Most Liam Neeson movies see the actor standing as a one-man-army against a group of evil henchmen. But, one Hollywood executive thought ‘What if we take that concept, but instead of henchmen, it’s a pack of wolves?’ It turns out, that wasn’t actually a bad idea, because it led to one of Neeson’s best action movies to date. Forget Taken, forget Non-Stop, forget The A-Team, and forget the incredibly bloody and violent action movie… Love, Actually, because The Grey is making a comeback on free streaming.
The Grey is now streaming for free on Pluto TV. Liam Neeson’s action survival thriller was added to the free streaming platform as part of its December additions, which included over 200 movies which can now be streamed for free. The Grey is far slower than Neeson’s usual action flicks, and is more reminiscent of A Walk Among the Tombstones than the likes of Taken. Released in 2011, The Grey starred Neeson as Ottway, a wolf hunter (because, of course he is) who survives a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. John must lead the seven surviving oil workers to safety as they’re hunted by (conveniently enough) a pack of wolves. Alongside Neeson, the film also stars Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, and Joe Andserson, and was directed by Joe Carnahan. The official synopsis reads:
“Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway (Liam Neeson) are flying home for a much-needed vacation. A brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men (Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney), including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.”
But The Grey isn’t as simple as Liam Neeson vs. Wolves, although it certainly delivers on the action as well. Between the snowy landscape shots, and Neeson being a semi-Irish, semi-American wolf hunter, The Grey is a surprisingly moving film about the resilience of the survivors, that also delivers some genuine scares as they’re stalked by the pack.
What Audiences Think of ‘The Grey’
The Grey is also a cut above the rest of Neeson’s past straight-to-DVD (remember those) action flicks because it received genuinely great reviews from critics. The Grey boasts an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were, ironically, slightly more critical, giving it a 61% user rating. However, amidst the 100,000+ user reviews, there were plenty who adored The Grey.
“The Grey is a haunting, atmospheric and reflective survival thriller that successfully manages to create a palpable sense of dread and isolation throughout with a powerful performance from Liam Neeson at the forefront,” wrote one very well-read and eloquently written user review. Others were more straight to the point with their appreciation of the film, like this user, who wrote:
“So freaking good. Love this movie so much.”
- Release Date
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January 27, 2012
- Runtime
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117 minutes