Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo of “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” Netflix’s “The Gray Man,” starring Ryan Gosling (Six), Chris Evans (Lloyd Hansen) and Ana de Armas (Dani Miranda), follows a global manhunt when the CIA’s most skilled operative uncovers dark agency secrets.

Despite a myriad of structural problems, strong visuals are one of the few things “The Gray Man” has going for it. Color exudes every frame of this movie, from breathtaking explosions to its explosive action set pieces. The film’s most gorgeous scene features vibrant fireworks, drowning the actors in a sea of color. Even police sirens typically ignored by audiences flash brilliant shades of red and blue that make scenes ten times more memorable. 

However, no amount of excellent camera work and striking lighting can excuse the film’s excruciatingly dull writing. While the plot seems fairly simple, a confusing script makes the movie feel astonishingly spontaneous and complex. Absurd and uninspired, the screenplay rushes plot points just to occupy the audience with repetitive action sequences. An action flick’s story should uphold its fighting sequences rather than cling to them like the protagonists cling to the edges of cliffs and buildings — a feat failed by the writers. The reliance on explosions, gunfights and fisticuffs makes clear the writers were not sure what direction to take their script despite a promising premise.

Despite an overreliance on high-spectacle action sequences, audiences looking for pure action will ultimately enjoy them. While the explosions don’t quite compare to others in action classics, such as Michael Bay films, the melee and ranged fight scenes provide the missing excitement. Fist fights are well-choreographed and utilize surroundings, such as a scene where two characters parkour and fight surrounded by fireworks. In terms of ranged fight scenes, a variety of scenes featuring snipers, pistols, automatic rifles and even a surprisingly brutal use of a flare gun will satiate viewers. For audiences looking for flashy action sequences and not much else, “The Gray Man” is worth a watch.

Without such an astounding cast, the film’s lackluster story would suffer even more. Shining as the highlight of this cast, Evans’ portrayal of Lloyd Hansen’s unhinged perspective on the world around him is a treat. Evans leans into the cheesy dialogue, making lines like “You wanna make an omelet, you gotta kill some people” actually land in an amusing delight. As proved by his role as Ransom Drysdale in “Knives Out,” unhinged Chris Evans is the best Chris Evans. Plus, he rocks a mustache!

“The Gray Man” proves disappointingly weak considering its $200 million budget and excellent cast, actively proving Netflix’s usual problem of creating dull and flavorless content. While a beautifully shot movie with enjoyable quips and action-packed stunt choreography, the uninspired story and two-hour runtime hinder the film’s decent elements and combine to form potentially one of the slowest, most painfully average movies of 2022.

2 ½ repetitive explosions out of 5