The Gray Man (2022) | Netflix Film Review

We all know this story, right? Guy becomes an assassin, guy questions the motives of this hit, and some covert team puts a bounty on guy’s head to keep him quiet. The Gray Man isn’t reinventing the wheel here with storytelling, but rather seeks to make a more bombastic, funny, action flick than we’ve seen in awhile – especially on a streaming service like Netflix. 

The Russo Brothers, Anthony and Joe – yes, the filmmaking duo we all know and love from Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame – bring to your home-cinema an incredibly amusing and thrilling take on the aforementioned cliche. Court Gentry a.k.a. “Sierra Six” (Ryan Gosling) has a past which landed him in prison for his foreseeable future, until the CIA’s Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton) recruits the charming wise-cracker in exchange for a commuted sentence. Included in the fine print is essentially the note that you no longer exist; kiss goodbye to any life you had before, do the job, and don’t ask questions. 

Unfortunately for the CIA, Six goes rogue and steals a hard drive containing agency secrets that he was tasked in retrieving. An unpredictable “freelance contractor”, Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), is hired on by the CIA to hunt down Six and the hard drive, rallying the world’s assassins by offering an explosive bounty for the mission. 

This is the summer blockbuster we’ve all been waiting for. If all goes well, I’d anticipate a return to this world. Ryan Gosling is in his prime, kicking the most ass and doesn’t care about taking names. Even though he’s an assassin, the Russo Brothers made sure to give us a character in Six they knew we’d connect with. Tough on the outside, soft on the inside, like a Twix or some other delicious late-night treat. Sierra Six is the kind of man who still lives with a code and is only in this world as an alternative to being behind bars. Don’t get me wrong – he is damn good at his job, which is why Lloyd and CIA Director Denny Carmichael (Regé-Jean Page) are really risking it for the biscuit in this effort. 

Playing against type this much is something I never expected Chris Evans to return to after his many years as Captain America. Evans’ humorous, egotistical, and volatile torturer via Lloyd enlightens every scene, despite his Nazi ‘stache. The rebuttal chemistry between Evans and Gosling is palpable, managing to outshine all other players on screen, including a kickass co-assassin in Ana de Armas as Dani. 

Every fight scene – whether it’s Ana de Armas spy on Six’s trail, Evans, or Gosling – feels like a choreographed dance routine. The meticulous and deliberate motions that each individual carries is so precise and effortless. Particularly for a streaming film, this is not the level of choreography I would expect, which turns out to be a good thing. 

Although the sharp and, at times, neon color palette is beginning to feel grating in this 2010s era, The Gray Man is a beautiful tribute to films with this visual appearance, such as John Wick. The difference between The Gray Man and John Wick ultimately comes down to story. Otherwise, the action, performances, humor, and engagement are all on par with each other. The Russo brothers’ streak of creating fully-fledged films that exceed expectations is surely intact.