Free Fire (Review)

'Free Fire' is a crime comedy film which stars Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer and Michael Smiley. This film is directed by Ben Wheatley.

Sharp suits, but not so sharp shooters, 'Free Fire' is another entry into Ben Wheatley's cannon of pitch black comedy's. The set up of Free Fire is nothing new and the sound of the premise will probably make film buffs shrug their shoulders and say "I'd rather just watch reservoir dogs", but despite the obvious similarities, Free Fire still manages to surprise me with it's quick wit and creative action. The idea of making a film such as Free Fire sounds simple enough, however the way Wheatley directs and the style of Amy Jump's rapid fire dialog keeps you invested in the story and characters through 90 minutes of sheer gunfire.

The characters in this film are thoroughly entertaining to watch, the highlight performance from Sharlto Copley as the eccentric gun salesman Vernon is hilarious from the moment he walks on-screen. Other great performances from Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy and Sam Riley along with the rest of the cast provide brilliant comedic chemistry. The score from Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow is also surprising and unconventional for the style of music that they use, but yet still somehow works perfectly for this film. For a film which is set in one location pacing is very important and for the majority of the film's runtime it is executed well, however there is a slight few moments here and there which felt a little null. One of the few minor problems I have is the ending, it works well, but it felt quite predictable and I hoped for something a little more exciting and unconventional.

Overall 'Free Fire' is a film which may not aim high, but it shoots on target and will prove to be one of the funniest films you will see all year. 'Free Fire' comes highly recommended.

Rating: 8/10

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