Greenland is a global disaster film that is more realistic and captivating than most end-of-the-world flicks. The cosmic collisions and segregation of individuals for safety, combined with the global disaster scenario, heighten the suspense of Greenland. The film is vast, with its worsening environments building more danger as the film progresses. That is what gives Greenland its originality, with its setup of worldwide danger. But the film does leave us wondering how it would be possible for the cosmic collisions to happen so fast.

Greenland focuses on a family with some challenges. Gerard Butler plays John Garrity, who is facing challenges with his wife Allison, played by Morena Baccarin. They have a son, Nathan, played by Roger Floyd Dale, and they are trying to make their situation work out. The concept of them sticking together and working together becomes essential, because in a matter of moments their lives are at risk. They come across news that the world is on the ledge of peril from natural disasters caused by comet fragments. The world is in danger and that danger is growing.  The family only has one hope of survival—to make it to a government sanctuary for safety. As others around the world try to find safety in the sanctuary, the chances become slimmer because the government has set up parameters for who gets to go the sanctuary and who does not.

Greenland had me deep in thought, wondering how the natural resources of our world would face such a catastrophe. Given the many months of the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, I kept thinking how the realistic disaster in Greenland would be handled if a global disaster (separate from the COVID-19 pandemic) happened in real life. Most of the survival in the film involves the characters fending for themselves and going around the parameters that have been established by the government. The film does a good job of helping us understand to why the parameters are avoided throughout Greenland.

The film has a moment where there is a selection process of individuals who will be allowed to make it to safety. The process almost feels like some of the processes that were used for vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The individuals in Greenland get selected via phone and receive wrist bands. The selection process made me wonder—if this situation happened in real-life, would they select and separate individuals due to lack of assistance? This is also an example of parameters being avoided, because the characters realize that they need to stick together, and that going by the orders may not allow them to be together to keep each other safe.

For director Ric Roman Waugh, this is his second perilous film with Gerard Butler. The first one was Angel Has Fallen (2019). That film was the third in the Fallen franchise, but Greenland is a step up from Angel Has Fallen. Angel Has Fallen was repetitive, whereas Greenland is more original and a ride of suspense. Greenland is a worthy watch.