The Gray MAN ( 2022) film

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Star – Ryan Gosling My Rating *** Genre – Spy Thriller Run Time – 122 Minutes. Certificate – PG13 Country – U.S.A = = = = = = = = = = So those who use Netflix know the score. You watch a movie, maybe because it was recommended in a magazine or an online movie critic site and then the Netflix algorithm offers you similar movies you may like thereafter, matched to your taste, how you discover movies like The Gray Man. This is particular useful around films like The Gray Man as it may not be on your recommended list as the critics didn’t like it. This is Netflix biggest ever studio movie at a $200 million plus budget, tied with Red Notice (2021). Red Notice was another big Netflix movie to get poor reviews. To be fair they where nearer the mark on that one. The big appeal of this one is the sexy and charismatic cast, Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans going head-to head in this spy thriller romp, played for laughs, showered in explosions and glamour, if not that critical applause. ===Cast=== • Ryan Gosling as Six • Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen • Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda • Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer • Regé-Jean Page as Carmichael • Wagner Moura as Laszlo Sosa • Julia Butters as Claire, Fitzroy’s niece • Dhanush as Avik San/Lone Wolf • Alfre Woodard as Margaret Cahill • Billy Bob Thornton as Fitzroy ===The Plot=== CIA deep cover agent Steve Gentry (Ryan Gosling), known as Sierra Six, working alongside female agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas), are tasked to assassinate a target suspected of selling off national security secrets in Bangkok, the operation during the colorful national Songkran festival. The planed hit in a swanky 5 star hotel becomes too crowded so they attack the target directly. Before dying, the target reveals that he was Sierra Four, and hands Six an encrypted drive detailing the corruption of CIA official Denny Carmichael (Regé-Jean Page), who is the lead agent on the Seirra assassination mission back in DC. Carmichael is not forthcoming about the true purpose of the mission and the contents of the drive when confronted by Six. Contacting his old boss Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton) tells him not to trust Six is soon on the run when he discovers what’s on the drive and decides his next course of action to stay alive. He’s not popular as rouge assassin hit teams are dispatched to take him out, private contractor Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) hot on his tail and heavily armed. Agent Miranda has to decide where her loyalty now lies. ===Results=== This is good action fun and so ignore the ratings. The critics are still being sniffy about Netflix and their movies. It’s a bit too long at two hours plus but two hours of Ryan Gosling is what most women want, the best thing in it, cool, sexy and funny throughout and not taking it too seriously the way the Marvel movies do with their heroes. Steve ‘Captain America’ Evans is an odd choice for the villain but hams it up with a silly mustache, and we are also surprised at Regé-Jean Page appearance here in a nefarious role, especially as he is tipped to be the next Bond. Its Netflix attempt at a Bourne/John Wick style franchise and I’m sure it will prosper. Now that Paramount has bailed on Tom Cruise and Jack Reacher there is room for it. Of course the action is hectic and bombastic and our heroes preposterously escape way too many near death moments in the 122 minutes but that’s what we are here for and budget not spared on the action so that stuff looks precise and sharp throughout. The Russo Brothers who direct are known for that. One too watch if you are not too fussy. ===RATINGS=== Imdb.com – 6.5/10.0 (211k votes) Rottentomatos.com –44% critic’s approval ===Trailer===