Greyhound Is Light On Both Story And Character Development But Carries Enough Thrills And Excitement To compensate

      When it comes to best-selling Hollywood film genres, one of the most successful and celebrated ones are war films with World War ll generally being the timeline that filmmakers often turn to in order to be successful both financially and critically. Whereas Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk served as being the last major World War ll film released in theaters, last year's 1917 directed by Sam Mendes managed to not only be a surprise success but switched things up with the story taking place during World War l. With Greyhound, the filmmakers revert back to the World War ll era with Tom Hanks not only acting in the film as the main lead but also trying his hand with penning the films script. Originally was supposed to be released theatrically on June 12, 2020 by Sony Pictures, the film was ultimately delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic with it being released for streaming through Apple TV+. It's a shame that Greyhound won't get its chance to play on the big screen as the film boasts some impressive action sequences with it ultimately serving as being a fast-paced World War ll thriller, that's powered by a commanding performance from Tom Hanks. Although it can be argued that the film leans more on the action side of it's story to thrill audiences rather than building up its main set of characters, the end result is a reasonably exciting and entertaining war thriller, that serves as being an honorable film adaptation of the classic novel that inspired the films story despite loosely​ being based on a real-life battle.

      Based on C.S Forester's novel titled The Good Shepherd, the story centers around a newly commissioned US Navy commander (played by Tom Hanks) leading a destroyer in defending an Allied convoy crossing the Atlantic toward Europe in 1942, while being relentlessly pursued by several Nazi submarines. For lead actor and surprise writer Tom Hanks, the film serves as being the perfect economic vehicle to transfer from book to screen as it carries a strong foundation to allow for its audience to be thrilled by the stories action. Greyhound is a film that has the perfect packaging of being an effective World War ll thriller with it serving as being both exciting and thrilling with its tightly-paced story being almost enough to blanket some of the films glaring faults such as the lack of strong character development with Hanks character's crew. Many of the side characters often feel like fillers with them being given pedestrian dialogue to help move the story along rather than taking a life of their own. Hanks character is fairly well-established and given key moments where the audience becomes connected with his character such as the flashback showing his relationship with his girlfriend Evelyn (Who also feels like a pedestrian character with her only purpose being to advance Hanks character with giving the audience a glimpse of his personal life outside the Greyhound). There's no doubt in the audiences mind when watching the film that Hanks character is the main driving force of the story, as well as being the soul of the crew onboard his ship. His presence combined with the films tense atmosphere and thrilling action set-pieces are enough to deflect from the films glaring issues regarding both its lack of character development and plot elaboration. Greyhound despite its faults, works as being an intense and efficient World War ll drama that's serves as being fairly well-executed and put together with its intentions being honorable in showing commitment and bravery in the face of insurmountable odds.

      Outside of the films stellar action sequences, the performances from the main cast succeed in bringing much realism and believability to the big screen. The acting for the most part is convincing with the story being powered by Tom Hanks strong and powerful performance as Ernest Krause, commanding officer of the USS Greyhound. Hanks as usual is terrific here with him delivering pure devotion to the role of a man being faced with an extraordinary circumstance. Hanks is no stranger to playing out this type of character arc with his performance being no different in leaving the same powerful mark in playing this role in comparison to some of his other previous works. Despite Elisabeth Shue's role feeling minimal, she manages to be effective in the role of playing Ernest's love interest Evelyn with her role being more aimed towards advancing Hank's character. Stephen Graham delivers a strong supporting performance as Krause's Lieutenant Commander and executive officer Charlie. Although his role isn't as meaty as Hanks, he manages to make the most of his part and leave a notable impression with audiences. The same can also be said for Rob Morgan as 2nd class Mess Attendant, George Cleveland with his character being shown to respect and look after Ernest with the latter carrying both a mutual respect and admiration towards. The cast for Greyhound work to do the absolute best jobs possible with the roles handed to them with everyone giving the genuine feeling, that they want to contribute towards telling a story that's both powerful and extraordinary. Out of all the performances, Hanks delivers the most noteworthy one with the film essentially being his show given his contribution both as the films lead actor and writer. Much of the film depends on his strength as an actor in regards to making the story work as effectively as it does with the audience feeling that had Hanks not have been the one in the films leading​ role, the end result most likely wouldn't have turned out as well as it does. One wishes that the rest of the cast was given more to do, particularly Elisabeth Shue's character. 

