The Gray Man: A Torrent of Action, But Does It Deliver?
Agent Six (Ryan Gosling), a highly skilled operative, uncovers dark secrets within the CIA, forcing him to go rogue. Teaming up with fellow agent Dani (Ana de Armas), they find themselves hunted by their own government. Leading the chase is Lloyd (Chris Evans), a psychopathic ex-agent who will stop at nothing to bring Six down, unleashing a relentless wave of mercenaries upon him.
Ryan Gosling as Six in “The Gray Man”
Success doesn’t always bring out the best in filmmakers. The Russo brothers are a prime example of directors whose creativity thrived during their indie film days. They excelled at crafting compelling stories with limited budgets, as seen in “Community” and “Welcome to Collinwood,” a charming crime comedy reminiscent of the Coen brothers. They masterfully built small, self-contained worlds. However, their involvement with Marvel transformed them from intriguing indie auteurs into competent studio professionals, directing several blockbuster “Avengers” films. After concluding the saga, they ventured out on their own, but with a different perspective. It seems the Russos believed that the success of “Infinity War” and “Endgame” was solely due to their storytelling prowess, rather than the meticulously calculated formulas and the vast team of skilled artisans involved.
Chris Evans as Lloyd in “The Gray Man”
Their post-“Avengers” era began with “Cherry,” an ambitious but bloated film that is already fading from memory. “The Gray Man” is, in some ways, the antithesis of “Cherry.” Gone is the decades-spanning, genre-bending personal story, replaced by an adrenaline-fueled action flick whose plot can be summarized in a few exclamations and sharp gestures: Gosling runs, Evans chases, boom, bang, pew-pew.
Action Over Substance?
It’s difficult to mess up such a simple formula, especially with a massive $200 million budget. “John Wick 3,” for instance, thrived on a smaller budget, thanks to creative set pieces, memorable supporting characters, and a fundamental understanding of action cinema. The action sequences in “The Gray Man” are well-conceived: Gosling must evade mercenaries on a tram! Jump from a plane without a parachute! Engage in a shootout while handcuffed to a bench in the middle of a public square! “The Gray Man” should also have plenty of charisma, given the presence of Gosling, Evans, de Armas, and Billy Bob Thornton.
Ryan Gosling as Six in “The Gray Man”
Russo Brothers’ Directorial Missteps
However, the Russo brothers’ directorial choices hinder these promising concepts. In each sequence, they manage to make the action feel surprisingly dull and clunky. “The Gray Man” is edited as if it were still the mid-2000s, when the “Bourne” style hadn’t yet become tiresome. Instead of showcasing the fight choreography, the Russos obscure the frame with excessive CGI smoke and other distracting effects. They have, however, mastered drone shots. Unfortunately, they lack the directorial audacity of a Michael Bay to mask the awkwardness of these “flying” shots.
Ana de Armas as Dani in “The Gray Man”
The Netflix Blockbuster Problem
“The Gray Man” feels like it could have been made for $20 million. It features numerous locations across different countries, yet they all resemble the same generic street. A whole square in Prague was closed for filming action scenes, but the final result looks like it was shot on a soundstage in Los Angeles. This is a common issue with Netflix blockbusters: films like “Red Notice” also fail to visually justify their massive budgets.
It’s ironic to hear the Russo brothers dismiss the sanctity of movie theaters, because “The Gray Man” highlights why big screens are essential and why films should be made specifically for theatrical viewing. Streaming blockbusters don’t need to be monumental spectacles like “Top Gun: Maverick” or the latest “Mission: Impossible” films. Online, mediocrity is acceptable; “content” is comfortable being merely tolerable – visually, narratively, and in terms of direction. The only real disappointment is Ryan Gosling, who seems to have wandered in from a different movie, charmingly playing a completely wooden character. However, judging by how often Six has a toothpick in his mouth, we now know for sure that he didn’t die at the end of “Drive.”