The Grey (2012)

Bloody good, “The Grey” pits Liam Neeson against the arctic tundra and a pack of man-eating wolves, their eyes glowing hellfire. This is a Jack London fable, crossed with the grisliest of survival tales and pumped with dark adrenaline and overt symbolism. Neeson is Ottway, a soul-broken sniper for an oil company in northern Alaska who finds redemption and more in the face of death. At the film’s start Ottway attempts suicide. He falters. The next day he’s on an airplane, maybe heading home to quit, we do not know, but the craft goes down, killing dozens, save six men and Ottway. It’s in the wild that our man finds the courage to not die, and to lead his men (including Dermot Mulroney) to safety and life. Nature, the wolves, death, and chance stalk all the way. Neeson – hardcore, of few words -- gives the best performance he’s dealt since “Schindler’s List,” and director Joe Carnahan pulls out of his dumb dive (“A-Team”) to return to real storytelling on film. Stay after the credits for a final shot that will fuel debate in some, and leave others assured of fate and faith. A-