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Greyhound is an Apple TV+ exclusive written by Tom Hanks and based on the book The Good Shepard by C.S. Forester. It was directed by Aaron Schneider who has primarily been a cinematographer. Tom Hanks plays Captain Krause on his first crossing of the North Atlantic leading an armada of supply, troop, and battleships during WWII. They are pursued by a wolf pack of German subs in the portion of the ocean where they could not be supported by aircraft to help spot the subs.
Like Angels and Demons, this is a thriller brought to screen anchored by a proficient performance of Tom Hanks. The film clocks in at 91 minutes and fills each one of those with action or anxious anticipation of more action. Captain Krause is onboard the fastest boat and is charged with protecting all the other ships. As the extent of the wolf pack is revealed Krause becomes more and more shaken. It would be a challenging role for an experienced Captain, but it is even more so for such an inexperienced one.
Tom Hanks's performances have become military precise and perfectly fit the roles he chooses. Greyhound fits that pattern. Krause is always composed with brief hints of his internal struggle but no opportunity to express them. It borders on robotic, but so do military commanders in battle.
The film held my attention throughout. There was no strange camera trickery to show how small the helm room of the ship was, unlike The Aeronauts. The lighting was well executed for nighttime naval battles. The sound was ideally mixed with explosion volume being well balanced with dialog, unlike Tenet. This film has a narrow audience on an even narrower streaming platform. I think most people would enjoy experiencing the film, but once it is over there is not going to be much to talk about. It feels perfect for a streaming service as a result of this entertaining but throwaway nature.