Luc Besson’s sequel to the highly popular and critically beloved ‘Taken’ (2008) premiered Friday, October 5, 2012. It features the same gruff main character, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) except this time he is rescuing his wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen) with the help of his teenage daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). However, sadly, ‘Taken 2’ joins the pantheon of disappointing sequels with titles like ‘Mission Impossible II’ (2000), ‘Batman and Robin’ (1997), and ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2012). It suffers from lifeless dialogue, little to no characterization, lousy fight choreography, and dull chase sequences.

Mild spoilers ahead.

This time around, Bryan Mills and his family are living their lives as normal. Kim is trying to get her driver’s license and has a new boyfriend, much to Bryan’s chagrin. Lenore has separated from her husband Stuart, so she and her daughter are having a rough time when Stuart cancels the trip they had planned on taking for months. Bryan offers to let them come with him to Istanbul for a few days and the girls surprise him by showing up.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the Albanian sex traffickers Bryan killed in the first film have come together to seek revenge on Bryan. They torture Jean Claude, a French policeman Bryan knew, for information and find out he’s in Istanbul with his family. They plan to kidnap the entire family, bring them back to Albania, and kill them in retribution for their dead family members.

Bryan and Lenore go out into the city and the Albanians follow them. Bryan quickly catches on and instructs Lenore to leave while he leads them away. However, the men catch up with both of them so Bryan calls Kim and tells her to return to his hotel room and hide from the other men coming for her. The Albanians take Bryan and Lenore hostage and explain that they both will be tortured and killed for revenge.

Kim manages to hide from the Albanians and Bryan calls again. This time, Kim insists that she can help find them and free them so Bryan reluctantly agrees to tell her how to find them. From there, it is a race to find them before the Albanians can find her.

‘Taken’ has gained a massive following of fans because of its sharp dialogue, excellent fight scenes, realistic situations, and infinitely cool chase sequences. Everything about Bryan’s journey felt immediate and hit home with audiences because of the characterization of Bryan Mills as a devoted father.

The sequel did not deliver on any of the things that make the first movie so fantastic. It fumbles with every single element it is given and suffers from a massive lack of creativity.

First, the dialogue is forgettable, weak, and does not enhance anything. In the first film, the relationship between Bryan, Kim, and Lenore is established well. The writing for ‘Taken 2’ does not follow through on developing these characters over the course of their ordeal. The worst casualties are Lenore and Kim, who both are nothing more than cringing burdens for Bryan to lug around as he does all the work.

Second, the characterization for the women in this film is borderline insulting. Kim is at least given a couple of scenes to toughen up but she still cries and screams like a child and it is not a good representation for girls. Lenore is unconscious for half of the film and when she is awake, all she does is cry. She is never given a moment to take control of the situation or even take a shot at her kidnappers. This is especially insulting considering Famke Janssen is known most for her role as Jean Grey in the X-Men films—who was an intelligent force of nature as well as a beautiful yet troubled woman. Janssen’s presence here is a waste and it is sad to see as a result.

Third, the bad guys in the first film were at least competent. In the sequel, they are all shiftless morons with delusions of being a threat. Only one of them manages to present a legitimate threat to Bryan and his wrath. Even then, the fight scene is about two minutes long at best. It is disappointing because the villains in the first film were dangerous and Bryan nearly dies several times before he gets to his daughter. Here, Bryan is clearly a better fighter and shooter than every single man he faces. Thus, there is little to no tension over the course of the film.

Fourth, the lack of creativity is astounding. There are no surprises to be had at all, from fight scenes to dialogue to the ending. The script is littered with tired clichés and misuses its wonderful actors over and over. Liam Neeson’s stellar performance during his speech to Kim’s kidnapper in the first film is what made ‘Taken’ such a sleeper hit. In ‘Taken 2′, he says nothing of interest in the entire movie and it is hard to believe since Neeson is by far one of the most charismatic actors working today.

‘Taken 2’ simply misunderstands the purpose of a sequel. Sequels are supposed to enhance what has already been given to the audience. It is supposed to build on the relationships established earlier, create new problems and new solutions, and put the characters through fresh trials to prove their worth. Do yourself a favor and just watch the first one instead.

