Free Fire really isn’t into small talk. It just wants to put some weird characters in a set piece and let the good times roll. That high bar is why it’s imperative that they got quality actors like Oscar winner Brie Larson.
Okay, so Sharlto Copley is the more obvious choice for this action/comedy exercise, but the odd assortment of cast members is indicative of how this movie is trying to delight you. It wants you to look at the lineup of recognizable faces in ‘70s garb and get excited about what they’re doing together. It doesn’t seem like they will all fit, and in the end, that’s kind of the point.
At the helm of this cheekily violent shootout is Ben Wheatley, working yet again with co-writer and editor Amy Jump. They share the job of tracking characters and making sure the action doesn’t get repetitive, which is no small task when you’re talking about a movie that barely leaves a warehouse. They’re smart to keep the film to a crisp 90 minutes. No matter how much fun it is, the slight premise will make it easy for this film to overstay its welcome.
As the trailer makes clear, this isn’t a movie for the prudish or the overly serious. This is a movie for people who roll with a situation and take delight in its odd turns. It won’t always make sense and there’s probably not much to it, but who needs deeper meaning when you just want to buy some guns?
Free Fire is directed by Ben Wheatley and stars Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, and Brie Larson. It will be released in the U.K. on March 31st, 2017. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think Free Fire will live up to its name? Let us know in the comments!
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