      The films directing by Aaron Schneider comes across as being well-crafted with the film being both fast and efficient in the excitement department. Schneider takes Hanks script and brings it to the big screen in a way that makes the story compelling for audiences, along with being an appealing one on a technical front. The films visual look is impressive with its cinematography, costume, and production design all meshing well together with placing audiences in the World War ll era. The cinematography stands out as being one of the more impressive technical elements of the film with the camera work brilliantly capturing the battles at sea between the war ships, along with the waves crashing against the hulls of the Greyhound. The fact that both the battle sequences as well as the shots of the sea were originally a green screen, makes them even more impressive and authentic given that the film was filmed without a single drop of water. The interior shots of the Greyhound are well-shot with the lighting being bright enough for the audience to see the inside of the ship with the use of red being cleverly utilized. The audience is given a genuine feeling of realism with how the story is filmed with them feeling as if they're at sea with these characters along with witnessing an intense game of cat-and-mouse unfold. The films editing gives the film a pace that feels both rapid and tight. The audience isn't given much time to catch their breath in between the films action set-pieces with the brief quiet moments being effectively used in giving the audience either character moments or information regarding the films plot. The score by Blake Neely is well used with it ultimately adding to the intensity of the films action sequences, along with enhancing the films quieter and emotional sequences. As good as the films directing and technological efforts show, there's nothing about what's done here that serves as being particularly groundbreaking but the end result still remains a thoroughly well-shot and executed film. The film is beautifully shot with Schneider paying close attention to detail in regards to giving the film an authentic 1940's look with the films production and costume design. In terms of the film being well-crafted, one points to Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk for a close resemblence with that film also carrying a relatively short running time and choosing to place the audience into the center of the action rather than deliver much character backstory or exposition. With Greyhound, Schneider aims for a similar approach with the audience getting immediately thrown into the action with few flashbacks showing Hanks characters life outside the Greyhound with the main focus being on giving the audience the experience of being at sea with these characters in an extraordinary situation, which ultimately proved to be one of the main turning points of the Battle of the Atlantic. In that regard, the directing by Aaron Schneider works extremely well with him using CGI as a tool to further move the story along rather than relying on it to make up for the shortcomings of the films script.

      In terms of the films writing, the work put into the script for Greyhound by Tom Hanks is a surprisingly solid effort with him giving audiences historical facts not only regarding the story, but key words as well as procedures with how operating a Navy ship works. Hanks keeps the main focus of the plot on his characters experience with commanding the Greyhound along with him setting up key characters and subplots in an effort to humanize those on the ship. An interesting subplot that serves as being both interesting, as well as effective is the relationship between Hanks character Ernest and the ships mess attendant Rob. The film places emphasis on key moments involving Robs character in which he tries to help keep Hanks character balanced in terms of leading his ship, along with remaining both sharp and alert by eating his meals and drinking his coffee. While their friendship is a small subplot in the films overall story, it's an interesting one that shows both the loyalty and respect that those on the ship have towards Hanks character with the audience later being angered by the fate of his character during one of the ships confrontation with the Nazis. The rest of the characters are given pedestrian dialogue with little moments of being fleshed out compared to the amount that Hanks character gets. Not only is Ernest's relationship revealed with flashbacks, he has key moments that define his character such as him praying with his men before a major battle scene along with him still acting as Captain after getting his feet cut by broken glass and bleeding around the bridge for his men to take notice. These scenes are effective because it allows the audience to understand the character of Ernest, as well as showing the strength and determination he has in carrying out his orders. While Hanks character is well-established as someone whom the audience can connect with, the same can't be said about the rest of the cast who feel one-dimensional with their only sole purpose being to move the story along. In terms of narrative and story-structure, Greyhound remains focused from start to finish with the battle being the main focus with the characters coming in second. The screenplays strongest aspect lies within the films desire to be as historically accurate as possible in presenting its story. While the film, as entertaining and thrilling as its story presents itself to be, may feel a bit lacking in the plot and character department to audiences who aren't war buffs or knowledgeable of the films main event, those who are history buffs or appreciate war stories brought to film will find enough presented on screen to make for a sufficient movie watching experience. 

      As entertaining and engaging that Greyhound ends up being when all is said and done, the film isn't without its shortcomings in the scriptwriting department despite Hanks putting in a strong effort overall in bringing the films historical event to the big screen. While audiences may struggle in finding characters to connect with besides Hanks, they will be thrilled by the films action and fast-paced energy. Greyhound isn't anything that audiences haven't seen before in the war genre, but the film still manages to deliver in terms of spectacle with a compelling story driving it along with enough historical context to please its main target audience along with a towering performance from Tom Hanks in the films main lead. Like Dunkirk, Greyhound is more about giving audiences the experience of being in the moment rather than being an elaborate piece of storytelling. While the film may leave a bit to be desired on both the character and story front, the strength of the films visual elements, combined with the performances of its main actors and noble-intentions of its filmmakers, are enough to make it worth watching and ultimately recommending. Greyhound works best as being an entertaining spectacle that's affectionately told, visually thrilling to watch, and powered by the strong presence of its main star in the films main role. It's a shame that this one won't get a chance to shine on the big screen as both its visual and sound effects were designed for such an experience. For Tom Hanks acting as the main star and screenwriter of the film, one is impressed with the effort he brings to the story with audiences hoping that he continues to explore his capabilities as a filmmaker behind the camera in addition to being a phenomenal actor. Greyhound stands as being one of the stronger film efforts of 2020. 

