after Six and recover something he took that they want back. From there, the film slips into the familiar territory of double-crosses, witty action banter, and over-the-top fight scenes that, in the hands of any other directing team, would feel stale and overdone. But, in the hands of The Russo Brothers, it all comes together in an enjoyable package that earns its use of cliches and overused spy movie tropes. Mainly because it's clearly having a blast with them all.
I mean that most sincerely and as honestly as possible! This movie is well aware of how overdone a lot of the tropes utilized are, and the movie makes a genuine effort to shake things up a little bit by presenting well-crafted action set pieces, larger-than-life characters, and clever use of subversion of expectations. While it may not be the most outstanding example of this phenomenon, I gladly rank it as one of the top 5 examples.
Chris Evans proves himself a versatile actor with his charismatic (albeit terrifying) portrayal of the main villain. The man has always shown incredible talent, and while I will never forget him as Captain America (my favorite Avenger), it's nice to see him have the opportunity to showcase his whole range.
The MVP award goes to Ana de Armas for playing a competent, capable, and bad-ass agent who, unlike most women characters in movies like this, is proactive and contributes to the narrative in ways that are not only meant to make the male lead look great. We need more women characters like this now more than ever.
While I immensely enjoyed this film, it's not without flaws. The editing can sometimes feel too choppy and hyper. Although to be fair, it's never to the point of incomprehension. Also, while the cliches are cleverly subverted (mostly), they still have a bit of annoyance to them simply because of how overused they are. Plus, there are too many crazy drone shots for my taste.
The Gray Man will not change up the spy thrillers anytime soon, but it will provide an excellent two hours' worth of entertainment for fans of the genre. Plus, it's a great example of what we may expect from these talented individuals outside of Marvel. I, for one, am excited about whatever comes next.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment