This is the kind of movie that came with a good buzz, but then entered and left cinemas in limited release and with little fanfare. So I half expected this to be released quickly via streaming or cable TV, but it still took me 4 years to catch it. Fortunately, some VOD sites have temporarily offered their content for free to offer amusement to those who are bored. And this movie is anything but boring.
Some directors don't need a lot of plot for a thoroughly enjoyable movie, and Ben Wheatley of Kill List fame is one of them. In fact, there is a theory that states that movies get more fun when you can summarize the premise in fewer words. "Weapons deal goes wrong and bullets fly back and forth": a promising start, and Free Fire hits its mark for most of its 91 minutes.
To be clear, this is not the most original movie ever; the first act is an obvious Tarantino-esque exercise in creating a verbal suspense bomb that may blow up at any time. Two groups of criminals meet up for the aforementioned weapons deal at an abandoned factory, and except for Justine (Bree Larson) who arranged the meeting, the two groups hardly know one another. That is, except for two people from opposite groups who have unfinished business together. This is great fuel for a powder keg of insincere pleasantries, awkward exchanges and tense conversations, where it is just a matter of time until tempers flare and the situation ignites.
Before we know it, both teams go at each other with everything that fires, with lots of bullets, injuries (both expected and unexpected), whacky situations and creative insults in both directions as a result. There are some unexpected turns here and there, as well as some dubious characters, but that is pretty much the setup for the rest of the movie. More isn't necessary: both groups profoundly mistrust each other, so they need to look for cover and use everything within reach (or at crawl-length away) that can give them the upper hand, or try to quell the situation.
With so much trigger-happy mayhem going around, you need a good group of actors, solid directing and skillful editing to tell everyone apart, and make sense of who is shooting who. Fortunately, Wheatley takes ample time to introduce his characters with their colorful 70's clothing and demeanors in the beginning, so that we have some recognition of who they are and on which side they are shooting. It still takes plenty of effort to stay focused and get a grip on some fast-paced situations, but luckily, the characters themselves also make a couple of mistakes there. The excellent cast helps, with a special mention for 'Luther's Michael Smiley as a grumpy gangster, Armie Hammer as his wisecracking counterpart, and Sam Riley as a big-mouthed junkie. However, Sharlto Copley, with his well-known manic energy, seems to have the most fun with the black humor of the situation, and goes over the top in the best way possible.
There are a few moments where the hour-long stand-off takes its toll on the movie. The pacing sometimes slows down a bit, some scenes get a bit grim or dragged out too long, and some situations are confusing due to the many characters, but that is largely compensated for by a couple of great jokes and dialogues, a few WTF moments and some memorable character exits. If you've missed this and wonder what you'd get if Reservoir Dogs was spliced with a 70's Eurocrime movie, give this one a chance.
Some directors don't need a lot of plot for a thoroughly enjoyable movie, and Ben Wheatley of Kill List fame is one of them. In fact, there is a theory that states that movies get more fun when you can summarize the premise in fewer words. "Weapons deal goes wrong and bullets fly back and forth": a promising start, and Free Fire hits its mark for most of its 91 minutes.
To be clear, this is not the most original movie ever; the first act is an obvious Tarantino-esque exercise in creating a verbal suspense bomb that may blow up at any time. Two groups of criminals meet up for the aforementioned weapons deal at an abandoned factory, and except for Justine (Bree Larson) who arranged the meeting, the two groups hardly know one another. That is, except for two people from opposite groups who have unfinished business together. This is great fuel for a powder keg of insincere pleasantries, awkward exchanges and tense conversations, where it is just a matter of time until tempers flare and the situation ignites.
Before we know it, both teams go at each other with everything that fires, with lots of bullets, injuries (both expected and unexpected), whacky situations and creative insults in both directions as a result. There are some unexpected turns here and there, as well as some dubious characters, but that is pretty much the setup for the rest of the movie. More isn't necessary: both groups profoundly mistrust each other, so they need to look for cover and use everything within reach (or at crawl-length away) that can give them the upper hand, or try to quell the situation.
With so much trigger-happy mayhem going around, you need a good group of actors, solid directing and skillful editing to tell everyone apart, and make sense of who is shooting who. Fortunately, Wheatley takes ample time to introduce his characters with their colorful 70's clothing and demeanors in the beginning, so that we have some recognition of who they are and on which side they are shooting. It still takes plenty of effort to stay focused and get a grip on some fast-paced situations, but luckily, the characters themselves also make a couple of mistakes there. The excellent cast helps, with a special mention for 'Luther's Michael Smiley as a grumpy gangster, Armie Hammer as his wisecracking counterpart, and Sam Riley as a big-mouthed junkie. However, Sharlto Copley, with his well-known manic energy, seems to have the most fun with the black humor of the situation, and goes over the top in the best way possible.
There are a few moments where the hour-long stand-off takes its toll on the movie. The pacing sometimes slows down a bit, some scenes get a bit grim or dragged out too long, and some situations are confusing due to the many characters, but that is largely compensated for by a couple of great jokes and dialogues, a few WTF moments and some memorable character exits. If you've missed this and wonder what you'd get if Reservoir Dogs was spliced with a 70's Eurocrime movie, give this one a chance.