Director Ben Wheatley
Genre Action | Crime | Drama
Cast Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley
Rating R
Release Date April 21st, 2017
“Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.”
Free Fire is a crime thriller directed and co-written by Ben Wheatley. Wheatley most recently directed the indie drama High-Rise. The film takes place in Boston in the late 70's- the perfect setting for a guns blazing action flick. The cast includes Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, and Sharlto Copley.
Lead by a charismatic and energetic cast, Free Fire is a throwback shoot-em-up style indie well worth checking out. I planned on seeing this movie right out of the gate because of the cast alone, and once the release grew closer I became that much more excited for what I expected to be a very entertaining indie flick. Receiving a limited release and only playing at my local art house theater, I was sure to make my way there opening weekend and I was not disappointed. The storyline sucks you in right away thanks to a stellar cast and a smartly written script. The dialogue is top notch allowing viewers the opportunity to immerse themselves, while experiencing some of the most ridiculous back and forth banter available in cinema today. Once the bullets start flying it can be difficult to decipher who is on which side but that is surely by design and attributed to the chaotic mess the characters find themselves in. Free Fire passes on the John Wick style stunts and instead relies on old fashioned running while screaming and hoping nobody shoots you. And guess what, it works. I really liked the 70's setting, specifically the outfits. They really never get old. Free Fire is hilarious and even the seemingly never-ending firefight is packed full of humor. I really liked the balance between fear of imminent death and damn I have a blood stain on my favorite suit. I genuinely enjoyed the film from start to finish and felt like everything came together to create a unique experience that should satisfy most fans of the genre, or simply fans of quality filmmaking in general. My biggest issue is that it seemed to drag a bit right around the 3rd act, which was unfortunate because of how seamless the film was as a whole, but that wasn’t enough to take away from the overall entertainment value.
The cast is easily my favorite aspect of Free Fire in terms of what it added to the experience. The foundation is built on the dialogue, and the way the characters play off each other. I am having a hard time deciding who my favorite character was but I narrowed it down to 2, Vernon played by Sharlto Copley, and Ord played by Armie Hammer. Copley will have you laughing in each and every shot he is in, whether through his ridiculous outfit, erratic behavioral, or his absolutely hysterical South African accent. Most of what comes out of his mouth will have you shaking your head wondering what the heck is this guy talking about? Hammer, who stays true to his name with an overbearing 6'5 frame, is crucial to the dynamic of the cast. He is as cocky as they come but I still found him to be one of the more appealing characters. He quickly cements himself as the "Big Brother" of the cast trying to keep things together, but even he isn't capable of maintaining order amongst this crew of misfits. Oscar winner Brie Larson was fantastic as expected, and the chemistry she shared with Cillian Murphy added quite a bit to the effectiveness of the film as well. After winning me over with her award-winning performance in Room, Larson is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses and I really like her versatility as an actress.
Free Fire is a unique experience and most importantly, it felt like a movie the cast was proud to be a part of. Nothing felt thrown together, and true to many indie films that find their way into local art house theaters, it prides itself on originality. As I mentioned before, the dialogue is absolutely fantastic and I can't wait for the Blu-ray release so that I can pick this one up and laugh my butt off once again. Recommended.
