Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Notable Films of 2012: Volume Four


In this fourth volume I look at films that include a more grounded take on GI Joe, Baz Luhrmann's attempt at adapting the classic American novel, Liam Neeson beating the crap out of wolves, fairy tale kiddies becoming gun-wielding adults,
There's also Charlie Sheen's first post-'Men' leading role, the Greek Gods living as modern Manhattan roommates, the return of James Patterson's hero Alex Cross, a new dimension for Michael Myers, a truly ambitious sci-fi epic, and two of the biggest literary adaptations of the year - one with dwarves, the other a teen death match…
The Grey
Opens: January 27th 2012
Cast: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, James Badge Dale, Joe Anderson, Frank Grillo
Director: Joe Carnahan
Analysis: A stripped down survival thriller, "The Grey" marks a welcome change of pace for "Smokin' Aces' and "The A-Team" director Carnahan. Gone is the over the top bravado, instead we have a gritty and bleak piece which ticks off all the action requirements but throws in some solid 'characters pushed to extreme' drama to boot.
The story follows a group of oil-rig roughnecks who become stranded in the Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash. They're soon forced to survive using little more than their wits and will against merciless weather, injury, and a vicious pack of rogue wolves hunting them.
Liam Neeson brings his now trademark gravitas to the role of a man who has already had a rough lot in life before the accident and has now become the unofficial leader of this group of survivors.
Adding more to proceedings is the subplot of Neeson's character desperately trying to get back to his wife. With the untimely passing of Neeson's real life wife Natasha Richardson not long before this was filmed, it is said the actor used his grief to help fuel his performance in select scenes.


darkhorizons for the rest
xoxo
Carrie

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 

Twilight Ninjas Copyright © 2008 Black Brown Pop Template designed by Ipiet's Blogger Template