Grade: 2/5

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Like its illustrious predecessor, ‘Taken 2’ highlights non-stop, high-octane action. But the realities of shooting in that exciting but challenging environment meant the filmmakers had to think fast to keep the action going. In Istanbul and other locations, fight coordinator Alain Figlarz worked closely that Liam Neeson and director Olivier Megaton, who cast Figlarz in a key role. “It was good to have a real fighter be a character in the movie,” says the director. “And it was a huge thing for Liam, to act opposite the same guy who was coordinating the onscreen battles.”

Figlarz pioneered the close combat fighting techniques that marked ‘The Bourne Identity’, and for ‘Taken 2’ he employed variations – and even more extreme versions – of that style. Megaton continues: “Alain is an original. He’s so precise and sharp. There is always logic to his action. He was in the Special Forces, so he knows these moves from experience.”

One of the most memorable non-combat action sequences in the film is a car chase through the streets of Istanbul, with learner-driver Kim behind the wheel. She’s terrified, understandably so, at the prospect of outrunning her pursuers on some of the most densely-trafficked streets in the world.

Another propulsive action sequence sees a character dashing across the roof of the Grand Bazaar. Shooting atop this landmark was both a coup and a logistical challenge. “There are only four different concrete lines on the roof we were able to step on,” explains Megaton. “And you can’t deviate because it’s too fragile. No crane could be installed and we could only go forwards or backwards with a Steadicam, because going to the side is too far.” Even fixing the camera onto cables would have been impossible, as it would have meant attaching the wires to mosques and other buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. Megaton’s solution was ingeniously simple: he had a camera mounted onto a small toy helicopter and flew it around the actor to get the shots.

Says Neeson: “With the action, Olivier is phenomenally efficient and proficient with his camera. There would always be three or four cameras working, and that’s exciting.”

But as comfortable as Megaton clearly is with action, he’s equally adept at capturing real, human emotion. Says Neeson: “When there were dialogue scenes between Famke (Janssen), Maggie (Grace) and myself, we didn’t analyze things too much; Olivier just let us explore it.”

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For the actors and filmmakers of the new installment of ‘Taken’, ‘Taken 2’, the decision to return for a sequel was not taken lightly. ‘Taken’ had captured something special, and everyone was determined to find a fresh angle on Bryan Mills’s tale. “When I read Luc and Robert’s script,” Director Olivier Megaton explains, “I found the openings to do something new. It’s not just another Bryan Mills story; it’s about family and a father determined to save it.”

“The writers were really wonderful in how they approached the new story,” says Maggie Grace. “It retains all the elements that worked so well in ‘Taken’, and then expands upon them. Bryan, Kim and Lenore are fighting to survive – and for each other.”

Much of the action in ‘Taken 2’ unfolds in Istanbul, a locale rarely seen on screen. Megaton spent much of his prep time scouting locations and walking around the city for hours at a time. When principal photography commenced, he knew Istanbul’s streets and passageways better than some of the local crew.

Liam Neeson says shooting in Istanbul was like nothing he has experienced. “Istanbul is where east meets west – a beautiful city full of wonderful people,” notes the actor, who has filmed on locations around the globe but remains most impressed with Istanbul’s singular sights and sounds.

Everywhere the crew members turned, they were faced with a landmark. Key locales included the front of the Süleymaniye Mosque, one of the city’s grandest buildings; the Grand Bazaar, a 15th Century Istanbul landmark that takes up an entire city block and welcomes more than a quarter of a million visitors every day; and a traditional hamam, or Turkish bath, home to the film’s explosive finale.

Director of photography Romain Lacourbas, enhanced the vivid palette of these stunning locations. “You could almost touch the light and it would change hue,” says Neeson. “And there are shots where you see the whole city laid out in front of you.” Adds Maggie Grace: “Being given carte blanche to see behind the scenes of this incredible city, you can literally feel its history.”

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‘Taken 2’, in cinemas on October 5, picks up two years after the events of ‘Taken’. Bryan’s relationship with his daughter Kim has grown stronger, and he hopes to reunite with ex-wife Lenore. “Even before he encounters the new threat to his family, Bryan is on a mission to get closer to Kim and Lenore,” says director Olivier Megaton.

