I knew the premise of
The Grey going in to the theater (plane crash + snow + wolves) from the previews.
I [liked] it very much and recommend it.
[Don't go with someone who grabs your arm at every peak moment, I'm just saying.] I didn't interpret it as anti-wolf, and I don't think that was a sub-text. It's quite possible that a Dominionist kind of person would take that message, but those people don't think straight under any circumstances.
Liam Neeson plays a sniper in an Arctic oil field, shooting wolves that get too close to the workers. But his character neither sees nor describes them as evil; he studies them with the respect of one predator for another. The film opens with him spotting a wolf racing towards a group of workers and shooting it before the audience even properly focuses on what is happening. Then the next several minutes are spent in a series of voice overs and flash backs, interspersed long moments of his character quietly walking over to the wolf and putting his hand on its side as it dies. Not a maudlin scene, either, FWIW.
Non-spoiler: the rest of the film is a juxtaposition of scenarios in which the men fight amongst themselves for dominance, then hear the wolves sorting out their own hierarchy, then coalesce to defend themselves against the wolves. (Which the movie makes crystal clear are just defending their territory, and possibly den, from an encroaching 'pack'.) Thus, some predictable "I see what you did thar" moments, but helpful in educating those who think that humans are not animals.
The eponymous grey is the pack leader -- Liam Neeson's equal and antagonist. He analyzes their sounds and movements thoughtfully and dispassionately, and attempts to get his 'pack' away from their territory as quickly as possible -- without letting them cower or act like prey during confrontations. I've seen better CGI, but I've seen worse, too, so I'm not going to fault them on some puppetry moments. One recurring thought I had throughout was:
How many oil workers would the average, 'civilized' Murkin movie-goer be willing to sacrifice in just this scenario in order to Drill, Baby, Drill? I bet the answer would be more sickening than any CGI wolves.
Deep down inside, I like to think that *that* was the sub-text of the movie.
I'd go see it again -- this time without my arm-clutching friend. It gets old, stage-hissing "DO NOT GRAB ME!!!" at least twice in every movie we go to.
