The Grey

(Spoiler alert) I read a few reviews here, but decided to see the movie anyhow, and I'm glad I did. Very rarely do movies leave you feeling so overwhelmed with thought and contemplation. ‘The Grey’ is an intense sermon; a last prayer in the religion of survival and a hymn to the resounding belief that we can overcome our greatest challenges with perseverance. Neeson draws upon the memory of his wife and her message, "don't be afraid," and a flashback between him and his father. He also draws upon the happiest memories he has in the most perilous of situations and helps others around him to do the same in their last moments. It is a survival story with a colorful cast of characters that offer diversity of opinion, beliefs, and personalities. Conflicts between a few of the men reminded me how we all approach our fears differently, and how in difficult times, it's the happy moments that help you relax and endure. I found this movie to be a powerful allegory for the times we live in. The power of resiliency is arguably one of the most inspiring attributes an individual can possess. Metaphorically we all have wolves, storms, and rivers blocking our paths throughout life. We have experienced crashes, whether economic or personal and survived dire straights. I actually really enjoyed the ending. It's not a typical feel good Hollywood ending. Maybe one expects going to the movies should help them escape realism, whereas this ending depicts a truer and more realistic resolution. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the connection this ending tied to the opening of the film: Neeson's hand feeling the wolf's last breathe & Neeson's head lying on the wolf's body as they both presumably take their last breathe which capsulates the poem Neeson recites frequently throughout the film: "Once more into the fray, Into the last good fight I’ll ever know, Live and die on this day ... Live and die on this day ..." RE: age appropriate. I think this movie is too strong for kids. I think 15 and up could handle it based on individual maturity. There are good messages, but they are deep messages which deserve conversation and contemplation.

I like this movie; Yes, swearing is very common (f*** is used regularly.) Characters are seen drinking and smoking. Wolves attack, sometimes out of nowhere, causing for jumpy scenes, and characters are killed by them and left mauled and bloody. The men talk about sex somewhat. The main character almost commits suicide in the beginning and men get into a fist fight. This film isn't for the faint of heart, or the young. I don't reccomend it for anyone under 15.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am consistently seeing younger and younger children exposed to questionable materials. I was interested in the concept of THE GREY, I like action, I like survival stories. I did not like THE GREY. I would recommend the producers add subtitles. Viewers struggle to hear the dialog between characters because the constant barrage of the word F**K is beyond pervasive. Secondly, the preoccupation with referencing the male genitalia seems over worked. The film itself is cumbersome and attempts to sustain attention via poor acting, gore, pervasive language and some ethereal ideas relative to the afterlife. I grasp a film attempting to capture the culture and dynamics of a particular group, but this film certainly ranks as deeply disappointing. IF your interested in a good survival story, look elsewhere.

Great movie, the wolves are very violent and sensationalized but it can either scare a child about the wild or get them extremely interested in it. The violence is aligned with the story line, you can't expect people to "talk it out" with an aggressive wolf pack. The overall message to take out of it that beauty and danger of a natural setting needs to be appreciated, told in an exciting way. Stay for after the credits to get more of an ending.