Kim was a passive victim in the first film, but in ‘Taken 2’ it’s clear the interim two years have changed her. Under the tutelage of her father, she’s developed some of his instincts and is much better equipped to cope with the crisis that develops during their family reunion in Istanbul. “She’s her father’s daughter, and she’s finding out what she’s capable of,” says Maggie Grace. “In the first film, Kim was young and naive and didn’t know much about the real world,” adds Megaton. “But something incredible happened to her, and she reconstructed herself. She has matured. She doesn’t want to be passive again.”

Lenore, too, is changing. After Kim’s kidnapping and Lenore’s separation from her new husband, it seems there may be a chance for Bryan and Lenore to reconcile. “Their connection has suddenly become very strong because Lenore has been going through a hard time,” explains Liam Neeson. “Bryan is a shoulder for her to lean on, and the relationship grows from there.”

Lenore, like her daughter, has matured since the events of the first film. “Lenore wasn’t very likable in ‘Taken’,” Megaton points out. “She was always well-dressed, always perfect, but we tried to give her a bit more humanity in this one.”

Famke Janssen agrees that Lenore didn’t come off especially well in the first film. “I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and said, ‘You were such a bitch in ‘Taken’!’ But in this movie, because Lenore is herself in danger, you care for her. So it made sense for me to soften her up a little and make her more likable.”

With Neeson, Janssen and Grace returning for ‘Taken 2’, there remained the challenge of casting the film’s new villain, Murad. Acclaimed character actor Rade Sherbedgia takes on the role, which Megaton promises is “a far cry from your typical bad guy. Murad is pursuing Bryan for a big and very fair reason, which is that he wants his justice for his son, who died at Bryan’s hand.”

Unlike most movie villains, Murad desires neither power nor money, and he possesses no special training. “Murad is not a criminal by profession,” says Sherbedgia. “He is not a warrior. But he has made it his mission to extract justice from Bryan.”

Megaton looked at a number of actors for the role, and selected Sherbedgia after the actor sent some trial footage he shot himself. “While watching Rade’s footage, I was suddenly dropped into the reality of Murad’s situation,” the director enthuses. “And Rade adds so much to the movie, because he’s a father, too. Liam is a father protecting his daughter and Rade is a father avenging his son.”

Bryan’s encounters with Murad are memorable, and Neeson is particularly fond of his character’s final battle with the Balkan baddie. “Bryan, at this stage of his journey, is genuinely sick of killing,” says Neeson. “He has physically become a machine when he gets into the mindset of taking out these bad guys. I think his big worry is that the machine may take over from the human being. For the sake of his daughter, his ex-wife and his own soul, he wants to stop.”

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On October 5, Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent who stopped at nothing to save his abducted daughter in ‘Taken’. When he is targeted by a mysterious figure seeking vengeance, Bryan must employ his “particular set of skills” to protect his family against an army out to kill them.

From acclaimed filmmaker Luc Besson (who co-scripted and produces ‘Taken 2’), co-screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (who has penned both ‘Taken’ films with Besson), and director Olivier Megaton (‘Columbiana’, ‘Transporter 3’), ‘Taken 2’ follows the global success of ‘Taken’, released in 2008, which earned $224 million at the box office. Audiences cheered Neeson as Bryan Mills, an overprotective father whose skills – forged through years of covert ops – were put to the test long after his retirement from the CIA. Resolute in his quest to rescue his daughter after she was kidnapped in a plush Paris apartment, Bryan’s journey in ‘Taken’ was instantly understandable to any parent.

Bryan’s warning, addressed to the men who had taken his daughter, and his subsequent making good on the promise contained within, captured the imaginations of audiences around the world and made ‘Taken’ one of the most successful and relatable action thrillers of recent years. “The situation Bryan finds himself in is something any of us can relate to,” says Neeson. “If your child was threatened, you’d do anything to right that wrong.”

“‘Taken’ hit a nerve with people,” agrees Famke Janssen, who plays Lenore. “I think it was the notion that if something happens to a family member, what would you do? How far would you be willing to go?  Audiences really identified with Bryan Mills.”

