The 2020 disaster film “Greenland” sure puts the events of that disastrous year into perspective. If at any point you thought the sky was falling during last year’s pandemic-induced chaos, the events portrayed in Ric Roman Waugh’s film might cause you to reflect upon it more optimistically. For those of us who fell asleep during the science lecture on meteorites and asteroids in middle school, this film might have inspired an existential fear of the celestial. Overall, the film is certainly worth watching for its creative plot, unexpected twists, and heartwarming portrayal of family.
The story’s main character is big, fast, and has bad intentions. His name is Clark. He’s beautiful, some might even say he’s hot, but also incredibly serious and super scary. Unpredictable in nature, Clark has the power to eliminate civilization. Oh yeah, he is also an extrasolar comet the likes of which have never been seen in the history of astronomy.
John Garrity, played by Gerrard Butler, is a construction engineer in Atlanta, Georgia. He is obviously at odds with his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin) for some unknown reason, an upsetting reality for his young son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd). After Clark passes Earth, meteorite fragments of unprecedented size and speed enter the planet’s atmosphere and make impact across the globe. Worldwide panic ensues. Though his original goal was to save his marriage, John is now tasked with saving his family from this cataclysmic event.
Though its ending leaves watchers wanting, the film was successful in many regards. Possible human extinction is always a good attention-getter. Though the cinematography and special effects were a little underwhelming at times, the realistic rollercoaster of emotions portrayed in the performance of Butler, Baccarin, and Floyd serves as a welcomed distraction.
So much chaos takes place, but writer Chris Sparling still includes plenty of heartwarming exchanges between characters which elevates the emotional connection between the characters and the audience. It balances out those tender moments with several sudden gut-wrenching twists, an expected element of the disaster genre. Though the twists are inevitable, I still found them unpredictable and completely entertaining.
“Greenland” was creatively shot with many The movie was also not gore-centric, which I found to be positive. A lot of people die, don’t get me wrong, but few moments made the movie difficult to watch for their bloody or violent nature, making it watchable and easy to remain engaged with.
The film had several minor flaws that were mildly distracting at times. As I mentioned, the cinematography felt inconsistent. Some scenes were shocking and realistic. A few examples are the shockwaves and a few of the images of meteorites leveling cities. At other times, the production felt cartoonish and lacked the devastation factor that viewers sadistically and subconsciously are craving in the more suspenseful moments.
I felt that an astrological event threatening the end of life as we know it would have created a bit more desperation and chaos than was depicted. I giggled to myself at times questioning how bad some of the extras actually wanted to survive.
Along the same vein, I found the film’s portrayal of first responders and frontline healthcare workers fascinating. Out of dozens of soldiers, officers, and nurses, not a single one seemed to be at all impacted emotionally or psychologically by the damning event taking place. Actually, they were calm and helpful. This felt like a pat on the back for first responders and healthcare workers who have been instrumental in mitigating the effects of the pandemic, and though it might not seem terribly realistic, it is certainly a comforting theme.
I would rate this movie four out of five stars and recommend it without reservation. It is everything you want from a disaster movie, but nothing more. If not for any other reason, it is certainly worth watching to help you make your own doomsday preparations, which seems to be a more plausible activity in light of last year’s turmoil.
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