"The Grey" - Survival Movie 2012

Saw it tonight-for entertainment standards it was acceptable. Filmography was good, acting on Liam Neeson's behalf was good, the storyline and wolves were messed up. Very few meaty survival bits and alot of dramatized cold terror. Why he ditched the Canada Goose Expedition parka is beyond me...
 
the movie has been panned by everyone I know that wasted money on it.

There are way too many wolves.............................. :D
 
I've not seen it yet (no worries about spoilers - i don't care whether i know the ending or not....), but i've read on another "Outdoor" site where the wolf-supporters are outraged and have been throughout the production of this movie. Not wanting to open a can 'o worms here, but i'm pleased to *not* see this devolve into that sort of discussion.

From the accounts i've read, the movie comes up short in accurate/probable "bush-crafty/survival" skill depiction. Bummer, but at least *something* is being viewed by the masses.

Hopefully, less-prepared folks who see the movie will open their eyes to the more "natural" world, to potential emergencies and become more prepared for them.
 
I saw it yesterday afternoon. Paid 4 bux and got my money's worth but not a great film IMHO. Some parts were really intense (plane crash among them) the wolves were hoakie yet still brought chills to me at times, not much in the way of survival skills shown at all, and then there was the ending. Scenery is spectacular.
 
I read an article about wolves a couple of years back. European wolves are the same species as North American wolves, however the European branch will hunt & kill and eat humans. They are found mostly in Eastern Europe. Places like Croatia, Yugoslavia, etc. Supposedly, there has never been a recorded instance of a North American wolf attack on humans. These must be European wolves.
 
kalis said:
I read an article about wolves a couple of years back. European wolves are the same species as North American wolves, however the European branch will hunt & kill and eat humans. They are found mostly in Eastern Europe. Places like Croatia, Yugoslavia, etc. Supposedly, there has never been a recorded instance of a North American wolf attack on humans. These must be European wolves.
Click to expand...

I can tell you this is known to be true here in Bosnia. I know a couple guys who've been out hiking and been "tracked" by wolf packs (consisting of 2-4 animals that these guys saw). These guys are trustworthy friends and not into drama and hype (though i live in a different part now, it's still usually on my mind when i'm out). Wolves have been known to prey on the "wild" horses in Western Bosnia/Hercegovina as well as preying on sheep/goats in some of the more remote parts in north eastern Bosnia.

I'd expect Member Name "Rinos" to chime in as he lives in Split, Croatia (i used to visit there monthly - beautiful city BTW). Incidently, Croatia used to be part of Former Yugoslavia (as was Bosnia, etc.....).

The Balkan's have a couple shepherd dog breeds that were bred specifically to guard against predation like this - the Sar (pronounced SHAR) Planinatz and the Tornjak - both big!
 
fmajor007 said:
I can tell you this is known to be true here in Bosnia. I know a couple guys who've been out hiking and been "tracked" by wolf packs (consisting of 2-4 animals that these guys saw). These guys are trustworthy friends and not into drama and hype (though i live in a different part now, it's still usually on my mind when i'm out). Wolves have been known to prey on the "wild" horses in Western Bosnia/Hercegovina as well as preying on sheep/goats in some of the more remote parts in north eastern Bosnia.

I'd expect Member Name "Rinos" to chime in as he lives in Split, Croatia (i used to visit there monthly - beautiful city BTW). Incidently, Croatia used to be part of Former Yugoslavia (as was Bosnia, etc.....).

The Balkan's have a couple shepherd dog breeds that were bred specifically to guard against predation like this - the Sar (pronounced SHAR) Planinatz and the Tornjak - both big!
Click to expand...

I've spoken to northern mine workers that told me of close encounters. One was were a couple of buddies were on a remote road and shut down their road graders for the day. It was dusk and the two were talking and waiting to be picked up. They noticed shapes forming around them and the machines in the dusk. Then growls and the shapes got closer as they kept moving. The men got back in the graders and radios. The guy told the story with better deteail than this and it caught my attention. There is also a documented case were a guy was jogging on the road outside of this same northern Saskatchewan mine and had a wolf drag him to the ditch. I was told that the man was played out fighting with it then luckily a work van drove up full of guys. Look it up on the net if you wish. A uranium mine I believe, it's been a few years since I heard it. But whenever I post this stuff up I always get flack and told that I'm fear mongering and fantasizing. Maybe if some of these guys spent some time in the far northern isolated bush they wouldn't be quite so skeptical that these events are just fantasy. They are rare, but real. As for the movie I'll withhold judgement until seen. Most Hollywood stuff is bogus B.S.
 
