Sony Pictures teamed up with Oscar winner Tom Hanks and director Aaron Schneider (Get Low) to tell a fictional account of the incredible story of the Battle of the Atlantic during WWII in the dramatic thriller, Greyhound. Hanks stars as U.S. Navy Commander Ernest Krause, captain of the destroyer U.S.S. Keeling (code-named “Greyhound”). On his very first mission, Krause is assigned to lead a convoy of ships across the Atlantic to deliver thousands of soldiers and supplies to the Allied forces.
Once the convoy edges past the no-fly zone, a zone established to mark when fuel would run out for allied airplanes, they’re left with no aerial protection in an area known as the Black Pit. There, Krause’s Greyhound and the other ships in the convoy find themselves hunted by a group of Nazi U-boats, known as wolf packs, determined to sink them.
Fighting the freezing cold and extremely rough seas, Captain Krause plays a deadly game of cat and mouse as he chases, confronts, and is pursued by the U-boats while trying to protect the other ships in the convoy.
Based on the novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester and inspired by real events, Greyhound is a tight, gripping, and action-packed WWII thriller which is elevated by a powerful performance by its star. Hanks displays Krause’s determination, doubts, fear, and strength of command marvelously. It’s another top-notch performance by the two-time Oscar winner.
The script written by Tom Hanks is concise and tight, focusing on the story of an inexperienced captain fighting the elements, a relentless enemy, and his own self-doubt to deliver his convoy to safety. The visual effects are fantastic, bringing back to the big screen WWII destroyers and German U-Boats so realistically we are transported back to 1942 and onboard the ship during fierce fighting. The battle scenes are extremely compelling, showing Krause trying to maneuver his ship out of the path of multiple deadly torpedoes fired from the U-boats while simultaneously launching attacks with his ship’s guns.
The pacing is perfect, integrating scattered moments of silence or relief before the next wave of attacks begins. Greyhound‘s score effectively adds tension and emotional depth to each scene, particularly those showing the men lost during the battle at sea.
Riveting and suspenseful, Greyhound is a first-rate WWII thriller sure to join the ranks of other classic sea battle war films including Destination Tokyo, Run Silent Run Deep, and The Enemy Below.
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Greyhound was originally slated to open in theaters in May 2020 and then further delayed to June. The Covid-19 pandemic forced theaters to remain closed and movie studios to re-adjust their release dates. After two postponements, Sony sold Greyhound to Apple TV+ where it was released on July 10, 2020.
GRADE: A-
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for war-related action/violence and brief strong language.
Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Directed By: Aaron Schneider
Co-Starring: Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue
