• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd and Gerard Butler star in a scene from the movie "Greenland." The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (CNS photo/STXfilms)

Movie Review: ‘Greenland’

John Mulderig January 21, 2021
By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Movie Reviews, News, World News

NEW YORK (CNS) — As if to demonstrate that something even worse than a pandemic could befall humanity, along comes the apocalyptic action drama “Greenland” (STX).

A steady focus on the believable characters who populate it elevates director Ric Roman Waugh’s engaging film above the status of a disaster movie. But the positive values displayed along the path of the quest for survival he and screenwriter Chris Sparling chart are offset by the disturbing nature of the mayhem they unleash.

Add to that the vocabulary of the endangered and most parents will likely conclude that this is unfit fare for teens as well as kids. Grown patrons, by contrast, will take these factors in stride and recognize the reliability of the filmmakers’ ethical compass.

With the fragments of a huge comet on a collision course with Earth and threatening to wipe out most of humanity, Atlanta-based structural engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler) is among those lucky enough to be selected by the federal government for evacuation to a network of underground bunkers on the island of the title. He’ll be part of a core group of survivors whose skills will be needed to rebuild civilization.

So, accompanied by his estranged wife, Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their young son, Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd), John sets out for the airbase from which they’ll depart. The family’s exodus is soon hampered, however, by the swift breakdown of the social order and by other factors, leaving them to fend for themselves.

As the highs and lows of human nature are revealed by the crisis, Sparling keeps the proceedings grounded both in the ordeals through which the trio passes and in John and Allison’s shared effort to reconcile. His script, moreover, sends an implicit pro-life message via plot developments founded on the fact that Nathan has diabetes.

Viewers will also appreciate the courageous concern John displays toward those in peril as well as his refusal to justify a dalliance in which he engaged during his and Allison’s temporary separation. The negative consequences of his infidelity are fully acknowledged in the dialogue.

“Greenland” has special effects aplenty and Waugh is not proof against the temptation to use celestial fireballs to impose shock, awe and dread on his audience. But the real agenda here concerns the endurance of basic decency and family solidarity in the face of a global challenge. In current circumstances, sadly, that’s an all-too-timely takeaway.

The film contains mostly stylized but disturbing violence with occasional gore, a few gruesome sights, an adultery theme, brief scatological humor, several instances each of profanity and of milder swearing and about a dozen crude terms. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.      



More movie reviews

Movie Review: ‘Land’

Movie Review: ‘Minari’

Movie Review: ‘Our Friend’

Movie Review: ‘The Dig ‘

Movie Review: ‘Pinocchio’

Movie Review: ‘Promising Young Woman’

Copyright © 2021 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

John Mulderig

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84

Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography

Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic

Latest World News

Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work

Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.

Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints

Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • A Lent full of promise, steak success, cooking with children, and more (7 Quick Takes)
  • Archbishop Lori reflects on the Year of St. Joseph
  • Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work
  • Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.
  • Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84
  • Reason for celibacy/ Blessing for non-sacramental marriage?
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography
  • Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints
  • Some English Catholics object to transfer of nun’s remains to Philadelphia
  • Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED