Despite their contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Russo Brothers have not managed to make a compelling action film with The Gray Man. It’s the latest flashy release from Netflix with a star-studded cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas. Gosling is Six, a man who was recruited from prison to join the Sierra program. He carries out off-the-book assassinations for the CIA and his latest mission is to kill a person he’s been told is a “very bad man” named Four (Callan Mulvey). Six goes rogue once he realizes Four is part of the Sierra program and that assassinating Four only helps the CIA keep their shadowy organization hidden from consequences. The CIA hires Lloyd (Evans with the worst “trash ‘stache”) to hunt down Six and keep their secrets out of public knowledge.

Somehow, in what is supposed to be a high-octane espionage flick, the fight scenes are bland and muddled. The first one takes place in the middle of a brilliant multicolor fireworks show, and it still manages to be lackluster. It’s as if the camera is afraid to get involved in the combat. The first fight scene consists of high-angle sweeping pans of the room that are so far removed from the conflict that all the tension disappears. In a later fight that takes place in the close quarters of an airplane, the action is lost yet again because of poor camera angles and too much smoke. It seems the now-infamous elevator fight scene from the Russo Brothers’ Captain America: Winter Soldier is the exception that proves the rule.

The script is filled with faux-macho phrases that amount to a prolonged dick-measuring contest between Six and Lloyd where no one’s a winner. The signature gotta-have-the-last-joke “comedy” that Marvel is known for is here, and it’s just as grating as it is in the superhero movies. That’s not to say that Gosling can’t be funny. Quite the opposite. Few movies understand Gosling’s unique brand of dry, physical humor quite like The Nice Guys. In many ways, The Nice Guys is everything The Gray Man wishes it could be.

Evans is perhaps the only one who’s enjoying his time here. It’s rare that Captain America gets to play against type as the bad guy, and it’s obvious he’s relishing the opportunity to be as awful and devious as the script allows. The problem is, the script could have let him go even further. Both he and Gosling seem game to lean into full-on campiness, but are held back by the restrictions of the genre. de Armas is underutilized once again in an espionage thriller, which is just as disappointing as her turn in No Time to Die.

An action movie where fighting is obstructed by poor camerawork is the equivalent of a romantic comedy without the big finale kiss. There’s no payoff or purpose. The Gray Man doesn’t fulfill the most basic expectations of a thriller: to excite, stimulate, and enjoy. Even the big, blowout finale fight scene lacks any real emotional resonance. It’s a generic shoot-’em-up ending to an equally generic film.

The budget for The Gray Man was astronomical, and speaks to Netflix’s greater issues. They are hemorrhaging money and subscribers, but aren’t listening to what people want. Throwing money at flashy directors and actors to make middle-of-the-road, forgettable movies will not make people keep their subscriptions. The same goes for claiming to be a champion of LGBTQ+ representation while providing a platform for transphobic comedians.

The Gray Man is a wannabe John Wick or Kate lost in a tonally incohesive script. It’s one man with armies of assassins on his tail who survives more gunshots and stab wounds than should ever be possible, all to save a young girl. Needless to say, you’ve seen this movie before you even press play.

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