“Greyhound” is a grisly, no holds barred retelling of life at sea during the second World War. It follows the command of an inexperienced Navy captain (Tom Hanks) in his first crossing of the North Atlantic as he protects a convoy of ships from the relentless pursuit of ‘The Wolfpack,’ aka German U-boats.
The film is an unending game of cat-and-mouse while the convoy attempts to make it to their air support cover, and shows life on board in all of its brutality. The cinematography is fantastic and compliments the drama; the use of camera angles during the battles adds to the dramatic tension as does the musical score by Blake Neely.
The tension as the plot moves forward builds progressively and will leave you gripping the edge of your seat. Hanks’ character is faced with an impossible task and the relentless duty of being a sea captain is portrayed well.
The main problem with the movie is an obvious one. There is a tremendous amount of Navy jargon, which leaves the viewer feeling alienated at times, and we never really see any character relationships develop as everyone is focused on the task at hand—staying alive. These parameters don’t leave much space for the film to maneuver, and it is essentially a giant sea battle for 75 minutes with 15 minutes of sub plot. Added to this certain elements do feel a bit cliché from time to time.
Essentially “Greyhound” has a classic war film feel to it, so if you’re a fan of the genre this is definitely one for you. It shows a side of the war often overlooked on screen and pays homage to the 72,000 lives lost during the battle for the Atlantic during the second World War. The action is strong and the acting is great. As is the message that no one really wins at war.
