Free Fire

You know your filmography is an offbeat one when a movie like Free Fire could be considered your most mainstream movie. And yet, that's precisely the case for writer/director Ben Wheatley, the driving force between horrifying headtrips like A Field in England and Kill List or bleak black comedies like Sightseers and last year's High Rise. No unsettling premise or incisive social commentary, just a straight forward single location shootout movie with a cast full of name actors.

Taking place in 1970's Boston, the movie centers around a gun deal between a band of IRA fighters, South African gun runners, and a female intermediary (Brie Larson). Though initially tense, the deal appears to be good to go with smiles all around. That is until a violent connection between an IRA member and one of the gun runners is discovered and a massive fight for survival begins.

Free Fire is a difficult movie to review. Not only because the movie is a brisk single location thriller, but also because too much discussion might give away what plot points we do have. So instead of a regular breakdown I'll highlight what made this movie work for me.

Truly Chaotic Gun-play

If nothing else, Free Fire will standout for highlighting elements that most movie gun battles ignore. Instead of consistent fluid motion with the good guys and bad guys exchanging fire in equal rates, Free Fire's gun-play is all about confusion, non-lethal hits, and moving precariously in and out of cover.

There's still plenty of bullets flying on a regular basis, but this approach means that most of the shots are coming from guys who are still laying on the ground with shoulder wounds instead of barrel-rolling into a combat position and firing.

But that's not to say that everyone is inaccurate. In fact, most everyone in the film clearly has some degree of firearm training and is at least in the ballpark with every shot. No one has action movie hero aim, but you truly get the idea that anyone could be taken down at any moment.

Hell even the surroundings play a part as bullets fly through anything that isn't concrete or ricochet into targets on a regular basis. It's far from slick, but that's the point.

A Great Cast Having Fun

Movies like this are perfect for character actors because there's not a definitive protagonist and everyone is an exaggerated caricature (in the best possible way). The four notable names are Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, and Brie Larson. Murphy and Hammer play two sides of the same coin with Murphy acting as the IRA band's most professional member who's over the gun fight as soon as it starts, and Hammer as an agreeable hired gun whose clearly the most competent fighter of the group. It's notably lighter tone for both actors usual roles and I was a big fan.

Though my favorites have to be Shartlo Copley and Brie Larson. Copley has played plenty of roles like this, Hardcore Henry comes to mind, but there's something truly unique and fascinating about his manic screen presence. His buffoonery earns most of the film's biggest laughs. And surprising no one Brie Larson is great as the disbelieving female of the bunch. Considering she's presented as loyal to no one and doesn't engage in gun-play until she's shot herself, her "you have to be kidding me!" attitude not only emphasizes how stupid the violent honor that starts the whole mess is, but also justifies her attitude from a story perspective.

General Absurdity

I feel like a lot of movies like this portray themselves as meaningful dramas where every bullet, death, or action is a world-changing revelation. But even from the get-go Free Fire's tone is rooted in absurdity. This is perfectly demonstrated by the characters who spend most of the gunfight trading barbs, cursing each other out, and trying to figure out who's on who's side. No one spends time moaning about their injuries and a number of deaths are played for laughs. As such the characters and the audience can remain detached and embrace the film's chaos.

Free Fire may be the textbook definition of disposable entertainment, but it's new approach to familiar movie elements gets it a recommendation. Check it out.