‘The Gray Man’ Proves Standard Heroes Are Overrated: Review

Joe and Anthony Russo’s intense spin on Mark Greaney’s The Gray Man challenges the illusive world of espionage. When a bounty is put on Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), an international manhunt sparks, headed by ruthless mercenary Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans).

★★★★✰ 

The Russo brothers are masters at their craft and if there’s one thing superhero fans agree on is that their Marvel debut Captain America: The Winter Soldier stands out among competitors. Aside front the fact that it cemented the origins of iconic characters, it works as a character driven film and as a masterclass in what makes a great action thriller. The Gray Man draws on many of its themes and doubles down on highlighting morally ambiguous characters.

Ryan Gosling steals all the limelight as the titular character. Plucked straight from prison and recruited by the CIA in return for a communed sentence, it’s never clear which side he’s on. Gosling takes on a ‘less is more’ approach to the role as he’s able to portray a lot with mere mannerisms. Having an aloof demeanour serves him well because characters who don’t have a clear cut moral compass always offer a more thoughtful experience for audiences. This rings true when executing plans to evade capture, alongside Ana De Armas, who plays fellow agent Dani Miranda. The two have natural chemistry, which bodes well for the balanced comedic and emotional beats. They’re both less reliant on dialogue to portray a memorable dynamic due to the action scenes and it’s intriguing watching it play out. 

That doesn’t, however, translate to all the characters, especially The CIA team, who fall flat in comparison to the rest. There are only so many brooding monologues one can watch without rolling their eyes. It’s worth challenging whether they made enough of an impact on the story. A sense of urgency was absent in those scenes and they come across as downright comical. To some extent, this also applies to Lloyd, which begs the question of whether the script lacked strong enough motivations and depth. 

The story intensifies in the second act though, where the film hits its stride. Evans is finally given the material to dive into the unhinged nature of Lloyd, who revels in causing havoc at the expense of the key characters’ private lives. These themes are prevalent in current times as the film mirrors a complicated political landscape and what goes on behind closed doors. 

From carefully executed fight choreography to the music and sound; it’s evident no expense was spared to depict the directors’ vision. This is a loud film, in every sense of the word. The entirety of it all plays like a feature designed to not let viewers rest, akin to Michael Bay or Matthew Vaughn films, where the dramatics intensify the action. It’s always a treat when a classic song accompanies what otherwise should be a serious scene. ‘Silver Bird’ by Mark Lindsay stands out as an example, establishing character dynamics that prove important throughout the whole film. The constant jumps between locations and cities also add multiple layers of tension.

The Verdict

Overall, viewers were likely looking for something more revolutionary to shake up the genre. But The Gray Man shows that a film does not need to overcomplicate a tried and tested recipe for an entertaining action thriller. It’s flashy and it succeeds at keeping the audience hooked.

Words by Olivia Gacka

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