The thought of a comet slamming into Earth would be terrifying to say the least, but in “Greenland” that thought is crafted into an intense, action-packed film that has viewers on the edge of their seats.

Written by Chris Sparling and directed by Ric Roman Waugh, the film is able to portray how people would react during this type of situation. An example would be the sudden increase in inhumane behavior like taking advantage of a person due to their status or being merciless to those who are trying to survive. The shift in the atmosphere becomes more noticeable as the movie progresses; from being bright and lively in the beginning to slowly becoming dreary and lifeless. With a budget of $43 million, which is quite low compared to other action films, its special effects are impressive.

The film introduces the main characters in a very casual way. These include John Garrity (Gerard Butler), a hardworking father who deeply cares about his passions and his family; Allison Garrity (Morena Baccarin), a loving mother who also cares about her family, and Nathan Garrity (Roger Dale Floyd), John and Allison’s diabetic only child. 

Something that I loved about this film is that it didn’t focus too much on Nathan’s diabetes. While it does come up as a plot point early on in the film, afterwards it’s just something that’s not mentioned as much.

For the first ten minutes of the film, it seems like a casual day for the Garritys; a harmless comet named “Clarke” was going to pass by Earth later that day and everyone was going to watch it happen. That is until a fragment of the comet slams into Florida, reeking havoc on the world. Suddenly, John and his family are chosen to join countless others to shelter in military bunkers located in Greenland, which is revealed later on for some unnecessary reason.

As the Garritys make their way to Greenland, they’re thrown into an apocalyptic world where everyone fends for themselves and no one can be trusted. After being separated from one another for half the movie, the family reunites again in a heartwarming scene that helps settle much of the tension.

Later on in the film, the comet’s arrival brings destruction to the once-thriving Earth and leaves it as a lifeless heap of ash. The last minute of the film presents the aftermath of the comet’s destruction by panning through several memorable cities around the globe before stopping at Greenland, which was touched by the meteor as well.

While watching “Greenland,” I was reminded of another film that had a similar theme to it: “2012”. Both films focus on a family trying to survive a natural disaster while also looking for a safe place to find shelter. 

I would recommend this film, especially if you are a fan of apocalyptic movies that deal with natural disasters. The tension kept me glued to my seat and I continued to root for the Garritys as they battled through difficult situations to get to their destination.