The Gray Man Might Be Predictable, But It's Still Enormously Fun

Captain America with a pornstache is about all you need to know about The Gray Man, Netflix’s newest action thriller based on the book series by Mark Greaney. Well, that and shirtless Ryan Gosling, who got swole for the role, and plays off-the-books secret agent (or gray man) Sierra Six. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the siblings who helmed Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, The Gray Man is a loud, high-octane cat-and-mouse spectacle that involves way, way more destruction than necessary.

A large part of that unwarranted mayhem is thanks to pornstachioed Chris Evans, who plays unhinged independent contractor Lloyd Hansen, a psychopath commissioned to take out Six and doesn’t let anything get in his way. Except for a little girl named Claire Fitzroy (Julia Butters) that is, whom he holds hostage throughout the entire film as leverage to get Six to cooperate. Out of all the crazy things that happen in the film, it’s actually Lloyd not killing or torturing Claire from the start that strains the most credulity. That said, Lloyd and his group of thugs maim and kill a lot of people and blow up a whole lot of stuff. Part of the joke is the fact that you simply can’t take a bad guy named Lloyd seriously. 

Photo by Netflix.

The Gray Man doesn’t reinvent the action genre wheel. In fact, it’s largely predictable from start to finish, with a story that’s practically devoid of the typical twists and surprises audiences have come to expect from films involving secret agents. The Gray Man is as linear as it gets, the bad guys are bad and the good guys are good, with the Russos focusing their energies on orchestrating thrilling car chases and throwing all the guns and the kitchen sink at a Six on the run.

The simplicity of The Gray Man is part of its charm. Six is a black ops agent considered a loose end by rising CIA director Denny Carmichael (Regé-Jean Page) who hires Lloyd to do the job despite protests from his contemporary Suzanne Brewer, who’s played by Jessica Henwick who surprisingly doesn’t throw a single punch or kick. The result is a globetrotting manhunt with lots of explosions and a high body count. Six is assisted by CIA agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) and his recruiter and mentor Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton).

It’s strictly popcorn fare, with numerous moments of levity delivered expertly by an utterly charming cast. Lloyd even at his psychopathic worst is entertaining, and the awful mustache was a really smart move because Evans is simply too pretty as a villain. This isn’t to say he wasn’t convincing, as the Russos manage to turn even the prettiest boys into assholes including Regé-Jean Page, who’s an unapologetic douchebag as the shady and borderline sleazy Carmichael. 

And then there’s Ana de Armas, who showed her action star chops in last year’s No Time To Die. Dani not only holds her own against all the big boys but is actually the one who comes to Six’s rescue on multiple occasions. It’s refreshing and should get us all excited for Ballerina, the John Wick spinoff featuring Armas in the lead. Armas and Gosling, who worked together in Bladerunner 2049, have exceptional buddy cop chemistry and it’s part of what makes The Gray Man enormously fun. Dani’s snappy comebacks punctuate her serious demeanor and it’s a real delight.

Photo by Netflix.

The story isn’t deep, complex, or even necessarily relevant. It’s simply set piece after set piece after set piece with an abundance of explosions. Claire wasn’t strictly needed and even served to dampen Lloyd’s menace, but she was absolutely essential in establishing Six as more than a seasoned killing machine. It’s a textbook badass and child trope that unravels exactly as you’d expect every step of the way but still completely works because Butters is endearing and Gosling is, well, Gosling.

The film feels like a setup for a franchise, with just enough world-building and open ends to tell more stories before or after. The Russos certainly know how to entertain, and the biggest problem with The Gray Man aside from its utter predictability and ticking boxes might be the fact that most people just don’t have big enough screens to watch it in. Viewing it on your mobile phone should probably be a misdemeanor. When all is said and done, The Gray Man ranks slightly higher than other Netflix blockbusters with A-list stars and should be worth the price of a subscription (I mean, it does come with Stranger Things).

The Gray Man drops on Netflix on July 22.