Greenland

Starring: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, Scott Glenn, Randal Gonzalez, Tracey Bonner, Hope Davis, David Denman, Holt McCallany
Directed by: Ric Roman Waugh
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A comet approaches the earth and pieces of it will directly hit the planet, creating a cataclysmic event.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed Greenland. I think it's fair to start there, because that's somewhat surprising. Gerard Butler's filmography is uneven at best and his previous movie about a global catastrophe, Geostorm was terrible. Ric Roman Waugh directs a flawed movie, but it's one whose strengths manage to outweigh its issues. This movie will never be in the upper echelon of disaster movies, but it was an entertaining ride.

I thought the set up to the film was quite strong. There's a comet approaching close to the Earth. The world is in awe and celebrating the celestial event. However, as it approaches, pieces begin to break off and head for the planet. The result is going to be a global disaster that kills the majority of the population. How this unfolds felt believable. The realism leads you to think through what it would be like if this actually happened. How would I respond? What would I do to protect my family? By making Butler's character a structural engineer, it helps to make him relatable. His story feels like it could be our story. Much of the movie centers around his family and families in danger are always nerve-racking. The movie does a strong job of establishing these characters and giving us enough time with them so that we build some emotional connections. I never loved any of the characters, but I did feel something for them and I got invested in their story.

The visual effects are impressive. They feel more restrained than many similar movies. We get some cool sequences of fire raining down from the sky and some impressive destruction, but the movie uses these as a storytelling device, instead of reveling in the destruction for its own sake. A number of disaster movies in recent years shortchanged story and character for destruction (you could easily name a number of these 'disaster porn' films), which always results in a less effective movie. This movie saved some money on the budget and actually created a more compelling story in the process. I wouldn't say the movie shirked on the visuals, though- they are often impressive and intense. We just don't get long, lingering moments on destruction that doesn't serve a purpose. The movie roots most of these big events to the characters' stories.

The story as a whole was strong, but it does get a bit weaker as the movie progresses. Early on, the film felt like it has a story that was rooted in realism, that wouldn't require immense amounts of suspended disbelief. As the film progresses and the Garrity family (I had to look up the name, they weren't that memorable) continues to face one challenge after another, it becomes a bit harder to take it all seriously. My credulity was certainly stretched, but it never fully broke. Still, it's worth noting that the first hour is stronger than the second. By the end of the film, my thoughts about it had taken a few hits that weren't present during its first half. Still, the end result is a solid movie.

Gerard Butler was good in this role. I've never loved Butler, but I've always liked him more than I probably should. He felt quite believable in this structural engineer role and also as a flawed family man. He acts with an effortlessness that serves his characters well. He was quite good in the role. Morena Baccarin was strong, too. I'm not convinced she's a very good actress, but she put a lot into this role. It would have been easy for her to coast and show up, but it felt like she actually tried. Her talent might have limited her a bit, but she gets a lot of screen time and you do care about her character. Roger Dale Floyd was good, too. He has a few scenes where he felt great. I always love seeing Scott Glenn and as you'd expect, his presence immediately makes the movie better. Hope Davis and David Denman were unexpected, but they are part of one of the most memorable sequences in the film (also one of the least believable). They surprised me by how effective they were. I also loved seeing Holt McCallany. I desperately wish he had more to do, but he was effective and he makes the movie better.

I'm a big fan of disaster movies, but it feels like it's been so long since we had a truly effective one. If you include alien invasion movies, it's been a while since we got an Independence Day or The Day After Tomorrow. Geostorm, 2012, and San Andreas are not getting it done. It really felt like people had lost the ability to make effective disaster movies. Greenland doesn't necessarily suggest a new era here. It has more in common with those ineffective movies than the best ones. Still, it did more right than not and I'd consider it a good movie. I still desperately wish we'd get more great disaster movies, but it felt like this was a win in the midst of a large desert of effective disaster movies. It would be easy to focus on all the things this movie does wrong, but I'm much happier to celebrate the things it does right. I didn't expect Greenland to be a movie I'd recommend to others, but it is.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Geostorm (maybe), Dante's Peak, Armageddon, Deep Impact, Volcano, San Andreas