An inexperienced Navy captain must lead an Allied convoy
across enemy territory and avoid the German U-boats at all costs. ACTION/WAR
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Greyhound (2020)Directed by Aaron Schneider
Written by Tom Hanks Starring Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Matt Helm, Rob Morgan, Craig Tate, Travis Quentin, Jeff Burkes Based on the novel The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester Oscar Nominations - Best Sound |
I paid for an Apple TV+ subscription so I could access more 2020 released movies. I want to see what this year had to offer in film, from every service. Greyhound was a decent war flick, but it focused too much on the mechanics of war and all but ignored the human aspect of war films. The problem is that human aspect is what keeps the war film grounded and relatable. Without it, we're basically watching a newsreel or a documentary, which is what Greyhound felt like at times. None of the characters get a moment to appear human, and they're all interchangeable.
Tom Hanks stars as Captain Krause, an inexperienced commander who is tasked with leading an Allied convoy through hostile ocean peppered with German U-boats. He's the only one we catch a glimpse of humanity from, but it's never thoroughly explored. The movie acts like we should all already be familiar with who these men are and what their objective is. But this isn't a biopic or a famous story. Sometimes a little exposition goes a long way, especially when you have virtually no story. Hanks does an okay job, but he's played far better captains and soldiers in the past. You'd think since he wrote the screenplay, he'd really want to commit. Where Greyhound really excels is its depiction of naval battles in World War II. The hunt for U-boats, the military jargon, the tense atmosphere, all of that worked well. I just think the movie would've been a lot more tense and emotional if we'd gotten to know these men as people and not just soldiers. A lot of war films forget that, and the film is weaker because of it. |