One of my favorite cinematic collaborations between an artist and studio from films of this decade has been between Brie Larson and A24. While only having been in three of their films, the pairing proves to be a powerhouse of talent, despite this film being a huge change of pace from her Oscar-winning role in Room. Ben Wheatley's Free Fire is an excellent shoot-'em-up film and the perfect vehicle for Larson to show off her darkly comedic side. Surprisingly, this film doesn't completely capitalize on the inclusion of her but plays with its entire cast in an endlessly entertaining way. Set in only one location for its entire duration, this movie never ceases to be a joyride of backstabbing, gun-blasting action along with its clever wit. Its entire cast is incredible and the simple, tight script makes for one of the most rewatchable stories of recent years. Going into this film, it is quite easy to predict that something will go wrong, but there is no denying that its straightforward and hilarious execution makes it all the more enjoyable.
Set in crime-ridden, 1970s Boston, foreigners Chrissy (Cillian Murphy), Frank (Michael Smiley), and some of their men are in America for a discreet arms sale. Exchanging with Americans Ord (Armie Hammer), Vernon (Sharlto Copley), and their henchmen, they are hoping that the sale will go smoothly but when complications arise, realize that will not be possible. Mediated by the unnervingly calm Justine (Brie Larson), the warehouse eventually devolves to chaos as the two gangs turn against each other and turn this one location into their own personal shooting range. Cheap comparisons are usually never a good thing to rely on, but the similarities that this film shares with Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs is incredible. Both of these movies never stop being entertaining despite their limitation of one location and while the iconic filmmaker's 1992 film revolves around the aftermath of a heist gone wrong, this film directly deals with the blaringly loud action of the gunfight itself. This film's script, written by Amy Jump and Wheatley himself, is so exciting and gives so much life to this story and all of its characters. Free Fire is a very basic premise for a film: set up an arms deal, have the two sides disagree over something, and result in an enthralling shoot-'em-up that will leave the most devoted fans of action satisfied. This plot is so excruciatingly simple but completely effective when it rather focuses on the humor and its characters. Despite many of the henchpeople looking and sounding alike, the characterization of each one made them so unforgettable. Justine's no-bullshit attitude, Ord's smooth-talking demeanor, and Vernon's ridiculously campy quirks are just some of what makes this cast so fantastic. The standout, however, is Vernon's henchman Harry (Jack Reynor), a total wild card who is simultaneously unrestrained with his mouth and trigger finger. Reynor does a great job playing a flagrant asshole and along with the rest of this cast, brings so much to the table when it comes to making their interactions and subplots delightful.
A film about a gunfight wouldn't quite be complete without guns and luckily, this film has plenty to deliver. The action scenes (which are practically everything past the first twenty minutes) are fantastic and provide for such a thrill ride, making you feel like you're constantly on your hands and knees and never letting you safely get up. The biggest thing that I got from Free Fire that made me enjoy it more than I probably should have is the fact that I knew a lot of these characters were going to die. I already had those expectations and when the consequences began to get more intense, my main wonder wasn't who was going to die but rather who was going to make it out alive. This made way for some excellent tension between the characters, as well as so much surprising comedy. There is an unescapable playfulness to this entire film due to its dialogue and the relationships between these gang members and the tone of this story is what makes it so glorious. The nonstop quips back and forth between the characters and Ord's reckless motivations are incredibly hilarious. Every character in this film is funny in their own right but another element that made it feel so genuine was its real-time, almost improvised plot. The comedy and plot choices throughout this movie honestly could have been ad-libbed and I would not have known the difference. While this is an obvious turn-off for many people looking for a stronger story arc, this film knows exactly what it is and is not afraid to play around with some of the tropes of the genre. Thankfully, this film was only an hour and a half long and while this made the struggle for power between these characters and the ending shot so unbelievably satisfying, it also left me begging for more.
Free Fire is one of the most simple yet purely fun films that I have seen in recent years and its premise is more than enough to satisfy my cinematic needs, all while not overstaying its welcome. I love Brie Larson, I love the bottle style, and I love all of this film's impressive technical aspects to make one room seem boundless with storytelling potential. Despite some of the supporting characters blending together and some being more prevalent than others, Free Fire packs more than enough firepower to keep its audience on their toes.
My Rating: ★★★★
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