Gray Man Movie Review

This is one of the largest movies to come out of Netflix, with around 200 million spent making this and it treads a rather familiar path, a sort of Jason Bourne mixed with Craig-esque Bond elements and a healthy dose of XXX action mixed in. So does it work?

The spy genre mixed with the hero fighting against the odds is a tried and test plot, and this movie does not do much to advance the genre, however what it does, I feel, it does well. It tries to spice it up with some human elements, it also throws in some quiet humor, with Ryan Gosling playing the strong silent type pretty well, and he does continue the Neil Armstrong act, with few words, but some elements of quips and one liners thrown in for good measure. 

Ana De Armas does try to play a counterfoil to him and it is her second espionage outing after the last Bond movie. As with the current trend, she is less femme fatale and more action stronglady trying to match Ryan blow for blow. However she does not stand out much and there is little attempt to give her character more depth, but she does try very hard to be more than eye candy.

Chris Evans has been trying to play against type, with his second outing as the scumbag guy after Knives Out, probably in an attempt to shake off the goody guy image he inherited after years of being Captain America. He seems to have lost a lot of bulk here and his Adolf style moustache try to help look like all American hero. 

There is a nice list of supporting cast, with Jessica Henwick and Billy Thorton as well as an Indian rock star no less - Dhanush to help attract an international audience. 

With the Russos at the helm, the action and plot remain tight albeit a tad predictable, but the smooth flow of action keeps us interested. The knife fight scene is reminiscent of one fought in the Winter Soldier, and they do employ some actors from that movie here too. 

As for the sound, it's encoded in Atmos, but unlike recent Netflix action movies this does not attain new heights. Whilst there is some use of surrounds, the bass and soundfield created is nowhere near demo material.

And that's how I feel about this movie, it's not bad, pretty exciting, especially the brisk flow of action and tight plot, but it is not at the top of the game and when you compare it to the recent Bond movie and the Bourne franchise, it's still a step or two behind.

I would recommend a watch, but I may get the Blu Ray if it ever comes out, when it is on sale. 

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 I have no financial interest or other interests in any of the items / events I write about.