Directed by:
Ric Roman WaughScreenplay:
Chris SparlingCinematography:
Dana GonzalesComposer:
David BuckleyCast:
Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, Scott Glenn, David Denman, Hope Davis, Holt McCallany, Andrew Bachelor, Merrin Dungey, Gary Weeks (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity (Gerard Butler), his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. Amid terrifying news accounts of cities around the world being levelled by the comet’s fragments, the Garrity’s experience the best and worst in humanity while they battle the increasing panic and lawlessness surrounding them. As the countdown to global apocalypse approaches zero, their incredible trek culminates in a desperate and last-minute flight to a possible safe haven. (Roadshow Entertainment)
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Reviews (10)
I’ve been wondering what happened to Gerard Butler. He burst onto the scene years ago with some solid films, but lately, it feels like he’s been stuck in a string of forgettable disaster flicks. Greenland could’ve easily been another one of those, but surprisingly, it’s not half bad. It gave me flashbacks to the first time I watched Deep Impact — starting off with a really grounded vibe and gradually shifting into a tense portrayal of how different people cope with an impending catastrophe. Sure, it leans into the usual tropes by the end, but honestly, I didn’t mind. It’s refreshing to see a disaster movie that isn’t completely ridiculous for a change.
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It has its weaker moments (the entire final half-hour is such a clichéd Hollywood construct, completely different in mood from the previous realistic action), but otherwise it's far from Geostorm and similar recent bullshit. It's a believable look at human behaviour in extreme situations, when a planetary catastrophe brings to the surface their egotism and low instincts. The special effects are sparse, but the ominous sights of the changing sky has an unsettling charm and visually it really looks good and believable. But I expected it, Ric Roman Waugh is a smart guy, he's done it a few times already, and his latest film so far certainly doesn't deserve to be in the blue.
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Greenland is a likably simple depiction of the sudden destruction of the world by a hail of asteroids. How it might happen, how mortals would react to it and how difficult it would be for the lucky ones (read: “the chosen ones”) to get into shelters. It is a disaster thriller with a more modest budget, shot in digital and with more emphasis on the characters. Unfortunately, those characters are placed in the most clichéd relationship context imaginable – an estranged couple who are brought together by their son (the exposition is handled through a rip-off of War of the Worlds). The visual effects and action sequences are excellent, and I was particularly pleased with the aerial shots of Greenland in the ending, as that land is numero uno in my traveler’s heart where natural wonders are concerned (I don’t want to spoil it).
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You shouldn’t be expecting a shallow action movie, Ric Roman Waugh shows us carefully measured scenes of devastation, often indirectly and with very realistic CGI, thanks to which this movie looks like a movie and not chaotic computer animation. The story focuses on a group of people just trying to survive the impact of a destructive comet, and you will them on to succeed. This is slightly damaged by some typical, predictable tropes - for example, you learn one of the characters suffers from diabetes at the beginning, so it is immediately clear this is the device that later significantly spices up the story. In other respects, however, I was very satisfied and within a specific subgenre, Greenland is a decent movie that definitely deserves attention.
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A down-to-earth disaster nail-biter with an unexpectedly realistic first half. After the excellent first hour it jumps feet first into the realm of Hollywood and things start to work miraculously. Vaughn approaches this in the same way as Seňor Spielberg in War of the Worlds, concentrating on an ordinary family with Butler in the role of a dad chosen to survive. It chugs along marvelously and there’s always something happening. Surprisingly, the government does what it should; the other characters are not one-dimensional; the powerful scenes with fire raining down and blast waves work splendidly. Movies like this a needed in this day and age; it makes you realize that things could be much, much worse. Covid is nothing in comparison to Clark.
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