I second what CanadianTrailMan said, I can cope with making the wolves unrealistic for the purpose of that being the whole idea of the movie, a group of survivors being hunted by wolves, but can we at least make the people make actual grown up decisions? They did nothing but make stupid decisions that were obviously only written in to set up the next big dramatic scene. It is possible to make them think like grown up men and still create dramatic situations for them. I won't get into examples because I don't want to throw in too many spoilers but basically the men in the movie made worse survival decisions than a group of fifth graders waking up from a nap.
 
I can't speak for the movie, but i can tell you stories of folks while in the mountains that when tired, dehydrated, hypothermic, *HEAD-STRONG AND PRIDEFUL* they won't listen to reason and loose their ability to make good decisions. When people are in "over their heads" they can make bad decisions - even very experienced people are vulnerable.

In any event, these plot twists/short-comings help keep the story line cohesive and that helps ticket sales!
 
A plain crash, survival and dealing with dangerous wild animals. It reminds me of the movie "The Edge" with Anthony Hopkins.
 
fmajor007 said:
I can't speak for the movie, but i can tell you stories of folks while in the mountains that when tired, dehydrated, hypothermic, *HEAD-STRONG AND PRIDEFUL* they won't listen to reason and loose their ability to make good decisions. When people are in "over their heads" they can make bad decisions - even very experienced people are vulnerable.

In any event, these plot twists/short-comings help keep the story line cohesive and that helps ticket sales!
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying, but they started making dumb decisions from before anyone was exhausted or hypothermic and they were never dehydrated they were surrounded by snow and the whole time they are basically led by Liam's character who is supposed to be the level headed battle hardened decision maker who is supposedly trying to get them to make the smart decisions which almost none of his ideas are (including his idea of "running" through thick snow to get away from wolves when they're being head-on chased, because obviously men can run faster through the snow than wolves and it's easier to fight when you get hit from the back). There's letting the characters make a few slip ups that are plausible given circumstances and then there's having almost every decision be terrible and a clumsy, obvious plot device.

That said the film was very well made with superb cinematography and the acting was on point, most of the writing just seemed lazy though.
 
mossyhorn said:
A plain crash, survival and dealing with dangerous wild animals. It reminds me of the movie "The Edge" with Anthony Hopkins.
Click to expand...

Oh what a *great* movie that is!!!! Thanks for the reminder - i'll add it to my "2012 Christmas List"!!!
 
New rule: For now on, all of Liam Neilsons movies have to be called "I'm going to hunt you down, and I'm going to kill you." :D
 
kalis said:
I read an article about wolves a couple of years back. European wolves are the same species as North American wolves, however the European branch will hunt & kill and eat humans. They are found mostly in Eastern Europe. Places like Croatia, Yugoslavia, etc. Supposedly, there has never been a recorded instance of a North American wolf attack on humans. These must be European wolves.
Click to expand...

Domestic dogs, coyotes, wolves-the canines are all seen by the scientific community as the same species. The movie was filmed in BC and Alberta and was supposed to take place in Alaska-so the wolves portrayed would have been North American wolves.
 
There have been reports of attacks on humans. But none resulting in death. That's on record at least. I'm sure it's happened in the 17th/18th/19th centuries, but there is nothing on official record.
 
I read a recent interview with the director and he states that the wolves act against nature in the movie. He researched uncommon wolf behavior before making the movie and also talked about a 400 member pack in siberia that hunted horses and a few other strange stories of aberrant wolf behavior.I have yet to see the movie but it looked cool ,I just remember not to expect too much and remember they are making a hollywood movie not a realistic survival film.
 
There are actually people that liked "The Edge" that movie was horrible!! Snow Walker was great, Jeremiah Johnson was great, A Cry in the Wild was great, The Edge was garbage. Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top