The Gray Man (Gosling, Evans, Russos)

[Marvolo]

The Russos success at Marvel was a result of Feige and Marvel's and Disney's in-house talent being able to take what the Russo's offered and turn it into gold. Netflix doesn't have Feige and it's in-house talent isnt up to snuff. Netflix doesn't care what it's director's do and doesn't offer any oversight or guidance or impose restraint. Which is why the Russos are floundering.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

If the Russo's wanted to make action movies with a ton of CGI scenes in them, why didn't they just stay at Marvel? Compared to the great visuals that the last Bond movie had and that awesome Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning teaser, this is just lesser than.

 

[Web-Head]

When it comes to action movies, Netflix usually misses. The only one I’ve liked is Old Guard but even then haven’t rewatched it.

FTFY

I liked Extraction alright enough but I have no desire to watch it again or have much interest in a sequel.

 

[kguillou]

Man why is it that Netflix just cant get it right with their movies? Whats missing from the formula here? Theyre taking all this A list talent and making big budget B movies.

 

[Sithborg]

Maybe the Russos weren't all that good to begin with...

 

[StarLord]

$200 million.

 

[Drizzle]

Man why is it that Netflix just cant get it right with their movies? Whats missing from the formula here? Theyre taking all this A list talent and making big budget B movies.

It's like they're trying to hold on to the Hollywood days of "cast a couple of huge name celebrities first, throw a truckload of money at them, worry about the script later and whatever we have left over goes to catering" all while they keep raising subscription fees.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Eh I will probably still watch this, just won't be in any rush.

 

[kguillou]

Maybe the Russos weren't all that good to begin with...

Maybe the Russos need a pair of strong screenwriters like Markus and Mcfeely whom were the ones they collaborated with for Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame. Maybe M&M were the TRUE MVPs behind those movies.

 

[Stringer]

Maybe the Russos need a pair of strong screenwriters like Markus and Mcfeely whom were the ones they collaborated with for Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame. Maybe M&M were the TRUE MVPs behind those movies.

They wrote this movie lol. And honestly, take away the pop of the Marvel characters their scripts aren't that great either, Endgame especially. The Winter Soldier is still easily the best thing this team has done.

 

[samsnee]

Man why is it that Netflix just cant get it right with their movies? Whats missing from the formula here? Theyre taking all this A list talent and making big budget B movies.

It’s mostly their more commercial fare that sucks. Tick Tick Boom, Year of the Dog, Irishman are all watchable to amazing.

But the mainstream action fare is just a big paycheck for celebrities so they don’t care about quality.

 

[Prison Mike]

I feel like if they put this out in theaters only it wouldn’t get as bad reviews

 

[Slick]

The fact that this is getting mixed reviews just means I’ll go into the movie with very low expectations. Which means I’ll probably enjoy it for what it is.

 

[MadVillainy]

Maybe the Russos need a pair of strong screenwriters like Markus and Mcfeely whom were the ones they collaborated with for Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame. Maybe M&M were the TRUE MVPs behind those movies.

Hahaha
My man do I have a surprise for you...

Markus and Mcfeely wrote The Grey Man as well

EDIT: I see Stringer beat me to it

 

[DarkKnight88]

I feel like if they put this out in theaters only it wouldn’t get as bad reviews

I actually feel critics are way harsher on theatrical movies than streaming movies and tv. Mostly every show gets 90% lol

 

[MadVillainy]

Netflix is ok with their lower budget stuff for the most part

But I think the answer is simple for why Netflix is so lackluster with quality, they give their creatives too much freedom.

There's always been the narrative of studio heads being these evil entities who are just chomping at the bits to screw up a movie and that has always been silly.

Nobody is perfect. Everyone from creatives to accountants to garbage people sometimes need a little bit of guidance.

Sure studios have screwed up a lot of movies, but they've probably helped a lot to and we just don't know.

Netflix has attracted top talent by offering freedom, but as you can see in a lot of cases with their movies, it's really hindered the movies. Like The Irishman, love that movie but it could've been pared down and pace better. Or 6 Underground which even by Bay standards was way too over-indulgent. Their shows seem to get by fine but even some of them suffer. Stranger Things 4 was great, but it would've been way better if they cut down the runtime and storylines.

 

[kguillou]

Wow! I stand corrected on Markus and Mcfeely i had no idea this was their script!

@Stringer respectfully but strongly disagree on their MCU scripts. Their Cap movies especially had some of the tightest, well woven scripts in the whole MCU. The fact that they could balance all those characters and weave them into those stories without them feeling overcrowded or superfluous is an impressive task imo.

 

[MadVillainy]

I actually feel critics are way harsher on theatrical movies than streaming movies and tv. Mostly every show gets 90% lol

For usre. I assume because they don't have to actually go to a screening.

Tbh, obviously not a critic, but I rate streaming movies on a curve too. Most straight to streaming movies I usually end up thinking "Eh if I saw it in theaters I wouldn't like it, but it's fine to see at home"

 

[MadVillainy]

TWS script is great but other than that...sure on the MCU curve they're fine so saying " the tightest, well woven scripts in the whole MCU." is kinda true. But on actual really good action script, Markus and McFreely are just ok.

I'd put Infinity War up there if the Team Cap stuff wasn't so dull and written poorly. Endgame felt like a clip show and the time travel didn't make sense based on the rules they establish. And, hot take, I think Civil War's script is a mess. I like TWS, IW, and EG. But I've always thought CW was always a pretty lame movie that got by on the airport fight

Maybe The Grey Man is proving without those fanboy moments M&M were one hit wonders *
*That's not true at all with such a small sample size

EDIT: Actually looking and Markus and McFreely's credited script work filmography, other than their MCU collabs with the Russos and then Pain & Gain it's a lot of mediocrity

 

[Blade Hoarder]

They thrived at marvel because they were good at balancing ensembles and good with quips. The rest of it were probably handled by Feige and the Marvel factory. They are also two people. Which meant they could shoulder the workload of these massive movies better.

But you strip out the in house marvel team, you take away a strong producer like Feige, then you are left with this movie and Cherry.

 

[Black Narcissus]

When all them female superheroes share the screen for them seconds. Ya'll telling me the Russo bros didn't do masterful directing and screenwriting? I know ya'll is lying.

 

[MadVillainy]

 

[Hunter Rider]

LA Premiere.

 

[Marvolo]

Wow! I stand corrected on Markus and Mcfeely i had no idea this was their script!

@Stringer respectfully but strongly disagree on their MCU scripts. Their Cap movies especially had some of the tightest, well woven scripts in the whole MCU. The fact that they could balance all those characters and weave them into those stories without them feeling overcrowded or superfluous is an impressive task imo.

Civil War is a dumpster fire of stupid characters making terrible choices just to create a stupid conflict. I'll never understand how that film ended up with such a high critics score. Watching it is like chewing tinfoil.

 

[kguillou]

Reading your guys’ remarks on Civil War is shocking to me, i had no idea people had those kind of problems with it. To date, its my #1 fav MCU film. The story, the action, the pacing, the fan service is all top notch IMO.