The Gray Man  ★★★

THE Russo brothers’ latest, The Gray Man, is a fairly standard but well made thriller highlighted by one of the best action sequences of the year.

The directing/writing team of Anthony and Joe are renowned for their key entries in the Marvel franchise – two Captain Americas and two Avengers – so they know their way around big CGI feasts.

While there is undoubtedly some CGI in The Gray Man, the action that plays out on the central streets of Prague over about 15 minutes is masterfully staged and seamlessly edited.

Even though the script is based on a 2009 novel, we’ve seen the story many times before, particularly in recent years.

But the other aspect that lifts this above standard is the main performances by three charismatic actors.

We haven’t seen Ryan Gosling for several years on the big screen and he seems perfectly cast as the CIA’s most skilled mercenary, Court Gentry aka Sierra Six, who uncovers a secret cover-up after he is ordered to murder a man who turns out to be another CIA killer.

Gentry becomes the new target and is aided by another agent, Dani Miranda, played by actress of the moment Ana de Armas.

We saw how well the Cuban actress can handle action in her short appearance in the last Bond film.

But the actor who really has fun is Chris Evans, relishing the opportunity to play against type as a ruthless, psychotic assassin Lloyd Hansen who even the CIA has trouble controlling.

The Gray Man is definitely uneven in tone and in some ways nothing you haven’t seen before.

But when the Russo brothers are firing on all cylinders, there are few others who can deliver the action as well.