Final Verdict: For moviegoers looking for both engaging and compelling drama, Greyhound is a must see World War ll thriller that does its source material justice while remaining faithful to history. 

Gretel & Hansel Thrives In Visuals But Lacks The Creativity And Enthusiasm Behind Its Storytelling To Make It Work

   When bringing a classic fairy tale to the big screen, the filmmakers are tasked with adding their own creative stamp and visual flare to the story. Each film adaptation or reimagining of a classic story is made unique because of the different approaches, that their respective filmmakers bring to the table. Some classic stories often find themselves being retold in a newer approach in an effort to reintroduce their stories to a modern audience. In the case of Gretel & Hansel, the classic story is based on the German folklore tale of the same title that's previously written by the Brothers Grimm. What the newest 2020 film adaptation aims to do is create a visual atmosphere, that's genuinely creepy while telling the story in a way that feels both fresh and exciting for a new generation of audiences. While the film succeeds in delivering an atmosphere that feels effective with strong visuals which enhance the creepiness of the story, the latter is where the film feels uneven and ultimately falls apart. 

      Based on the classic Brothers Grimm book, the story for Gretel & Hansel centers around a young teenage girl named Gretel (played by Sophia Lillis) and her young brother Hansel (played by Samuel Leakey) being left on their own with them wandering through an eerie forest until they stumble across a strange elderly lady, who offers them shelter with all the food they could ever need. While their host (Played brilliantly by Alice Krige), appears seemingly generous and eager to have guests, the young pair of siblings realize that the longer they stay, the more convinced they become that something evil lurks within their presence. Gretel & Hansel has the look of being an effective horror movie, as well as strong young actors in the main roles. The main problem that becomes its undoing, is the lack of strong storytelling with both its script and overall execution feeling bland rather than inspired. The film wants to be a pure horror and fantasy story, but often feels like it only puts half the effort into being genuinely effective rather than a full attempt. The films script is thin in terms of both character and plot elaboration with the story feeling as if it moves too far rapidly for its short 91-minute running time. Despite carrying a mood that's chilling and appropriately fits the tone of the film, Gretel & Hansel doesn't exercise the same level of effort and enthusiasm that went into creating it's visual atmosphere with its story. The end result serves as being an underwhelming attempt to reintroduce a classic story for modern audiences, while also serving as being a wasted opportunity for its talented young actors.

      One of the few elements of the film that works effectively besides its visual look are the performances of its key stars. The acting by the main leads comes across as being both believable and convincing with them doing their best to make the most of their experience. Sophia Lillis delivers a strong performance as 16-year old Gretel. She manages to bring the right amounts of seriousness, maturity, and emotion to her role with Lillis continuing to impress with her skills as an actress from her breakout role in Stephen King's IT. She meets the demands that the role requires and delivers a believable performance, that makes her character both likable and sympathetic. The same can be said about Sam Leakey in his feature film debut as Gretel's 8-year old brother Hansel. Whereas the film ultimately collapses around them, both Lillis and Leakey do well with their performances along with showing natural chemistry as siblings. Their performances are not the greatest as they're both still relatively young performers, but they play their parts well enough with Leakey escaping the young Jake Lloyd curse from Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace in terms of being both lackluster and annoying. Whereas the child actors perform reasonably well, Alice Krige delivers a strong and utterly convincing performance as the evil and terrifying witch, who lives in the shadows of the dark woods with her ultimately kidnapping Gretel and Hansel. Other notable supporting roles are Charles Babalola as The Huntsmen, who helps Gretel and Hansel in the early portion of the film, and Jessica De Gouw in a minimal yet effective role as young Holda. As a whole, the cast for Gretel & Hansel is small but the main performances are strong enough to add both realism and believability to the story with the young actors managing to hold their own as the films main leads with Krige bringing both class and experience to her role. While the acting overall isn't groundbreaking by any means, it attempts to add both tension and suspense to a story, that often feels dry due to poor scriptwriting.

