The films by British director Ben Wheatley have all been incredibly distinct from another and are all very well-done. Whether going through the genre of crime, psychological horror, dark comedy, dystopian drama or historical surrealism, you can never accuse Wheatley of doing the same trick twice. But the crucial through-line through all his films is a streak of black humour.
In his most commercial film to date, Wheatley has assembled a who’s who of talented actors with a simple premise that is so ingenious, I’m surprised no one has done it earlier. However, pulling it off is another story. So will Wheatley and his cast/crew succeed with a perfect headshot?
Set in 1970’s Boston, Justine (Brie Larson) plans a handover with two groups of arms dealers (led by Vernon and Ord, played by Sharlto Copley and Armie Hammer) to meet up in a dilapidated warehouse for a huge arms deal.
With character actors like Cillian Murphy, Jack Reynor, Sam Riley, Michael Smiley, Noah Taylor, Enzo Cilenti, Babou Ceesay and others) as the dealers, it only takes one of them to be the party pooper and once the shit hits the fan, it’s every man (and woman) for themselves.
Basically, what we have here is an elongated and grimy shootout with two sides going at it. Or is it three? Or more? Who the hell knows? The characters sure don’t! Funnily enough, the obliviousness, the unruly feel and the realistic approach to the film-making is what makes the film a hilarious time at the cinema.
One of the reasons Free Fire is a fun time is due to how Wheatley gets rids of the Hollywood sheen of filming action scenes. He goes for a painfully realistic vibe, one that elicits lots of laughs. No one poses, no one does any amazing feats (like diving with two guns blazing) and no one ever comes out looking cool. This ain’t no John Woo film, folks. People get hurt. Really, really, bad.
Wheatley also utilises the environment effectively, as he ups the difficulties the characters face to survive with humorous aplomb. People crawl on the gravelly dirt sprawled with sharp rocks, broken glass and jagged metal poles, wincing in pain. It makes the experience both cringe-worthy and groan-worthy in the best of ways.
The script is also very well written by Wheatley and prime collaborator Amy Jump, with many quotable lines that are guaranteed to leave you in stitches at some points (Protection from infection!) and numerous character touches add much colour to the film. Like the fact that most of the dealers wear fancy suits or the amusing resilience of some of the characters (drugs can have that effect on people).
But the film’s almost-miraculous feat is its ability to sustain the interest of the audience with its short running time, location shifting and tight editing. The economy and efficiency of Wheatley’s storytelling certainly helps, as he introduces his characters swiftly, shapes the dynamics distinctively, sets the wheels in the motion and he never throttles back on the momentum of the plot.
But the film wouldn’t be entertaining as it is without the talented ensemble cast. Brie Larson charms whilst convincingly standing her ground; Armie Hammer effortlessly exudes cool with a bit of a sinister edge; Cillian Murphy makes for a surprisingly shy lead; Jack Reynor is amusingly aggressive; Enzo Cilenti and Noah Taylor bicker nicely; Sam Riley is hilariously resilient and unhinged; Michael Smiley is sharp while being world-weary and Babou Ceesay is likable as the smooth, straight man of the group.
But the man that steals the show is Sharlto Copley. Clearly a very talented actor, but somehow, people don’t utilise his talents very well. Whether he’s overacting for all the wrong reasons like in the remake of Oldboy or appearing in films with terrible scripts like Chappie and Elysium, he can barely catch a break.
Ironically enough, neither can his character and Copley damn near steals the show as Vernon. Whether he’s making terrible flirtatious exchanges with Justine, making deals for survival with Ord or improvising so-called safety measures, Copley is a total blast in the role.
Despite all the things the film gets right, there are flaws that prevent it from being truly amazing. The ending ventures towards the familiar, which is both surprising and disappointing, considering Wheatley’s prior films. And it is because of the ending that the film doesn’t leave a big impression when one leaves the cinema, allowing it to be nothing more than a very entertaining genre exercise, instead of the grand film it could’ve been.
Free Fire is Wheatley’s most accessible film that entertains with its wonderful cast, the witty, quotable script and Wheatley‘s confident direction. It may not hit a bullseye with perfect accuracy, but unlike the characters, it’s certainly ain’t a bad shot.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Free Fire hits cinemas 27th April 2017
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