Putting Brie Larson in a film will likely put people in the seats at this point in her career. Add Cillian Murphy, Arnie Hammer, and Sharlto Copley and mix in a bunch of guns and you’ve got a recipe that should intrigue the filmgoers. Free Fire brings as many laughs as it does bullets in this new film by Ben Wheatley.
Free fire brings violence you can laugh at
Chris (Cillian Murphy) and Frank (Michael Smiley ) are looking to score some assault rifles for their gang and enter into a deal with Vern (Sharlto Copley). But their muscle has some unresolved issues and Harry (Jack Reynor) goes after Stevo (Sam Riley) and the situation just escalates. The film goes on for what is a series of shoot outs and strategy sessions that offers a lot of entertainment.
Copley’s character, which essentially the one he does best, adds a lot of humor to the movie. Well, he is often more of the butt of the jokes, but he makes the film lighter in those moments. It is likely his best performance since District 12.
Jack Reynor is a pleasant surprise as he whines despite being surrounded by bigger names. His recent roles in Transformers Age of Extinction and Sing Street have definitely shown his ability, being able to stand out in an ensemble without taking away from the overall project is impressive. He has a strong presence and great command of the tone his character is conveying.
The big names bring their A-game
The three big stars definitely shine as Larson, Murphy, and Hammer all give great performances. Each have some great interactions with the other that lend for some memorable scenes. When The film opens Justine and Chris are sitting in the car waiting for her contact. Ord (Hammer) shows up late and looking a little too classy for a gun smuggler. Frank (Smiley) and Ord exchange some jabs of mistrust and the film gets rolling.
Final thoughts…
Ben Wheatley manages to channel a bit of Tarantino’s extreme violence blended with twisted comedy for this film. Yet, this period piece has enough of its own style to make it something new. Free Fire is expected to go wide on April 21st and if it arrives near you it’s worth checking out. Free Fire earns the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy rating.
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