In the summer of COVID when no movie theatres are open there is very little that can be done to make a profit on a $50million movie already in the can. Greyhound is a Sony Pictures production that sold to Apple+ for $70 million. This Tom Hanks penned movie, was destined for theatres this summer, but COVID meant a standard release was impossible.
Greyhound tells the story of a novice US Navy Taskforce Commander leading a convoy across the ocean during the early days of the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII. This movie does for submarine movies what Saving Private Ryan did for war movies. It is a gritty and uncompromising look at a seldom-seen part of WWII. Hanks gives his usual steady performance in what would have been the sleeper hit of the summer if we were still living in the before time. Hanks’ performance as Commander Ernest Krauss does most of the heavy lifting in this claustrophobic thriller, but he finds support from a solid cast of newer faces.
In short, this is the best submarine movie in years.
THE EDGE
Greyhound is a bare-bones thriller. There is not a ton of depth or sophistication beyond a solid war movie. That being said, this film does not pretend to be an Earth-shattering epic. It’s an accessible watch for a lazy rainy weekend at home.
The thrills are heightened by the monster-movie depiction of the German U-boats. The U-boats are presented as silent, sleek predators capable of striking anywhere and at any time and our heroes are helpless to stop them. Occasionally, the Germans taunt our heroes via an HF radio, adding to the tension.
THE LOWDOWN
In Greyhound, we have a primer for what is to come in the world of cinematic production. The majority of the actor action takes place on a small, claustrophobic bridge and forecastle of the Greyhound. The inherent problem of virus transmission on a movie set makes any production featuring a small cast much easier to insure. Except for the scene in the hotel lobby at the beginning of the movie, there are never more than 20 players on screen at most. Small spaces with a low number of players is the safest way to produce a movie in these uncertain times.
Working with water, wind, and snow on any production is always a huge pain in the ass and a real struggle for a crew. The SPFX team on this was working overtime and it paid off. This would have been a difficult shoot to work on, but it would have been worthwhile.
Hanks is a well-seasoned actor with a reputation as a consummate professional. More than acting ability, there is a reason a guy like that can stay at the top for as long as Hanks has. I’d give my right eye to work for him.
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