“Live or die on this day.”
Out of the gate, let me admit my bias here. One need only look at the URL above to see that I have sort of a thing for wolves. Frankly, I love them, it’s probably one of the most cliched thing for someone to say, but I really DO have a deep spiritual connection to the wolf.
Do remember, I was raised by canines. I am Mogli of CT. I GET to claim this. I’ve earned it in ways most people will never ever be able to understand. Period.
So I was a little apprehensive about “The Grey” when the previews first started running. I mean we JUST spent the last 100 yrs deconstructing the “wolves are demons” crap and we JUST managed to get the American wolf’s population back up to the point where we’re having serious policy debates about their classification as “endangered.” So Liam Neeson vs. Wolves seemed a little dodgy as a plotline, but still, I had to see it.
It was wonderful.
I won’t give away the “plot,” but airplane crash survivors vs. pack of wolves in the Alaskan wild…do the math, there’s pretty much only one way this can end.
Which brings me to my fury that I’m feeling right now. I get on this soapbox from time to time, and I know it’s a lost battle (and maybe a pretentious one), but I HATE HATE HATE what the mainstream entertainment industry has done to our bleeding culture.
And remember that I say this as someone that love giant robot cartoons, pulp radio dramas, and all the cheese that can be served in print sound or film, but our brains and our souls have apparently be stripped completely and utterly bare.
I was weeping at the end of this film. There were so many powerful things going on at once, and some deep and bitter irony beside. Absolutely brilliant and beautiful.
The final scene faded to black and my fellow patrons broke into booing and mutters of discontent.
Everyone has a right to like or not like any film they want, but it was OBVIOUS that the reason for their disapproval was that Liam didn’t bust out a lightsabre and pose triumphantly over the corpse of his canine adversary just as the marines came in with their rescue helicopter to whisk him back to safety.
It wasn’t that kind of movie. It would have sucked if it had TRIED to be that kind of movie.
But that’s all people know how to relate to. It’s the only brain dead mode they understand. It’s moments like this that I hate what we have become.
I hope Hollywood does continue to occasionally produce a film who’s movie poster tagline is a line of verse, and who’s central theme is literally expressed in poetry. The world is richer for it. Even if no one can see it anymore.
Again into the fray The last good fight I’ll ever know Live or die on this day Live or die on this day
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