Coming from someone who almost always enjoys an unsettling thriller, "The Grey" was an entertaining way to spend two hours. Hands down the crowning glory of this grueling survival story is lead actor Liam Neeson, whose character (Ottway) is hired by an Alaska oil refinery to safeguard an oil drilling team from wolves and other vicious creatures in the snowy Alaskan wilderness.

After a taxing five-week shift, Ottway writes a letter to his wife before almost committing suicide with a gun to his mouth — an opening that more thanhooked me.

On the plane ride home, Ottway and a handful of other oil rig workers cross paths with a lethal storm that sends their plane spiraling into the treacherous wilderness. In retrospect, this is easily one of the best scenes in the film, and a top contender for the best airplane crash segment ever. It's one of those clips that is worth seeing on the big screen with booming surround sound.

Ottway and seven other men crawl away from the wreck to find themselves in the wolves' territory. As the born leader, Ottway assumes a sort of dominance in the group as the men try to traverse the ruthless land. One by one, the marauding wolves and the equally vicious elements pick off the men.

The script is nothing special — certainly "The Grey" won't be nabbing any Oscars — but the performances from the actors are what will grip audiences. Ottway's thoughts of suicide haunt him throughout his journey, and his demons are not the only ones present in the film. The darkness in each of the characters' hearts is powerfully conveyed, not necessarily by the script, but by the actors.

Director Joe Carnahan is the true genius behind the scenes though. Moving beyond computer-generated imagery, Carnahan uses puppets, trained animals and even men in wolf suits to construct scenes that will haunt your memory. Shot in British Columbia, the movie has authenticity that translates well onto the screen.

Ultimately, if you're looking for a movie that will make you jump, then this is it. There are ample, well-done wolf attacks, and the threat of their glowing eyes in the night will keep your heart rate accelerated.

Sure, it's predictable at times because the script is so familiar. In fact, the plot almost echoes an untamed "Final Destination" film, but its lasting impression is one more profound than that.

"The Grey" delivers what any audience would expect from a survivalist thriller: human endurance and scary moments. If that's your cup of tea, I can promise you'll enjoy the kick this film offers.

Plus, it's a movie about Liam Neeson fighting wolves. There's very little not to like about that.

Jordan may be reached at jmeyers@su-spectator.com