Still in its infancy, Apple TV+ is still in the process of finding its identity and building their original media catalog with new and exciting projects. With the unfortunate halt in the movie industry when it comes to theatrical releases, dozens of films had to let go of their scheduled release. And Apple TV+ saw opportunity jumping in and snagging the distribution rights for Aaron Schneider‘s Greyhound.
Following Commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) as he has to lead a convoy of ships against an attack from a submarine in World War II, Greyhound looked to follow the success of recent films like Midway and 1917 who both grew substantial crowds and financial success. With Hanks not only providing the lead performance, but also the screenplay for the film, it seemed like there was legitimate potential for Greyhound to stand out in the modern war genre – but sadly fails to create much of a splash.
The best part of the film easily is the character of Commander Ernest Krause. Not only is the performance behind the character from Tom Hanks the only real memorable performance in the film, but the depth and writing behind his character is the only part of the film to contain a legitimate weight to it. Where his colleagues celebrate every hit against the enemy, Krause is seemingly haunted by his actions.
Related: 1917 (2019) Review
Even if they are the enemy, Krause carries the burden of causing death and pain to others, which is a take not often seen in films such as this. There is an almost melancholic feeling throughout the film, which is far removed from the normal triumph of patriotism movies like this normally focus on – which is refreshing. What isn’t refreshing is the other weights on the mind of Krause. From his religion to his wife, the character of Krause might have interesting dimensions to him, but there is also plenty of cliches that feel hollow and forgettable.
Yet when it comes to elements of the film feeling lethargic and lazy, the action has to be at the top of the list. At first, the threat of torpedoes and bombs might be engaging enough, as the runtime continues, the threat never evolves. The action remains constantly at the same level, treading water and making the film feel long, despite the shorter runtime. Greyhound is a film that never seems to find a deeper level or next gear when compared to where it starts, which is disappointing to see.
It also doesn’t help that visually the film is far from impressive. The production design and cinematography might be competent enough, but the visual effects are shockingly bad. The ocean in the film is a vast mess of poorly rendered CGI that never looks natural or real. Which is surprising when it is considered the film was originally going to have a theatrical run.
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Where the visual effects might have stood out more on the big screen, overall it is safe to say that the film was hurt in the transition from theatrical to VOD distribution. It is entirely possible that on the big screen the impressive sound design and general intensity of the action would connect with audiences on a much grander level. In the same vein, as a film like Gravity, which also lacks much character development or emotional depth, the film might have captivated with its size and tension in a way simply not possible when viewing the film on a laptop screen.
As is, Greyhound is a competent war film with some decent ideas sprinkled throughout that sadly becomes dull with bland action and visuals. For those with nothing better to do, that like the war genre, this will be a fine way to spend 90-minutes. Even if there is very little that will keep the film on your mind after the credits roll.
Greyhound is available to stream on Apple TV.