Ben Wheatley’s “Free Fire” is a rousing action film set in a deserted warehouse in Boston. The story unfolds as a gun deal goes south and the participants fight for their lives. While many may compare this film to Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs,” it is able to stand on its own as a hectic action-comedy.
The movie starts by introducing us to the group of criminals as they all slowly arrive at the location of the gun deal. These first 20 minutes help establish the characters and get the audience on board with the concept. It is an exciting opening act that is able to avoid becoming an exposition dump. It is light on information and heavy on quippy dialogue between characters, setting the tension within the room and helping to give each character a target once the mayhem starts.
The anarchy starts once Harry, played with a hilarious defiance by Jack Reynor, sees Stevo (Sam Riley), a man he got into a brawl with the previous night. Harry proceeds to shoot Stevo in the shoulder and from there the insanity starts. Bullets fly across the warehouse and people are severely injured. The two sides are split up and begin to shoot insults at each other. While there are attempts at negotiating, no one wants to leave without the money, so the bloodshed continues.
The action in the movie was phenomenal. For a movie that is essentially a gun battle for 60 minutes, the director manages to keep the action fresh and gripping. The best part about the action was that it was action with consequence. When someone gets shot, they feel the pain. These aren’t superheroes that can constantly be shot and recuperate in an instance. By the end of the movie, the people are reduced to dragging themselves across the warehouse. It is brutal and visceral but also helps the viewers buy into the events unfolding on screen.
The absolute star of this film is Sharlto Copley as Vernon. A narcissistic, womanizing, money-obsessed arms dealer, Copley threatens to run away with the whole film. Whether it be through his determined, yet failing attempts at flirting with Justine (Brie Larson) or pretty much anything else he says, Copley is an absolute delight on-screen. He brings an insanity to the role that makes the character one of the most interesting in the film. Copley usually steals the film, but this one should be his coming out party.
The other star of the film is Cillian Murphy as Chris, who is on the opposing side of Vernon. Murphy plays him with a world-weariness that helps make him the most grounded and relatable character in the film. He is easily the smartest guy in the room, and while he seems to know it, he is not overt about it. Chris is best defined by his relationships with Frank, Justine and Ord, though. He is extremely protective of Frank and Justine, with a romantic subtext between him and Justine, and is very antagonistic, but respecting of Ord. These relationships and Murphy’s performance elevate what could otherwise be a boring character.
Wheatley does a masterful job at directing the film. With a concept that could easily fall apart, Wheatley instead creates an intensely fun and hilarious flick. By keeping the action constantly flowing, and creating witty dialogue and fun character dynamics, Wheatley keeps the audience invested in the events happening on screen. The film does suffer from a slight tonal shift in the middle that leans more on the action side of the action-comedy formula, but it doesn’t detract much from the film.
The director creates dynamic relationships between the characters that make the interactions hilarious and has the audience rooting for almost all the characters at one point. These are deeply damaged individuals, who are very selfish at their core, so when they are placed into a situation where they have to work as a team, they have a nice clash of morals. The different values make the exchanges between the characters interesting and keep the movie fun.
“Free Fire” is one of the better films of 2017. Wheatley creates a smart and dynamic film that holds the viewer’s attention from beginning to end. The fun character dynamics and intense action are the best parts of this film. With some great performances and a great concept, “Free Fire” is not a film that should be missed.
“Free Fire” opens nationwide today.
