Netflix’s The Gray Man Critics Have Spoken, And They’re All Saying The Same Thing
The movie critics of the world have received the first look at the new Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling thriller, The Gray Man, and they are all saying the same thing about the movie.
By Douglas Helm| Published
The Gray Man is one of the most anticipated Netflix movies coming out this year and for good reason. You have Ryan Gosling leading a spy thriller that includes Chris Evans as a psycho villain with a mustache, the always engaging Ana de Armas, and the Hollywood debut of Bollywood actor Dhanush — what’s not to love? Plus, the Russo Brothers are directing. With huge Hollywood blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame under their belt, it’s to be expected that they know how to bring the action. Critics seem to be indicating the movie lives up to the hype, as the Twitter reviews are all looking similar.
This reviewer noted the non-stop action of The Gray Man, while also praising the back-and-forth between Gosling and Evans. They also mention that Ana de Armas is great while Dhanush apparently steals the show, ending it with the bold statement that this is the best project from Netflix and the Russos yet.
The Gray Man is two hours of James Bond meets Fast and Furious. Super exciting action, massive scale & set pieces, solid, self aware performances, consistent laughs, just a whole lot of fun. Gosling and Evans rule, supporting cast great, it’s a little obvious but never boring.
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) July 11, 2022
While this reviewer’s praise of The Gray Man isn’t quite as lofty, it’s still a glowing review. While the plot might be obvious, it seems like the action and performances elevate this into a great popcorn blockbuster that combines franchises like James Bond and Fast and Furious. Here’s another take on the movie:
IMO #TheGrayMan is gonna get a lot of comparisons to the Bourne franchise, but the action sequences and fight scenes in the @Russo_Brothers' latest are next-level. Plus those movies never had a villain as bat sh– evil (and funny) as Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen. 👍🏽👍🏽
— joey morona (@joeyjoe) July 11, 2022
Joey Morona notes that while The Gray Man is going to get compared to the great spy blockbusters, it’s got a lot going for it on its own. Namely the action, the fights, and the evil performance from Chris Evans. The Russos are used to directing Evans as the perennial good guy Captain America, so this villain role will be fun to see. Here are some more reviews that hammer home the goodwill The Gray Man has ahead of its release:
THE GRAY MAN is a tactically aggressive, assassin action film by the Russo Brothers. Ryan Gosling brings his usual stoic toughness against Chris Evans’ wicked charm. Not as impressive as the Mission: Impossible or John Wick films but still a hefty piece of popcorn entertainment.
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) July 11, 2022
.@Russo_Brother’ #TheGrayMan has unrelenting, well-constructed action sequences. Battle of wits, bullets & brawn. Ryan Gosling & @ChrisEvans share excellent repartee (and sleazebag facial hair!). Ana de Armas is badass & beauty. Dhanush’s scenes are ruthless & sharp.
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) July 11, 2022
The common theme for The Gray Man seems to be that you can count on Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas to ground the movie with their solid performances, while Chris Evans gives an appropriately over-the-top evil turn as the psychopathic villain, and Dhanush perfectly rounds out the cast in a scene-stealing role. The Russos also seem to have perfected their action formula, nailing the fight scenes and the impressive set pieces. While it seems like some reviewers all agree that it won’t quite live up to the Bournes and the Mission Impossible’s of the world, it’s definitely worth checking out.
The Gray Man tells the story of the CIA’s top operative, Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), whose true identity is revealed by his psychopathic former colleague (Chris Evans) after he discovers some dark agency secrets. With a bounty on his head, he must survive an international manhunt. Joe and Anthony Russo direct. Joe Russo and Christopher Markus adapt the screenplay from the book by Mark Greaney. If you want to see The Gray Man in theaters, it’s getting a limited release on July 15. Otherwise, you can stream the movie on Netflix and check out Chris Evan’s villain stache the following week, on July 22.