The role of Bryan was a notable departure for Neeson. Before ‘Taken’, he had been celebrated for his work in dramatic fare, like the Oscar®-nominated ‘Schindler’s List’. ‘Taken’, a full-throttle action-thriller, was more than just an assignment for Neeson; it fulfilled his childhood ambitions. “The film appealed to the young person in me,” he laughs. “It was a chance to be in Paris for three months and to do fight training, and I love all that physical stuff. It was a great release.”

For Neeson, returning to the character of Bryan Mills in ‘Taken 2’ meant drawing on the experience gleaned from roles in action films subsequent – and largely due – to his work in ‘Taken’. “When I acted in [the summer 2010 film] ‘The A-Team’ I met a military weapons expert who is still operational,” he says. “He was a big guy who, while we were shooting, would disappear for four days and come back with a stomach wound, and you knew he’d been on a mission in Iraq or Afghanistan.”

The undisclosed consultant told stories about real field operations – the kind Bryan would have engaged in during his time at the CIA – that had a profound effect on the actor. “I mean, forget James Bond; this is the real deal. And he’s still doing it. He was a great source to draw on.”

Neeson confesses that he enjoys the physicality of the role. “It’s great to do that stuff, and we have a terrific stunt team,” he enthuses. “I have a wonderful stunt double, Mark Vanselow, who’s my buddy, and he’s been in my life, professionally, for 12 or 13 years. He does all the hard stuff!   Returning to Bryan was a chance to get with Mark again and do all the fight training.”

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Liam Neeson has come to South Korea for the first time. The famous Hollywood star arrived at the Incheon International Airport at 11am, September 15 by his chartered airplane. His visit is intended to promote his latest movie ‘Taken 2.’

When Liam Neeson showed up at the airport, he looked tired because of a long flight. He was dressed in a khaki shirt and a jumper, holding a newspaper in his hand. Liam, surrounded by his minders, waved his hand to reporters and moved to his hotel to take a rest.

An Irish actor, Liam Neeson was born in June 7, 1952. He has been nominated for an Oscar, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award, and three Golden Globe Awards. He has starred in a number of notable roles, including Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List, Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, Daniel in Love Actually, and Bryan Mills in Taken.

He is loved by people worldwide for his a courteous and generous image and notable acting. He is scheduled to attend an interview with the foreign press, including Asian press on September 16. On September 17, Liam is planning to attend an official press interview to meet Korean fans and the red carpet premium event held at the iPark shopping mall in Yongsan, Seoul.

‘Taken 2′ is a sequel to ‘Taken,’ released in 2008. Taken is an action thriller that attracted a lot of fans worldwide. Taken 2 casts exactly the same actors and actresses, aimed at entertaining fans, just like Taken did four years ago. The movie is about the revenge of human trafficker who kidnapped Bryan’s daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) in the previous movie. This time, the human trafficker kidnaps Brian’s wife (Famke Beumer) to take revenge on Brian.

The Korean audiences especially expect to see Liam Neeson’s immaculate performance.

A 26-year-old student Jung Ah-rum, who visited the airport to see Liam Neeson, said, “His acting is amazing, I really enjoyed all of his movies. I believe he will show another incredible performance again. I’m counting on him.”

“I saw many movies that he was in, but Taken was my favorite. I’m so excited to see his acting as Brian again,” office worker Kim Min-jung told the reporter.

Taken 2 is scheduled to be released on September 27, and South Korea will be the first place where the movie opens.

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Among the powerhouse summer movies of 2012 like ‘The Avengers’, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’, and ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’, ‘Battleship’ came along seeking to break through to the big leagues. Unfortunately, a terrible script, titanic-sized plotholes, and awful characterization has left it floating upside down and ready to be flushed down the toilet.

‘Battleship’ was not shy about its origins or its intentions in its advertisements. Hasbro proudly left its mark on the film and promised a glorious battle with special effects that attempt to rival Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise.

However, while Michael Bay is one of the most heavily criticized filmmakers in the business, the man does his homework and ‘Battleship’, whose producers share this film and Bay’s films, obviously tried to emulate him. Despite your opinion on the quality of Bay’s work, he is good at two things: one, excellent action sequences; two, genuinely funny dialogue. ‘Battleship’ tries to pull these things off and fumbles magnificently at both.

