Photo via IMDb
By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
A film without character development or emotional attachment is dull, lifeless, and boring, which are also words that describe the color grey. “In the Grey” is the latest phone-it-in action thriller from Guy Ritchie that wastes the talent of its stars. The story tries to be cute and clever with quippy lines and shootouts, but there is nothing remotely interesting enough to sustain viewer attention.
When cutthroat Manny Salazar (Carlos Bardem) refuses to pay back a billion-dollar loan, Bobby Sheen (Rosamund Pike) sends in an elite group of covert operatives to forcibly retrieve the debt. Rachel (Eiza González) brings her best team led by Sid (Henry Cavill) and Bronco (Jake Gyllenhaal) to not only uncover a way to get Salazar to part with his money, but also to keep her safe in the process. However, sometimes the best laid plans go awry, and survival depends on how dirty they’re willing to get.
One would think after films like “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” in 2023 and last year’s “Fountain of Youth,” writer/director Guy Ritchie would have learned how to avoid another clichéd viewing experience. Unfortunately, he repeats his mistakes from those films, fashioning another paint-by-numbers movie devoid of energy. Instead of adding much needed depth to the characters, he devotes a multitude of scenes to the preparation phase of the characters’ mission, forcing audiences to endure so many trial runs of the different escape routes that they could run them blindfolded as well. The heavy-handed exposition effectively cripples the pacing and leads to viewer ambivalence towards the success of the mission.
Guy Ritchie gives viewers absolutely no reason to care about a ruthless billionaire stealing from a giant corporation, or the emotionless cardboard cutouts of the team designated with taking down the bad guys. In his 2023 film, “The Covenant,” he takes great care to develop that emotional attachment with the characters, which creates a much more rewarding experience. Here, he covers up the lack of depth with halfhearted attempts at humor using deadpan sarcasm that mostly falls flat. By the time he transitions to an all-out action romp, viewers have already checked out, disinterested in who makes it out alive and who doesn’t. Shooting the entirety of the film in under two months, it’s no wonder why it turns out so bland.
As far as the action is concerned, Ritchie employs his trademark style of slick visuals that are still somewhat fun to watch. His fast-paced editing and kinetic camera movements are present during these intense scenes in an exotic, sun-drenched location, accentuating the vibrant colors amidst the violence. He attempts to drum up more excitement with multiple car chase sequences using various vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes, and he even throws in a helicopter for good measure. All the weaponry and toys the characters get to use allow for bigger gunfights and bigger explosions, but the formula following predictability disarms the adrenaline from these climactic scenes.
Having a cast that features Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González in starring roles should be enough to make any film a worthwhile watch, but the script undermines their talent. They all show zero personality or depth, voicing their lines in a consistently drab monotone. Not even the deadpan sarcasm they drop can generate enough humor to cover the lack of dimension in their characters. Their faces, especially Eiza’s, are continuously expressionless, further dulling any emotional attachment. These three have all worked with Guy Ritchie before in prior films, and they may want to consider a change in direction.
This is a production that feels like it came off an assembly line in a factory: ordinary, unmemorable, and soulless. “In the Grey” is further proof Guy Ritchie has become a Costco type of filmmaker, churning out watered down versions of his brand in formulaic packaging. Hopefully he spends more time to achieve quality with his next film, “Wife and Dog,” which is scheduled to be released later this year.
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