Free Fire - movie review
Free Fire
Plot: Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.
Cast: Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson
Director: Ben Wheatley
Certificate: 15 (strong violence, language, drug misuse)
Runtime: 1hr 30 mins
Release Date: Friday 31st March 2017
Due to a preview screening, here comes another review in advance. This time round, it's for a lesser known film that could potentially sneak under the radar. Free Fire is another venture for Ben Wheatley who has previously made films such as Sightseers and High Rise. Sightseers was sickeningly humourous however I found it to be too dark for the comedy to work and I heard that High Rise was interesting but tonally inconsistent. However, considering the extensive cast for Free Fire and the incredibly simple premise, my expectations were fairly high for his next directorial feature. Whilst it is refreshing to see an original film out there, Free Fire is by no means anything special.
A stacked and talented cast are on show for Free Fire and they certainly do not disappoint. My personal favourite of the bunch is Sharlto Copley doing what he does best; being absolutely batshit mental. His character of Vernon is hysterical and provided the majority of laughs from myself and the audience. The inability for him to understand the logic behind a gunfight and his reactions to certain situations are comedic genius. Whether it be wanting to maintain the intactness of his suit or blackmailing others to grab a case full of money, Copley is outstanding. I really hope that we get to see more of him because unless it's either Neill Blomkamp or a bizarre indie film, we never really get to see Copley in the limelight. Hopefully, word of mouth about how great he is in this might persuade some of the Hollywood big wigs to put him in larger films. On the topic of a developing Hollywood star, Brie Larson adds another notch on an already fantastic repertoire. Being the only female in the cast made everything that Larson did extra special. She's got good comedic chops but also, and this goes for all of the actors, provides a physically demanding performance. When the bullets are being fired and people are getting shot, no one is left walking. By the time we get to the halfway mark, everyone is either hobbling, limping or crawling on all fours. For someone as stunning as Larson, she certainly is very good at getting down and dirty. Armie Hammer also proves himself to be a talent too. His character is a bit more mysterious as it's purposely unclear whose side he's on. Bit by bit, Hammer is putting his grey cloud (The Lone Ranger) behind him and proving himself to be a capable leading man. After this performance in Free Fire, I'm sold on him. If rumours are true and he's going to be cast as the new Green Lantern, I have no problems with that. Cillian Murphy is yet another actor appearing here who I'm clamouring to see more from. To no fault by my own, I never got round to watching Peaky Blinders but as far as his turn in Free Fire is concerned as an Irish gangster, there's just something so instantly compelling about him. I want to know more about who he is and how his business operates. Unfortunately, that's a huge reason why Free Fire doesn't work as well as it should. All of the acting is top class even from the supporting roles (Jack Reynor, Sam Riley, Michael Smiley) but the characters have no depth to them. The only remotely interesting one was Sharlto Copley but that was solely for comedic purposes. Everyone else is flat and fairly bland. That did create a considerable problem when in the middle of a gunfight because you weren't rooting for a particular person nor side. Instead of feeling tense whether someone lives or dies, Free Fire felt much more like a glamorised slasher flick as we wait for the next person to die yet feel nothing for them.
FACT: Wheatley described games such as Counter Strike as a source of inspiration for the film. He also built the set for the film originally on Minecraft.
Wheatley has clearly been inspired by Tarantino for this film, specifically Reservoir Dogs. The idea of a group of individuals turning on each other over an illegal deal gone wrong was perfected by Tarantino and it's all well and good someone taking inspiration from a master of their work but Free Fire does seem like too much of a copy. The over-the-top violence. Obscene language. Crazy comedy. All of these are Tarantino tropes when put together but whilst Wheatley tries his best, there was never that spark from the writing to become fully invested. There is also the problem regarding any form of attachment which I've already mentioned. I didn't care for anyone. Someone's brain could have been blown out and splattered all over the warehouse floor and I would have had about as much emotional care than I would have if an ant shat on my shoe. Free Fire also misses out on one gigantic opportunity; a kick-ass soundtrack. It's set in the 70s, is quirky and different and has all the promise of being an indie hit yet there is no soundtrack. It's score is fairly dull but this film was the perfect place to incorporate some classic 70s bangers to reinforce the energetic pace. On the plus side, when the first bullet is fired, Free Fire doesn't let up. It showcases a very realistic and gritty approach to a gunfight. There is no constant barrage of bullets nor fancy choreography. It actually becomes a rarity if more than three bullets are fired in succession. Fortunately, when the gunshots aren't heard ringing, the darkly funny jokes are being fired which manages to make this violent ninety minute squabble fly by. There is no story aside from a gun deal gone wrong and even though Wheatley and his scriptwriters attempt to throw a twist or two in for good measure, the predictability of it all results in a brisk film that does what it mostly says on the tin.
In part, it's a homage (perhaps too much) to Tarantino's early work but it's also a fairly easy film to pop on if the time arises. Free Fire hasn't totally convinced me that Ben Wheatley is a pioneer of British filmmaker but he's not afraid to take risks, hire brilliant actors and create something original and that's what this film is. Original (for the most part) but heavily flawed.
My Verdict: 6.5/10
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