For those who may not know the so-called plot, ‘Battleship’ is about a race of aliens from a planet codenamed G who have come to Earth to conquer it. The government discovered Planet G and sent out a signal via satellite to analyze its surface to see if it could possibly have life or be hospitable for human beings.

Apparently, this signal attracted the aliens and they sent five enormous ships to Earth. One of them, the communication ship, crashed into Hong Kong, meaning that the aliens could not communicate with their brethren in space. Therefore, they took over the command center in Hawaii that sent the first signal and planned to use it to contact reinforcements.

Meanwhile, three other battle cruisers engaged the U.S. Navy and Japanese Navy in combat for unknown reasons. These ships are where the main protagonist, Alex Hooper (Taylor Kitsch), and his brother, Stone Hooper (Alexander Skarsgard), struggle to survive as they are woefully outmatched by the alien’s technology and weaponry.

It is hard to pinpoint all the reasons why this movie is lousy, but we’ll start with the obvious one—the plot. There are plotholes the size of canyons in this film. We can start with the fact that the aliens are never identified nor do they even speak to each other. Thus, they are painted as barbarian monsters with only one purpose in mind—conquering the world. However, the way they go about trying to conquer the world is perhaps the most illogical thing I’ve seen since ‘Cowboys & Aliens’.

The aliens only attack three ships and it is never explained why they target these vessels, nor why they decided to use missiles when the gigantic orbs they possess can sink a ship in mere minutes. They are also implied to use some sort of analysis similar to the Predator where they only attack things that present a threat, but that is immediately contradicted because they attack the Earth and its inhabitants’ military with no provocation.

The next major problem is the inept characterization of our main character, Alex Hooper. He is not a likable fellow and he barely develops by the end of the film. Taylor Kitsch is a decent actor, as is shown in the woefully underrated ‘John Carter’ (2012), but he has almost nothing to work with due to a cliché-riddled script that even ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (2009) would laugh at.

Most of his character traits are told through other characters instead of shown and so they have little impact on the audience. The character is so predictable, irrational, and unlikable that we feel no real concern for him as he gets kicked around by the aliens.

The third problem lies in the characterization and actions of the U.S. Navy. The real-life Navy cooperated with the filmmakers and somehow was blind to the fact that they made the entire branch seem like a bunch of idiot children. Through the course of the film, we are led to believe these are trained professionals and yet they make rookie mistakes at every turn.

For instance, after destroying part of the alien ships, the crew pulls one of the aliens on board. Alex decides to pull off its helmet to see what they’re dealing with and yet none of them think to ready their weapons in case the alien is still alive. Predictably, it wakes up and causes havoc that they are unable to stop because none of them are armed. This is basic common sense and these people do not utilize it at any point in the film.

The only things of merit in this movie are the special effects, which feature enough explosions to make Michael Bay blush, and a few decent action sequences. The acting ranges from okay to downright terrible, the dialogue is stuffed to the gills with clichés, and the plot is ridiculous at best and trite at worst.

Furthermore, there are two things that add insult to injury. First, the amazing Liam Neeson is advertised non-stop in the trailers and yet only has about ten minutes of screen time in the entire film. Second, no one says, “you sunk my battleship.” For a movie that claims to be self-aware and does not take itself seriously, that is criminal.

The low quality of ‘Battleship’ comes as no surprise, though. It opened second at the box office on May 18 with a measly $25 million and will sink to the depths of the movie theater in the coming weeks. Good riddance.

Grade: 2/5

Image Courtesy of   Battleship

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‘Wrath of the Titans’, the action-heavy sequel to ‘Clash of the Titans’ (2010), hit theaters March 30, 2012. The trailer boasted more monsters, more fighting, and more special effects and while it delivers on those areas, it fails in every other category that would qualify for a good film.

Spoiler alert!

‘Wrath of the Titans’ begins with a common mistake of most bad films: revealing a major character’s death off screen in the first five minutes. Roughly a decade has passed and the demi-god Io, who fell in love with Perseus (Sam Worthington) in the first film, has died after having a son named Helius (John Bell).

Perseus has retired from the hero business to raise his son as a fisherman. One night, his father Zeus (Liam Neeson) comes to his home to tell him that since mankind has stopped praying to the gods, they have all lost their powers and have begun dying off. In addition, Tartarus, the Underworld, is falling apart and so Zeus and Hades’ evil father Kronos will be able to break free from his prison and wreak havoc on the world.

