MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Disaster Thriller/Stars: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, David Denman, Hope Davis, Roger Dale Floyd, Andrew Bachelor, Merrin Dungey, Holt McCallany, Scott Glenn/Runtime: 119 minutes
You know dear reader I’ve been thinking and it might shock you all to hear this, but if you take out the pandemic, things closing down, people having to isolate at home for long periods of time, the economy taking a hefty hit, and me losing what little remained of my sanity due to watching old Disney cartoons on a seemingly endless loop I don’t really know if in full confidence I can say that the infamous year that is 2020 was 110% bad. The reason is because, for all of those problems (some more substantial and wide-reaching than others) at least we didn’t have to deal with the potential for a extinction-causing comet to come and pay our planet a visit. A visit incidentally that would end with this visitor ensuring that all life on Earth was able to go bye-bye for good. Of course, as we all should know by now, just because reality doesn’t have something like that in store for us doesn’t mean that the world of cinema doesn’t decide to pick that particular baton up and run it with themselves (I mean there IS a reason we got a freaking Emoji Movie of all things and no because people are desperate for cash is not the particular reason this time around). As a result, we got a slice of cinema in that year that never was known as Greenland from no less an actor as Gerard “This IS Sparta” Butler and his helmer from the year prior’s third entry in the “….Has Fallen” series Angel Has Fallen. Yet, contrary to what that union might suggest, this is actually by no means a fun and entertaining popcorn movie akin to what we have seen from Gerard Butler before with particular regard to his “….Has Fallen” series. Instead, this is an emotionally riveting narrative about an odyssey to survive against the most impossible odds imaginable whilst also merging it with plausible yet riveting effects work, fairly good performances, and (most crucial of all) a vital degree of heart and soul. Suffice it to say that this slice of cinema might not be a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, but there is no denying that it is able to do a fairly effective job of showcasing for movie goers humanity at both its highs and lows in a taut, riveting, and emotional odyssey through a world that, despite falling apart at the seams is still desperately looking for the one thing that, given the circumstances, might not exist anymore: hope.
The plot is as follows: Taking us through the power of movie magic (to say nothing of incredibly beneficial tax credits) to the “exotic locale” that is Atlanta, Georgia, this slice of cinema gets underway by introducing us to our hero who takes the shape and form of a middle-aged structural engineer by the name of John Garrity as he is going about his day on the job before then swiftly making his way home. We soon discover that the reason he is quickly trying to get home is so because Earth is getting a visit from a recently-found comet that has been christened “Clark” and he wants to watch the footage of it passing by with his estranged wife Allison, their son Nathan, and their group of friends/neighbors. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before awe turns into horror as part of Clark decides it instead wants to visit our planet and, despite predictions saying it would arrive safely in the ocean near Bermuda, it looks like no one passed the memo along to the piece of comet. I say this because it instead decides to make impact directly on top of Tampa Bay and in the process annihilate both the entire city plus the majority of Florida in the process. Yet as everyone sits there stunned at what has just occurred, we see that our hero gets a message for him and his family to make their way to Robins Air Force Base in order to be evacuated due to being selected for an emergency shelter by no less an entity than the U.S. Government. Thus, with Clark now being anticipated to assault our planet with a multitude of pieces over a 48-hour period with one being verified as big enough in size to annihilate all life on this planet, we now watch as our hero and his family become engaged in a desperate battle to make it to the shelter in question. A battle that will not only expose them to both the good and the not-so-good very much present in people, but also showcase for them (and us) something else as well. Namely just how desperate we as a species would become when no more and no less than our very survival was suddenly shifted on the doomsday meter from “a practical given” to “up for grabs” through the most chilling circumstances possible….
Now right off the bat it should be noted that, despite this slice of cinema being one that is classified under the disaster genre of movie magic, this label isn’t entirely accurate. The reason I say this dear reader is because Greenland is actually very much a slice of cinema that could be classified as pre-disaster cinema. That would be a film that is about the chaos and anarchy that act as the road to the end of the world as compared to a slice of cinema like The Day After Tomorrow or even 2012 which has the majority of the narrative take place in the duration of and following the movie magic designed and popcorn-friendly destruction. Yet as twistedly amusing as those prior examples may be to say nothing of functioning as spot-on poster kids for what could be seen as the present-day Disaster movie that focuses on spectacle first and substance later, Greenland is a breath of fresh air in that respect. That’s because this slice of cinema is one that places significantly more of an emphasis on the human element that only 1983’s The Day After, 1959’s On the Beach, and a select few other titles have chosen to focus on. Perhaps the best example of this, within this slice of cinema’s narrative, is the fact that we see that the film doesn’t initially treat the approaching celestial body with any sense of hesitation or fear. Rather, it treats it with intrigue or in the same vein as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or even a long-anticipated sporting event that you would watch with a group of your bros and a nice cold beverage of your choosing. However, it isn’t long before this slice of cinema takes that initial sense of awe and amazement and chillingly flips it on its head in order to transition into a state of both panic and heartache in equal measure. No, this slice of cinema doesn’t really take the time to address certain things including the amount of time certain individuals in power have been aware that the comet could decide to suddenly change its trajectory. Even with that in mind though, it is this abrupt transition from intrigue to terror that is one of the big reasons that this slice of cinema works on the level that it does. It also doesn’t hurt this slice of cinema that it makes the ingenious choice to have humanity be just as much of a peril to our trio as the approaching celestial object thus raising the stakes quite a bit. Yet even though it can be quite heart wrenching to view the moments where mankind isn’t exactly the most selfless or even decent to one another, it proves to be equally as inspiring and beautiful when the film gives us moments where people try to do the right thing and be genuinely decent even with the end so near. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in capable helmsmanship from helmer Ric Roman Waugh and a surprisingly well-penned script from Chris Sparling, this is one disaster film that actually has a fair bit of skill going for it behind the camera.
