Free Fire

Starring: Sharlto Copley, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Enzo Cilenti, Sam Riley, Michael Smiley, Babou Ceesay, Noah Taylor, Jack Reynor, Mark Monero, Patrick Bergin
Directed by: Ben Wheatley
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy
2017

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two groups come together for an arms deal, but the deal quickly goes south and a deadly shootout begins.

Review:
Tim: Free Fire is one of the most unique movies I've seen in quite a while. Nearly the entire film takes place during one crazy shootout. I loved the narrow focus of this film. It's certainly an action comedy- in between the shootout sequences, there's some truly funny moments. I had great fun with this film- I was smiling and laughing almost continually from start to finish. There really isn't much like this movie out there.

So, I have to say that one of the funniest parts of the entire movie is how many crazy things happen during this shootout. There's a bunch of people on both sides, and nearly every one of them is shot repeatedly throughout the film. I was laughing so hard because of how many bullets everyone in the film took. At one point, almost all the characters are crawling around because of bullet wounds in their legs. That's absurd, but it's hilarious. As the movie went on, every time another person was hit, I'd just laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing. This is a movie that features things that aren't exactly believable, but it does so in such a convincing, funny way that it doesn't matter. In addition to the humorous bodily carnage, there's just some great lines throughout the film. The line about the "autobiography" is one of the funniest moments of the film- I rewound it multiple times because it was so funny. This is just an entertaining, fun movie.

The cast is really good. Sharlto Copley is a bit hit-or-miss as actor, but he was well-cast here. He's good at being unlikable. Brie Larson added some nice talent to the film. Her role is a bit bland, but she's an important part of the film. Armie Hammer steals the show, though. He gave my favorite performance of the film. He's just so funny throughout the film. His line delivery is perfect. He was so excellent in this film. I liked Cillian Murphy. He's a good actor and again, added to the film with his performance. All the supporting players do surprisingly good jobs as well. The cast as a whole is quite small, so it was essential that everyone contributed in big ways- and they did.

This British action comedy is pretty short, at 1 hour, 31 minutes. The whole film does feel small- it takes place in one location. The cast contains a total of 14 people. This was never going to be a cinematic classic. However, it's a very well made genre film that straight up entertains. I appreciate that so much. I didn't know what to think going into Free Fire, but I had so much fun watching this zany, original movie. This is one I've definitely recommended to others.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Shoot 'Em Up, Smokin' Aces