Zeus wants Perseus to come with him and his half-brother, Ares (Edgar Ramirez), the God of War, to bargain with Hades (Ralph Fiennes) to help keep Kronos imprisoned. Perseus refuses on the grounds that he will not leave his son and so Zeus travels with his brother Poseidon (Danny Huston), God of the Seas, to Tartarus.

When they arrive, they are ambushed by Hades and Ares, who want to release Kronos to rule over the earth in exchange for keeping their immortality. Poseidon manages to escape and tells Perseus to find his son, Agenor (Toby Kebbell), who can lead them to Hephaestus (Bill Nighy) who can help them find their way into Tartarus to save Zeus.

The overcomplicated plot is the first flaw of the movie. In both this film and its predecessor, the audience is told that the gods run on prayer and worship. However, no one thinks to start praying to Zeus in order to increase his powers. Furthermore, the entire conflict is caused by Perseus’ refusal to come with Zeus, Ares, and Poseidon to bargain with Hades.

It made perfect sense for him to go, but he didn’t on the grounds that he didn’t want to leave his son. However, moments later Perseus leaves his son to go fishing and a Chimera attacks their village, almost killing the both of them. Furthermore, Zeus is a god. If Perseus had asked him to place his son somewhere safe while he went on the journey, the conflict could have been avoided.

There are plotholes the size of canyons in this film and they get bigger by the minute. The first film, while not good, at least had the decency to explain everything to avoid confusion. ‘Wrath’ does no such thing and it prevents any enjoyment of the movie.

The second biggest flaw of the movie is the lack of character establishment. There is little to no attempt to humanize, develop, or explore these characters. They are basically paper cutouts running around in a well-rendered environment with nothing interesting to say or do.

The worst offender is Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), whose entire presence is useless. First of all, she bears the same name of the princess from the first film whom Perseus rescued from the Kraken, but in the sequel she is blonde and played by a different actress. This is never referenced or explained in the film.

Is it the same character? Is the first princess considered non-canonical? Second of all, she goes on the journey to Tartarus with Perseus and Agenor, thus abandoning her post as Queen of the Grecian armies, and does absolutely nothing but get rescued by Perseus. Any feminists in the audience will immediately be angered by the lack of strong female characters in the film.

At least in the first film, Io was helpful and Medusa not only managed to be a legitimate threat, but she kills nearly all of the heroes on their quest. Andromeda’s character is pathetic and bears no relevance to the plot at all other than to add an x-chromosome to the cast and to moon over Perseus in a half-hearted attempt at a romance.

The third biggest flaw is the script. The characters have the absolute worst dialogue I’ve seen in a film this year so far. Most of the dialogue is either anachronistic, pointing out obvious things, or poor attempts at sarcasm.

The only person with amusing dialogue is the talented Mr. Bill Nighy, whose slightly insane character and hammy acting at least puts a smile on your face for the twenty minutes he appears in the film. Liam Neeson is at the very least trying to emote, but he has little to work with other than Ralph Fiennes.

However, the worst actor by far is Edgar Ramirez as Ares, the God of War. He looks like a homeless man who stumbled onto the set and was given the script.

Throughout the history of movies, video games, and literature, Ares is supposed to be an intimidating force of power but in this film, he is nothing more than a whiny adult child who is jealous of Perseus and spends every waking moment complaining about how he is the least favorite son. This is made worse by the fact that we are never shown these relationships, so there is no emotional weight between Zeus, Ares, and Perseus.

The only thing of merit in this mess of a film is the special effects, which are well done and create great environments for fight scenes. Everything else about ‘Wrath’ will inspire you to take out your own anger on the filmmakers for making such a poor recreation of Greek mythology. Save your money and sit this one out unless you want to really understand what wrath is all about.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/WrathOfTheTitans

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The film crew of the upcoming movie The Grey, starring Liam Neeson and Dermot Mulroney, gathered on a remote mountain set in Smithers, a small town of 5,500 in British Columbia, Canada about a 12-hour drive north of Vancouver. “There’s that great Sir Ernest Shackleton quote about what the ice wants, the ice takes,” says director Joe Carnahan.