Of course, it also doesn’t hurt this slice of cinema in the least that the performances given by its talented cast in front of the camera are also fairly good. This starts with action movie hero extraordinaire Gerard Butler in the lead role and I must confess that, even in some of the more extreme examples of the “leave your brain at the door” kind of movies that this man has made a fair bit of during the course of his career, he still does a great job at one thing in particular. Namely that he is able to ensure that an audience who is watching actually cares about what happens to his character throughout. Suffice it to say that this is definitely the case here as well. Indeed, the character of John Garrity may not be able to beat up bad guys, take on a failing satellite meant to control the world’s weather, go toe to toe with a gang of bank robbers, or even portray an Egyptian god despite being Scottish (yes really), but there is one thing he can do. Namely he can drive the heck out of an SUV as if his life depended on it. All jokes aside though, I cannot lie when I say that this is still, alongside 2021’s underrated Copshop, a fantastic performance from Butler in part because it actually encourages him to use acting muscles rather than the physical variety and showcase for us a man who may have made mistakes, but who through this calamitous disaster finds an unlikely path to redeem himself for those mistakes by keeping his family safe no matter what the cost. Along with that, I also think it should be mentioned that the work done here by Morena Baccarin in the role of John’s estranged wife Allison is also well-done. Indeed, I know that most people will most likely know Baccarin either from her wonderfully antagonistical role of Anna in the 2008-2009 modern updating of the iconic sci-fi series V or her turns in comic book properties such as the first 2 Deadpool movies and the TV show Gotham. Yet here we see her give a fairly multilayered performance as a woman who may not exactly be on the best of terms with her husband, but who through the end of the world coming about finds herself being given the chance to both forgive him and find a way to keep their family together even as everything else around them is tragically falling apart. Finally, I also think praise should be given here to, in a 11th hour extended cameo of sorts, the work done here by Scott Glenn in the role of Butler’s wonderfully cranky father-in-law Dale who embraces the impending disaster with open arms due to his survivalist tendencies making him more prepared than most. No, it’s not the biggest part in the slice of cinema by any stretch of the imagination, but in 15-20 minutes of screentime Glenn gives this part the gravitas that only an actor of his caliber and skill could undoubtedly bring to the table on a film like this. Thus, when you also factor in wonderful work from screen talent like David Denman, Hope Davis, and Holt McCallany to name but a few, I think it can safely be said that the work done in front of the camera is surprisingly yet refreshingly well done.
All in all I can’t lie to you dear reader: I did find myself pleasantly surprised by this slice of cinema. I say that because, as with most disaster movies of a similar or even like-minded ilk, this one definitely has no qualms about showcasing for you, the viewer jaw-dropping looks at the events of the apocalypse from the safety and security of either your 15-dollar costing movie theater seat or your nice and comfy couch (even if buried within the seat cushions you might the remains of that bag of Doritos you started last week). Yet what makes a slice of cinema like this one astonishingly distinguish itself from the pack of disaster movies is the fact that not only is there an actual sliver of heart and soul on display, but because of the fact that there is a degree of plausibility to this behind both the effects work to say nothing of Gerard Butler’s Scottish brogue and his muscle-bound swagger. Suffice it to say that yes this slice of cinema is by no means a perfect effort, but at the same time I don’t think that was its main intent. Rather, I think its intent was to entertain, but to also engage your emotions in a way that felt genuine and organic rather than run of the mill and routine. In that regard therefore, this slice of cinema is by and large quite successful. Thus when you factor in fairly good work from both behind and in front of the camera I think it can safely be said that Greenland might be a disaster movie in genre, but a disaster in terms of quality it most assuredly is not. Make of that dear reader what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Greenland “2020” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
