Triple 9 - movie review
Triple 9
Plot: A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town.
Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie
Director: John Hillcoat
Rating: 15
Runtime: 1hr 55 mins
Release Date: Friday 19th February 2016
Just about making it onto my most anticipated list for this year, Triple 9 peaked both my excitement and interest. Having enjoyed Hillcoat's previous features, I was intrigued to see what his next project would bring. Then, details of the cast began to be revealed and it left me astounded. Finally, I watched the trailer and I completely bought into this film being a action-packed, crime-filled movie. As luck would have it, Triple 9 delivered what I hoped it would. It wasn't a flawless film but I'm glad that I didn't leave disappointed.
To truly explain how much of a fantastic cast Hillcoat rallied together, allow me to list the main actors that feature: Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone, Good Will Hunting), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave, Children Of Men), Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Need For Speed), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead, The Boondock Saints), Clifton Collins Jr. (Pacific Rim, Star Trek), Gal Gadot (Fast & Furious 6, Fast Five), Woody Harrelson (No Country For Old Men, Zombieland) and Kate Winslet (Titanic, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind). This may be the most phenomenal cast put together that isn't a billion dollar blockbuster. The sheer talent shared by all of these actors is world class. What make it even better, is that all of these actors deliver in their roles and give 110%. Each actor has their significant moment to shine and they nail every scene. Affleck leads the way with a more than capable depiction of a cop in the tough streets in Atlanta. Whilst his character may have become too clichéd and not as interesting as some others, Affleck's performance still stands strong. Anthony Mackie also stars as a cop but he has a more sinister past and motive. I'm glad to see Mackie relishing in this role. He's great as Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he hasn't impressed me that much with his other work. Here, in Triple 9, he gives a complex but hardened performance of a troubled officer who may have let the chaos of the rough streets get to him. My favourite character and performance in this film came from Chiwetel Ejiofor. Having given a mesmerising performance in 12 Years A Slave, I thought Ejiofor would have simply starred in roles that might have got him nominated for an Oscar. But with this example, as well as starring in Doctor Strange later this year, it's impressive to see Ejiofor staying within the public domain. Ejiofor plays one of the bank robbers yet I felt that I connected with his character the most. Whether it was his constant pressure that he applied to the role or the authentic writing, Ejiofor's character had the most interesting arc. Speaking of being glad, it is fantastic to see Aaron Paul succeed in transferring from small screen to big screen. His Breaking Bad co-star, Bryan Cranston, found success in Trumbo and Paul is a triumph in Triple 9. He does recall some similarities to the character of Jesse Pinkman, but sometime into the film, I looked past that and found myself intrigued with his own story. As for Gal Gadot, she plays a very minor role and her acting ability isn't on showcase as much as some other characters, but I think it's safe to say that the future depiction of Wonder Woman is in safe hands. Following on from his disturbed role as a cop in True Detective, Harrelson seems to channel his co-stars (Matthew McConaughey) personality. All in all, it makes for great compelling viewing. Finally, providing the sinister mafia role is Kate Winslet who is unrecognisable. She is transformative and plays against typecast making for a truly scary role.
Great crime thrillers rely on telling an engaging and tension filled plot. Thankfully, Triple 9 provides a compelling and real depiction of double crossing and the hardened streets in Atlanta. Each character is given a major arc meaning that not a single moment was wasted. That doesn't necessarily mean that each arc was great though. Affleck's character was one of the weakest points for me. His story was unoriginal and any twists that were implemented didn't feel fresh and often out of place. Writer Matt Cook also tries to give a representation of what home and family life is like for cops, which I just thought detracted from the overall action. But apart from that, every role had a significant part to play in the progression of the story. Aaron Paul and Norman Reedus' characters shared a great brotherly bond which resulted in a brief, yet effective story. Like I mentioned previously, my favourite aspect of Triple 9 was Chiwetel Ejiofor. The way in which Hillcoat presents a criminal who is forced into crime is fantastically accomplished. I always enjoy watching characters who are twisted into bad things as it adds to the character development. However, my least favourite detail was how the film intercut between each character. It was clunky editing that ultimately left me feeling confused whenever one character's arc took a break and when another began. The film also slows during its second act. Due to a blistering opening and a heart pounding conclusion, the middle segment could have done with a dose of adrenaline now and then.
John Hillcoat is known for his dark and gritty films. An example of this is Lawless. Due to the unforgiving violence and the authenticity of the piece, Lawless made for a great film. Triple 9 surpasses Lawless in regards to the action. Thanks to an excellent opening bank robbery, Triple 9's action sequences never felt toned down. It embraces it's 15 age rating which blood and unflinchingly brutal fights galore. Each and every sequence is tension filled due to some incredibly intense choreography and gradual pacing into the fights. They were something that I loved. One example of the gradual pacing was during a house raid that we witness. I was just waiting for the one bullet to be fired but watching the cops slowly progress through the house room by room, had me on the edge of my seat.
Because of John Hillcoat's reputation and other films that he has directed, Triple 9 comes highly recommended by myself. The dirty and gritty story rewards the sensational cast and the ferocious action scenes are the cherry on top. Flaws and nitpicks aside, this is a film that you will enjoy immensely.
My Verdict: 8.5/10
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