Tom Hanks is famously obsessed with World War II, and over the years he has been associated with some of the most acclaimed films and TV shows set in that era. But while some of them, most notably Saving Private Ryan, are widely beloved as classics of the genre, other Hanks works have flown under the radar like a bomber sneaking into enemy airspace in the middle of the night. Hanks' most underrated war drama, and honestly, one of his most underrated films, is Greyhound.
Initially slated for a theatrical release, the film ultimately premiered on Apple TV+ in 2020 due to the pandemic. Tightly paced, highly dramatic, and featuring exemplary naval combat scenes, Greyhound stars Hanks as U.S. Navy Commander Ernie Krause, who pilots a destroyer for the first time and finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly skirmish in the Black Pit, a dangerous area of the Atlantic where each man must defend himself. Krause's mission is to escort a convoy of Allied soldiers to Liverpool, but when the convoy is ambushed by a U-boat, Krause and the other commanders are forced to use all their means – courage, intelligence, and copious amounts of firepower – to defend themselves and complete the mission.
Directed by Aaron Schneider, Greyhound is based on C.S. Forester's 1955 novel The Good Shepherd. Interestingly, the film was adapted by none other than Hanks himself. Greyhound was reportedly made with a budget of $50 million and is one of two Hanks films to debut on Apple TV+ in just a few months' time; the second being Miguel Sapochnik's post-apocalyptic survival drama Finch. Greyhound has a “fresh” 78% rating on aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with praise given to its 90-minute running time and effective CGI. A review at the time from Collider called the film a “thrilling and captivating journey”.
Following 'Greyhound,' Hanks will be making 'Masters of the Air.'
Greyhound was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound, and while the film was lauded for its technical achievements, Hanks' performance as a devout sailor was also praised. In addition to starring in films like Saving Private Ryan and Greyhound, Hanks served as co-producer and co-creator of the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers, which premiered on HBO in 2001, and its spiritual sequel, Masters of the Air, which debuted on Apple TV+ earlier this year.
Greyhound, which also stars Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue, is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest updates.
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