      The directing by Oz Perkins, ultimately feels underwhelming despite creating a generally effective and creepy atmosphere. What Perkins does well is give the film a visual look, that serves as being absolutely striking to watch with it succeeding in transporting audiences into the story. The films production and costume design are both strong with the cinematography being extremely effective in regards to the film appearing to be brilliantly lit, while given a darkly mooded atmosphere that succeeds in adding chills to the story. The films visual elements are hands down the best thing about the movie and succeed in giving the audience a glimpse of a world. that feels both moody and stylistically well-handled. The films pacing keeps the story moving rapidly with it often feeling as if the story doesn't have enough time to be properly developed or fleshed out during its 91-minute running time. The films score works well in regards to adding tension to the story, while blending in with its strong atmospheric mood. On a directing front, Perkins does well with giving the film a look, that feels both stylistically handled and artistic. He also proves that he can work well with his cast in regards to generating solidly effective performances from them. His overall directing shows that he's capable of handling a story, that comes across as being this complex and creepy. It's a shame however, that he wasn't able to improve upon the films shortcomings regarding its script. 

      As far as the writing goes, the films screenplay by Rob Hayes, Sophia Lillis, and Sam Leakey is where the film ultimately falls apart with the script feeling both thin as well as halfway completed. The main characters come across as feeling underdeveloped with the plot not being thoroughly fleshed out enough to be genuinely engaging. The story is essentially designed to focus on Gretel's character coming into her own in regards to her supernatural abilities, but the audience never truly gets the sense of her characters struggle with her arc often feeling rushed. The horror aspect of the story is built up in certain scenes with the audience being left to think that something major is going to unfold with the main characters, but are ultimately left disappointed when nothing happens. The first act of the story starts off strong with the opening narration drawing the audience in along with the establishing of Gretel and Hansel's characters. That momentum ultimately begins to stall to a near halt in the films second act with moments, which could've further developed the story that was essentially being replaced with weird and pointless ones such as the young characters tripping out after eating mushrooms. The films third act is where the story somewhat begins to regain its life with the entering of Alice Krige's character, who unquestionably becomes one of the films main highlights despite being brought in near the end. The third act ultimately becomes frustrating for audiences not just because its climax feels rather underwhelming, but the whole subplot between Gretel and Hansel encountering the witch should've unfolded much sooner in the story to make up for both its unbalanced and dry second half. The dialogue is written in a play-writing style with key subplots either feeling mishandled or treated as afterthoughts such as Gretel and Hansel being cast aside by their mentally ill mother, whom the audience doesn't get to see much of prior, along with them getting a legitimate feeling that the witch is preying on the young pair of siblings in the woods prior to formally meeting them. The films overall plot comes across as feeling pedestrian rather than taking a life of its own with the character of Hansel often feeling overshadowed by Gretel (Whom the films overall story arc is undoubtedly aimed towards). It's not that the films storyline is a boring or lackluster one, the problem lies that the story doesn't carry with it the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went towards crafting the films effective atmosphere and visual structure. The film ultimately feels like it carries an uneven narrative that lacks enthusiasm in regards to telling its story despite the film carrying two key cards, that attempt to make up for those shortcomings such as its stellar production design and reasonably solid performances.

      There's no other way to put it than blatantly stating the obvious that Gretel & Hansel is a wasted opportunity to tell what sounds like, and ultimately could've been a truly compelling fairy tale story. The films overall execution ultimately feels uninspired, and lacks heart behind bringing its story to life on the big screen. This is a film that could've and should've been so much more than what it ultimately ends up being had the filmmakers put more emphasis on strengthening both its script and overall story structure. The films end message feels underwhelming in regards to its overall presentation with the story ultimately saying that what seems too good to be true usually is, along with stating that no one can get what they wish for without sacrifice. The films additional message of one being brave and trusting themselves, unfortunately lacks enough power to be truly effective and hard-hitting as Gretel's story isn't as thoroughly fleshed out as it could've been. Besides the films impressive visual look and technical elements such as its electric Tron-like score, the film underwhelms and severely disappoints as unenthusiastic storytelling with the main actors feeling wasted in terms of showcasing their full potential here. The script feels effortless with the running time being too fast-paced for both the story and characters to be properly fleshed out. It's a shame that as capable and skillful of a filmmaker that Oz Perkins gives audiences glimpses of being, he couldn't fully transfer that creativity in regards to being a visual filmmaker into becoming a well-rounded one who can properly balance out the films technical elements with solid storytelling. Gretel & Hansel is a slick looking fantasy film, that desperately wants to be seen in both a style and form that's artistic but doesn't possess the convictions to be anything other than being a terribly mediocre effort, that should be avoided in exchange for other well-handled and intense horror films that carry young actors in the roles (Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark for example). Gretel & Hansel is a visually striking horror story, which aimed to be a different kind of horror tale while reaching for the stars in terms of its overall presentation. While the films visual style rises to the occasion, its narrative and story structure don't with it ultimately ending up being one of 2020's biggest cinematic misfires. Gretel & Hansel serves as being a film that's greatest strength lies with its visuals, but unfortunately falls apart in almost every other category.

Final Verdict: For fans of the classic story, Gretel & Hansel impresses visually but leaves much to be desired in regards to storytelling that's both compelling and engaging.