Guy Ritchie's action thriller 'In the Grey', starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill and Eiza González, has been praised as one of the director's most entertaining films in years, despite a low-key release strategy that has kept critics away from press screenings.
The film, made in 2023 and bought, sold and redated three times by distributor Lionsgate, follows lawyer Rachel (González) as she attempts to recover a $1bn debt from a dangerous figure named Salazar (Carlos Bardem). She is protected by Sid (Cavill) and Bronco (Gyllenhaal), while Rosamund Pike plays sharp-edged executive Bobby.
In a review, the film is described as 'a blast' and 'most purely entertaining film for years', though it is noted as messy and nonsensically plotted at times. The reviewer highlights Ritchie's investment in the craft, contrasting it with other recent action films, and notes the absence of glib quips during life-or-death set pieces.
Ritchie's recent films, including 'Wrath of Man', 'Operation Fortune' and 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare', have struggled at the box office despite solid craftsmanship. 'In the Grey' appears to continue that trend, with no press screenings and an anticipated underwhelming opening weekend.
The film marks Ritchie's first sole writing credit since 2019's 'The Gentleman', and features a plot involving plans for escape from an island, along with a stovetop negroni svegliato.