“We certainly experienced that on the mountain. We were completely at the mercy of nature’s whims, and, as frustrating as it was, I also found it fascinating.”

From the get-go, the director insisted on realism, keeping actors hip-deep in snow and facing bracing winds on the mountain slope. “There were icicles on my eyelashes, it was that insane,” says Dallas Roberts, who portrays the character of Hendricks. “It was the coldest place I’d ever been in my life,” says Frank Grillo. “Eighty mph winds, freezing out there for hours. I’d be trying to say a line and my mouth wouldn’t move.” Says Carnahan, “We got kicked off the mountain three times by complete white-outs. I had partial frostbite on my fingers and toes.”

“Absolutely freezing — it shocked me to my very core,” concurs Nonso Anozie. Mulroney adds, “All the preparation you do on the script, the reading about airplane wrecks, the research into wolves — it all goes out the window. Because when you’re standing on a mountain and it’s 20 below zero with 60 mile an hour winds snowing sideways, none of that matters. You’re just being there.”

“You know, it’s tough to fake cold weather,” says Carnahan. “There’s a common tool used to create wind on screen called ‘the ritter fan.’ but when you see some of the windy shots in The Grey, there aren’t enough ritter fans in the world that could create that effect of what mother nature did to us up on that mountain. i could have set the script in tahiti with wild boars, but that didn’t occur to me. Instead, we were on this godforsaken mountain freezing our asses off. You can’t act it, you just have to behave it because it’s so damn cold.”

Says Mulroney, “When I say ‘cold,’ I mean intensely, painfully, near-frostbite cold. It was excruciating. Joe conceived of and wrote the movie with that in mind — man going through the most extreme conditions and harshest environment imaginable. He was determined to make a movie in which the actors truly suffered.”

“We got great stuff because of the weather, man, just some beautiful scenery,” says stunt coordinator turned actor Ben Bray. “There’s nothing that matches that look on a studio set or a soundstage. When audiences see us out there, it’s clear that it’s not a mock-up, it’s not fake, it’s not CGI. This is real snow, blowing at 70, 80, 90 miles an hour, and it’s pretty gnarly stuff.” Adds Joe Anderson, who portrays young oil rigger Todd Flannery, “the snow became its own character.”

Conditions were challenging for everyone on the shoot, to say the least. “You could only access the set by snow cat or snowmobile,” says Carnahan. “There were no creature comforts out there. No perks.” In between shots on the mountain set, from 7:30 in the morning until late in the afternoon, there was no lounging in lavish trailers.

Because of the extreme weather conditions, the cast holed up in small tractor boxes and shipping crates to keep warm. The male bonding taking place over those long hours of below-zero temperatures led to some unusual circumstances while shooting.

Perhaps the most memorable incident took place when the gang of actors was literally buried up to their thighs in ice-cold snow, a white-out obscured everyone’s vision, and the camera operators faced serious problems with a planned crane shot because the oil needed to move the machinery was frozen solid.

“It was just a physically impossible time during the first few days,” Neeson remembers. “We had lines to memorize and our brains were freezing and all we could think about was how to stay warm.” During that unbearable moment, hulking British actor Nonso Anozie suddenly launched into a Shakespearian oratory about the elements from Othello in his booming baritone.

“He was just so exhilarating and it made us all feel so…right,” recalls Neeson. “It reminded us that, yes, it may be minus forty degrees outside but we’re actors, damn it, and we’re going to get through this scene no matter what. It filled us all with this great warmth, and I’ll never forget hearing that man’s voice for as long as I live.”

But months later the cast and crew recall the extreme weather really as something that bonded their relationships, in some ways reflecting the harsh struggles faced by the fictional characters in the script. Perhaps Bray, who portrays the character Hernandez, put it best when describing the dilemma faced by the cast.

“We play the riffraff, the ex-cons, the journeymen, the guys who are just happy to keep a job and get some time off to be with their families. We all seem to be completely opposite but, eventually, we’ve all got to work together as a team to try and get out. There’s this mystery about what is out there.

We’re in the middle of nowhere. We don’t know what’s going to happen. All we’re trying to do is survive and it’s a hell of a challenge. It really is. And it is really, really, really spooky.”

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