Free Fire

I'm a big fan of Ben Wheatley. And while it's debatable that Free Fire is his best film, it's certainly his most fun. Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time.

The night of bullet business! This is one of the surprise films of the year. A limited cast and a one day event film. Except the opening few minutes the remaining film was a crossfire event. It's about two groups caught up in a firing from each other from one mistake to another leading the confrontation. In an abandoned warehouse, with a big amount and the cases new weapons lying in the centre, there's no way in or the out. The only way is to fight them all. So the surviving game begins. Whoever wins at the end can take it all with him. A very nice concept. With a simple storyline a nice gang fight was drawn out. If you like gangster films, this should watch it. But what bothered me the most was the common logic. You know, they all entered the building after checked for if they are armed, though it can be believed they hid their weapon somewhere and proceeded in. That's not it, the ammos for their gun, they kept firing many rounds like in the army conflict or a video game. That's why it is average to me. Otherwise an unexpected awesome film. The casting was good, but the surprise was Brie Larson. To see the Oscar winner in such kind of small scale film. Also disappointed her role was very small. But there is still hope! All others were good. With their unique characters, nicely used to share the screen equally. The reason for the conflict is not well explained, so it is hard to say who's good and who's bad guys here. But behaviours and further development give out where the story is heading. The end was predictable, and also we can expect a sequel. If they have one in their mind, surely it would only get bigger. 6.5/10

One of those films that becomes difficult in giving a fair judgement. On one hand, it is very engaging when the action is on. On the other hand, there are questions that arise when it is not. The narrative is an uncomplicated stage play. The arcs come and go as expected and characters and plot details are re-/introduced accordingly. The characters have distinct roles and sides but little history more than what is immediately presented. The violence is grisly and more graphic than common in action movies but still glorified and not really a shocker in realism. It is still a suspense flick, so there is much crawling about after multiple gunshot wounds though there is the flesh wound in the arm that is a smart reverse take on seventies action movie tropes. The set and aesthetics are beautiful and so are the facial hairs. It is hard to not refer to Tarantino, but that is what you get when you do a retro gangster shoot out drama that drops pop cultural references. Thankfully it stays on a grounded level and does not try to be more clever than it is. Then again, there is not much development either but for the strenuous progressions of the positional wars of the battlefield. There are other details that I will not mention for the sake of spoilers that I find worth discussion, which are not necessarily good or bad but they are still there. In conclusion, I'd say it is a movie worth watching for the bullet ballet in itself. That is if you don't let the analysis get in the way.