Review: Dhanush's spectacular act lifts this action extravaganza just at the right time

The Gray Man

The Gray Man is touted to be Netflix's most expensive project ever. It had everything going right for it - having THE Russo brothers at the helm of things, assembling a dream cast with the starriest names ever and finally, having Indian megastar Dhanush also playing a key role in the film. So, does the ambition and the money invested result in a satisfactory product? Well, having had the chance to watch The Gray Man at the premiere, here's what I thought about it-

The Mocobot Magic

With the Avengers series, one thing was established well enough that Joe and Anthony Russo (The Russo Brothers) have such a keen eye for cinematographic choices apart from their signature humor. One of the best things about The Gray Man is the spectacular camera work in the barrage of action scenes in the film. Frantic zoom-ins from a drone camera right from a bird's eye view to the subject in question was so unique to witness. In several action scenes as well, where hand-to-hand combat is involved, we can see the mocobot camera is involved which is so fascinating and makes the experience of the action sequence amazing.

A Glorious Mess

With ambitious actioners, it is so easy to fall into the trap of making things 'too big' and forgetting about the actual story. The Russos, while at their best as always don't seem to be apt choices for adaptations. With such things, there is a certain sense of limitation to where the story can go and that becomes very apparent in A Gray Man. Centred around a special agent and all the developments he goes through, the story of The Gray Man is basic and generic at the very best. However, it is glorious! It is glorious to see the adrenaline-rushing, heart-pounding albeit taxing action sequences which get too messy but with style.

Russos Going Full Michael Bay

I stopped myself on multiple occasions not falling to the trap of my thoughts of thinking 'this is so Michael Bay-esque'. However, the more the film keeps rolling and going on, it just became more pronounced constantly. There are more action sequences than one can count and I guess, there could easily be a drinking game in the first 40 minutes. Everytime, they are showing a plot development, a new city is introduced. And I kid you not, you can have a drink in your hand everytime a new city shows up and I am pretty sure you would be drunk rather soon. From Florida to Bangkok to Baku to Monaco to Chiang Mai to Turkey to London to Hong Kong to Vienna to Berlin  to Croatia...........phewwwww! Say that in one breath!

Russos definitely go full Michael Bay with this film and the result is exhilarating action, dream actors working together but barely having a heart and soul at the centre of it.

With Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling) and Claire's (Julia Butters) adorable bond, there are moments of emotions but none of that is enough to be the reason for a 120+ minute action extravaganza!

Dhanush - The Man

Assembling the 'Avengers' of a starcast, you expect nothing but brilliance. At the centre of it, Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as Six and Lloyd respectively are fantastic. Bringing in the right amount of sexiness and swagger along with fabulous action pieces, they excel. Apart from them, fantastic actors like Rege-Jean Page and Ana De Armas are wasted with badly written parts but Billy Bob Thronton and Jessica Henwick do well with their roles. There is also a fascinating and surprising Wagner Moura cameo! (surprising because that is not how you would expect Moura to be seen)

However, how can we not talk about the man himself, Dhanush. It is no secret that Dhanush just had a cameo of sorts and literally doesn't even enter the film till more than 10 odd minutes after the mid-way mark. But unlike so many other terrible Indian-actor-in-Hollywood-film cameos, Dhanush's act is freaking fantastic. He literally becomes the reason for the biggest development in the plot and with his swag, his stoic looks and general persona, he kills it in every way! Amazingly, he is involved in two action pieces and both of them are easily the best hand-to-hand action pieces in the film. Dhanush might not have gotten a lengthy role but he definitely gets a deserving role for his acting prowess.

The Verdict

In the end, it is Dhanush, who lifts the film and the screenplay just when you seem almost disjointed from the film and considering it arrives on Netflix, it isn't a bad way to spend your weekend watching a big-budget action spectacle with gorgeous people not caring too much about the story per se.

Rating - *** (3/5)