John and Allison Garrity are working through issues in their marriage. After years of broken communication and an affair, Allison just isn’t sure she can trust John. And John’s not sure if his wife will ever forgive him. But things are about to change.
During son Nathan’s birthday party, John receives a strange message from U.S. Homeland Security: He and his family have been selected for relocation.
Turns out, a comet named Clark is plummeting toward earth. At first, experts reported that Clark would peacefully fall into the ocean. But they were wrong. Clark is headed for Earth at top speed. And only certain families have been chosen for safe relocation to underground bunkers in a secure location.
As pieces of the comet fall around the world, death and devastation are inevitable. Now, John must safely transport his family to the nearest military base where they’re promised a safe journey and protection.
But as they make their way to safety, they begin to understand that people are being chosen based on certain specifications. And when their sick son doesn’t make the cut, they’re turned away and accidentally separated. It will take everything in John and Allison’s power to reunite and find a way to live as the world around them dies.
John, Allison and Allison’s father are all protectors and providers in their own ways. John goes to great lengths to find his family and to do what is best, even when he’s deterred. Allison fiercely fights for her son and his safety. And Allison’s father yearns to protect his daughter’s heart.
A few people are genuinely kind and caring to John and Allison and give them hope in seemingly hopeless situations. Military soldiers sacrifice their lives for civilians even when they’re not chosen for relocation.
John, Allison and Nathan learn the importance of living in the moment and cherishing the time they have together. This is shown not only in speech but in flashbacks picturing all the happy memories they’ve shared together. John and Allison repair their marriage and forgive one another. They also comfort their son and others in times of need.
Allison’s father assures her that he will be ready to die when the “good Lord” is ready for him to go and join his wife in heaven. A group of people congregate outside of a Baptist church. A man says, “My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.” A radio announcer reads an apocalyptic passage from Revelation about “wormwood” falling from the sky.
A few women sport cleavage-baring tops. Allison and John kiss, hug and hold hands. A man admits to an affair that he knows will haunt him the rest of his life.
The comet Clark ravages Earth’s surface in many places as it falls from the sky. Buildings are set ablaze, and people are killed by debris. Entire cities, countries and even continents are decimated by the comet’s fragments and its shockwaves. Reporters capture these images on camera before they too are killed by the impact. Some news images include people screaming and crying and dead bodies lying on the ground.
Planes and helicopters fall from the sky as debris hits them. A pilot’s plane crashes, and he’s stabbed through the chest with a piece of ice as he crashes into the side of a mountain.
As the state of the world declines, looters break into pharmacies and shoot and kill innocent people. Including one elderly woman who lies on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Elsewhere, a fist fight breaks out and one man is accidentally stabbed in the head with a hammer and killed, while another lies on the ground, covered in blood.
We hear over the radio that millions of people are dead and that more than 75% of the world’s population and animals will be wiped out.
Allison hitches a ride from a seemingly kind couple who throw her out of the car and abduct her son.
The f-word is used once and censored once. The s-word is heard nearly 10 times. Jesus’ name is misused three times; God’s name is misused four times, once paired with “d–n.” Other profanities include a few utterances of “d–n” and “d–mit.”
Allison drinks a glass of wine and asks John to pick up wine and beer for a birthday party. A group of young adults cheer and drink beer on a rooftop as a comet destroys the Earth.
As the state of the world declines, people show their worst sides as they’re driven by fear. People slowly start to learn that some men and women are being selected for relocation based solely on their job descriptions and wealth.
From the creators of the John Wick series, Greenland is a PG-13 action thriller from beginning to end. Starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin, this nonstop roller coaster ride centers on familial love, commitment and forgiveness.
These themes are certainly evident as we see people sacrifice their lives for one another and fight at all costs to protect those they love.
But there’s still more here to deal with. Destruction, decimation and death feel never-ending and can be quite graphic. Humanity shows its true colors as fear sets in and people panic. Some moments of harsh profanity are present too.
Yes, there are positives here as a family’s love carries this film, but there are also cautionary notes that families should be aware of, too.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
