Spy thrillers have a lengthy history in Hollywood, with Netflix’s The Gray Man being the latest to join the movie espionage club, with its titular protagonist joining the long line of super-sleuths such as Jack Bower, Ethan Hunt and James Bond.

Being “Gray” isn’t exactly explained in the movie, it’s simply mentioned as a side comment, so the viewer is free to decipher it however he or she likes. It could be a reference to one’s moral ambiguity, having to do bad things, like killing, for the greater good.

Being Gray could also easily mean being amorphous and forgettable, not standing out or being as definitive or recognizable as black or white. A handy trait in the world of espionage, to be sure.

It is in this respect that Ryan Gosling’s character, also known as Sierra-Six, embodies the Gray man persona. Normally the likeable and charming type, Gosling plays Six as passably affable, an everyman that just stays in the background, drawing no more attention to himself than normal, with controlled, cautious movements and a laid back personality.

In a op (that’s “operation” or mission, for those unfamiliar with spy-thriller jargon) that went south (spiralled out of control) Six finds himself out in the cold on the run. His handler, Ana De Armas’ Agent Dani Miranda is in the wind as well. Nothing new here but a target painted on your back is always a good place to start a film.

Rege-Jean Page, of Bridgerton fame, plays Carmichael, a middle-management CIA agent hunting Six down. With him is fellow CIA agent Suzanne Brewer played by Jessica Henswick, who is along for the hunt but disagrees with Carmichael’s methods.

In what is probably his most fun role, Chris Evans plays completely against type as Lloyd Hansen, a private-sector contract killer called in to help in the smoke out Six. This is as far away from his most recognizable role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as he’s gotten since hanging up his shield. Not only is Lloyd a gun for hire, he’s a loud, boisterous, creepily sadistic one at that. Think of his character from Knives Out, but with special forces training and even less of a conscience.

The Gray Man is an action-thriller traditionally aimed at men, but with heartthrobs like Gosling, Evans and Page, one could say the movie is setting its sights on pulling in the ladies in the audience as well. There is plenty of shooting to go around, as well as explosions and car chases. There are a couple of really large, note-worthy set-pieces, and other little bits of action sprinkled throughout. With a reported budget of US$200 Million, you can tell the Russo Brothers convinced Netflix to spare no expense.

There are a lot of things happening at once in the film, and the directors and editors do a great job of grabbing you and bringing you along for a wild ride. But perhaps that is also where the film is at its weakest. The Russo brothers just seemed to be dialing things up as the movie goes along, which is great to get the adrenaline pumping, but not so much for story and nuance. Once the action starts, it keeps going, giving the audience hardly enough time to breathe, much less process just why exactly they should be emotionally invested in Sierra-Six.

The script also seems uneven at times, not giving much development or interest to other characters. Page’s Carmichael is not very threatening, and Fenwick’s constantly contradicting agent Brewer spends ninety percent of the time simply screaming at someone about how badly things have gone.

Six and Lloyd are polar opposites, one being calm and reserved, the other dementedly gregarious and twistedly exuberant. One has somewhat of a working moral compass, and the other threw his out intentionally long ago. It is when these two are at the forefront that the script and dialogue pick up, with plenty of interesting nuances and a bit of injected humor and one-liners. I dare you not to say, “Just another Thursday.” about something after leaving the theater, or to forget Lloyd’s glib, “If you wanna make an omelette, you gotta kill some people.”

All in all, the last thing The Gray Man needs to be is gray, and sink into ambiguity. It needs to stand out from the rest, and despite the missteps, it does raise a hand in a crowd and make itself known. It says, “Hey! I’m here! And I’ve got ten more novels to pull ideas from! Pay attention!”