The Grey

Emotionally ravaged John Ottway (Liam Neeson) is a despondent loner stationed at a remote Alaskan oil refinery, where he works as a sharpshooter—protecting workers from roaming predators. When a horrific storm downs a transport plane en route home, the survivors are faced with a challenging trek through snowy tundra. Not only are they stranded in the harsh, merciless wilderness, but they're also relentlessly pursued by a pack of bloodthirsty wolves that, according to Ottway, are territorial, protecting their den. One by one, the men are picked off until it becomes obvious who will be the last man standing. Since the subsidiary characters aren't given much of a backstory, the emotional aspect of the drama pivots around Ottway and his recollections of his estranged wife (Anne Openshaw) and his Irish father. Director Joe Carnahan's The Grey was filmed in rugged British Columbia, and boasts incredibly realistic looking wolves (a mixture of giant animatronic puppets, CGI, and trained animals). Of course, there is a bit of a plausibility issue: wolves generally don't hunt humans. An optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by filmmaker Joe Carnahan and editors Roger Barton and Jason Hellmann, deleted scenes (23 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is the BD-Live function, and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so adventure-thriller.] (S. Granger)