Time Is Running Out To Watch Liam Neeson’s Most Underrated Thriller

Liam Neeson has spent the past 15 years carving out a niche as Hollywood’s go-to action hero — but few of his films have matched the quiet power and raw emotion of The Grey. The 2011 thriller, directed by Joe Carnahan, isn’t just about man versus nature; it’s about man versus himself. And now, fans have just a short time left to experience it, because The Grey is leaving Tubi soon.

The film follows Ottway (Neeson), a hunter employed by an Alaskan oil company to protect workers from wolves. After a devastating plane crash strands him and a handful of survivors in the frozen wilderness, Ottway must lead them to safety — all while battling both the elements and a pack of relentless predators. What unfolds isn’t your standard survival movie. Beneath the icy suspense and brutal action, The Grey is an existential journey through grief, faith, and the will to live. The film surrounds him with a stellar supporting cast including Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, James Badge Dale, and Nonso Anozie.

How Good Is ‘The Grey’?

The Grey was a hit with critics upon release, earning an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score from over 200 reviews. The site’s consensus praised it as “an exciting tale of survival, populated with fleshed-out characters and a surprising philosophical agenda.” Audiences were slightly less enthusiastic, giving it a 61% audience score, but even that number reflects how polarizing the film’s reflective tone was compared to its marketing. Many expected a simple creature feature — what they got was a meditation on mortality wrapped in an action thriller. Collider’s review was very positive about Neeson’s performance, and Carnahan’s direction, adding:

“Carnahan has managed to deliver a bleak, powerful story that at times wants to focus on character and other times finds happiness in maulings. The wolves are treated as merciless, but always acknowledged as a force of nature. There are moments of quiet discussion and Grillo’s character in particular has a complete arch that doesn’t feel overdone. Religion and faith become major players later in the film while they are relegated to a limited undertone in the first half. There is certainly action throughout the film, but I would hesitate to call it an action film. The Grey is perfectly happy at playing to the strengths of despair, even if that leaves you out in the cold.”

Over a decade later, The Grey has only grown in reputation. It’s regularly cited as one of Neeson’s most underrated performances, a film that reminds viewers what made him a leading man in the first place.

Catch The Grey on Tubi before it disappears on December 1.