Liam Neeson’s 117-Minute Action Thriller That “Stunned” Roger Ebert Is Officially Being Wiped From Netflix

It wasn’t that often film critic Roger Ebert was left stunned by a movie, but there was one film that affected him so much it caused him to walk out of his next screening. Released in 2012, it stars Liam Neeson as a troubled marksman working at an Alaskan oil-drilling site. Part action, part thriller, and all survival, it’s a harrowing movie that’s been a standout in the actor’s filmography for years, and now, it’s officially being wiped from Netflix next month.

Liam Neeson Gives a Gut-Wrenching Performance in a Disturbing Thriller

Hitting theaters on Jan. 27, 2012, The Grey sees Neeson play John Ottway, a man stationed at an isolated oil refinery whose job it is to shoot the wolves that threaten the workers. Seems pretty simple, right? Finishing his latest stint, Ottway boards a plane headed for home with a group of oil workers, and it’s then that things take a turn for the worse.

Crashing in the Alaskan wilderness, Ottway and his fellow survivors find themselves stranded in the bitter cold. As if the harsh conditions weren’t bad enough, they soon learn that they’re being stalked by a pack of Canadian grey wolves. After a series of brutal events leaves Ottway the last man standing, he gathers everything he has left in him whilst staring into the eyes of the pack’s alpha.

Featuring a different side of Neeson compared to his other hits of the day like Taken and The A-Team, The Grey saw him play a depressed and grieving widower who, at first, seems ready to die. He even goes so far as to attempt to end his own life before the plane crash, which forces him to decide later on if life is worth fighting for.

It’s truly a remarkable and gut-wrenching performance by Neeson, so it’s no wonder The Grey affected Ebert so much. Writing in his review, the critic noted that he was “stunned with despair” whilst watching the movie, adding that he “regarded the screen with mounting dread.” The Grey had such a profound effect on him that he said he was forced to leave his next screening. “I watched the second film for 30 minutes and then got up and walked out of the theater. It was the first time I’ve ever walked out of a film because of the previous film. The way I was feeling in my gut, it just wouldn’t have been fair to the next film.”

‘The Grey’ Is Officially Being Cut From Netflix Next Month

Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Rip) from a script by him and Ian MacKenzie Jeffers, The Grey was based on Jeffers’ own short story, Ghost Walkers. Shot primarily in British Columbia, the film holds a Certified Fresh rating of 80% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences were a little more unforgiving of the thriller, giving it just 61%.

Featuring one of the most ambiguous yet satisfying endings in movie history (make sure you watch through the credits), The Grey is currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S., but all that will change next month. Per What’s on Netflix, the survival thriller is slated to be removed from the streaming service on Nov. 1 once its license expires, meaning now is as good a time as any to watch what is arguably one of Neeson’s best performances.

Release Date

January 26, 2012

Runtime

117 minutes