Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » BWT Recommends » 5 Reasons To Watch ‘The Gray Man’

5 Reasons To Watch ‘The Gray Man’

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings07/16/20225 Mins Read
The Gray Man - But Why Tho (3)
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

The Gray Man - But Why Tho (3)

Netflix has been attempting to craft films that can match what major movie studios are turning out, to mixed results. Sometimes they succeed, and you get The Old Guard and The Harder They Fall. Other times the results are less than stellar, in which case you get Red Notice. I’m happy to report that The Gray Man falls into the former camp. Based on the novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, The Gray Man is helmed by Joe and Anthony Russo and stars Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry/The Gray Man. Plucked from prison and placed in the CIA’s Sierra program, Gentry is one of the most skilled spies on the planet – until a mission goes south and lands a target on his head. I had the pleasure of watching this film in a theater, and here are my five reasons why you should check it out when it hits Netflix next week.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The Cast

The Gray Man But Why Tho 1

The Russos are no stranger to wrangling together talented ensembles, as their work on sitcoms like Community as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe has allowed them to work with a plethora of talented actors. The Gray Man continues this trend, as Gosling brings his trademark stoicism and a bit of dry wit to Gentry. He plays off of Chris Evans, who is portraying the sociopathic Lloyd Hansen – easily recognizable by his pressed white pants and “trash stache”. Evans is clearly relishing the role, playing a character who’s a total 180 from his turn as Captain America. And he’s joined by other genre veterans: the cast includes Bridgerton breakout Rege-Jean Page, Alfre Woodard ((Star Trek: First Contact), Billy Bob Thornton (Armageddon), and Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections).

The Action

Another thing the Russos are known for is hard-hitting action sequences, especially in their debut MCU film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Here, it’s as if they took the Winter Soldier sequences and crossed them with the type of mayhem you’d see in The Fast and the Furious franchise. And I mean that as a compliment. There’s a grand total of nine action sequences in the film, and each of them gets bigger and better. From a fight on an airplane that’s slowly falling apart, to a chase through the streets of Prague that involves a runaway train and heavy artillery, this is a film that’ll literally have you on the edge of your seat. It also proves that the $200 million dollar budget Netflix shelled out for Gray Man didn’t go to waste. Take notes, Red Notice.

The Crew

The Gray Man - But Why Tho (3)

Under their AGBO banner, the Russos have served as producers on a wide range of films including fellow Netflix action thriller Extraction and this year’s sleeper hit Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Gray Man marks their second post-Avengers: Endgame film following Cherry, and it’s clear that the duo wanted to strike a balance between the hard-hitting action of their Marvel films and the dramatic weight of Cherry. The Russos have brought other Marvel collaborators on board: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley, who penned all four of the Russos’ Marvel efforts, return to work on the screenplay with Joe Russo, and Winter Soldier composer Henry Jackman crafts a rather haunting suite. As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work – especially when that team is full of people you trust.

The Scale

The Gray Man is one of the few Netflix films to feel like a proper blockbuster. From its globetrotting focus to its intense action sequences, this is a film that feels just as made for a theater as it does the comfort of your home. And that’s a great thing, because Netflix’s movies rarely feel that way. Take Red Notice, for example: despite scoring three of the biggest stars in Hollywood and having a similar sized budget as Gray Man it feels less like a movie and more like a bootleg video game. Gray Man, on the other hand, has actual craft and thought put into it which makes it feel just as big as a James Bond or Mission: Impossible film.

Ana De Armas

The Gray Man But Why Tho

The best part of Gray Man is Ana de Armas as Gentry’s fellow agent Dani Miranda. If you were disappointed by de Armas’ limited screen time in No Time To Die, worry not. She’s an active participant throughout the narrative, saving Gentry’s life more than once and proving to be just as capable – if not more capable – than he is. The Russos have hinted that this film could be the beginning of a potential franchise, especially since Greaney has written more Gray Man books, and I would not mind seeing a film focused on Miranda’s exploits. de Armas is a rising star, and this is a film that fully takes advantage of that.

If you love spy films, you should check out The Gray Man. If you like pretty people beating the snot out of each other, you should check out The Gray Man. If you’re looking for a film to give you that adrenaline rush that comes with watching a well-crafted blockbuster but don’t want to get off the couch, you should check out The Gray Man.

The Gray Man is playing in select theaters and will be available to stream on Netflix on July 22, 2022.

 

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleFANTASIA FEST 2022: Come of Age with ‘Goodbye, Don Glees!’
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Shine On! Bakumatsu Bad Boys,’ Episode 2 – “Shine On! Keepsake katana”
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

A group of characters in Helluva Boss celebrating an achievement with some cake

‘Helluva Boss’: A Guide To 10 Devilishly Charming Characters You Will Meet

09/10/2025
Best of PAX West 2025

The Best of PAX West 2025: From AAA to Indie Games

09/08/2025
Xbox Game Pass Indie Games to play after Silksong

5 Xbox Game Pass Indie Games to Play After ‘Hollow Knight Silksong’

09/04/2025
Key art from World of Warcraft Midnight

‘World of Warcraft: Midnight’ Fixes New Player Onboarding And MORE

08/27/2025
Animated Movies to watch After Ne Zha II But Why Tho 11

10 Chinese Animated Films To Watch After Ne Zha II

08/23/2025
Mamoru Hosoda But Why Tho

Mamoru Hosoda: The Iconic Animation Directors Best Feature Films

08/23/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11
8.5
Anime

REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 11 – “Hey, It’s a Kaiju”

By Allyson Johnson09/11/2025

The ragtag group faces down the mysterious kaiju in the thrilling and beautifully animated DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here