High-Octane Action and Ridiculous Plot Twists Intersect in ‘Free Fire’

Aryeh Harris-Shapiro

Fans of high-concept action are in luck. After a decade of Bourne-inflected shaky-cam realism, the commercial success of the “John Wick” franchise has once again opened the door for artsy gunplay and gonzo premises. “Free Fire,” the new film from director Ben Wheatley, drags this trend to its logical extreme: a character actor-packed period piece that consists of one 90-minute shootout.

“Free Fire” is set in 1978 Boston, where several shady parties are taking part in a huge gun deal. The wrong weapons are delivered, and a bit of personal business provides the spark that sends both sides diving for cover and firing over their shoulders. Who these characters are is less important than who’s playing them; Wheatley has assembled a murderer’s row of talent that includes Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy and Oscar-winner Brie Larson. These actors run wild over Wheatley’s carefully composed warehouse and go to war over a briefcase of money until only one is left standing.

Bottle premises like this are tricky, especially one that demands constant violence and excitement. While Wheatley and his writing partner Amy Jump haven’t tackled quite as formally ambitious a project as this before, they’ve made a habit out of turning bizarre concepts into great movies. “A Field in England” was a cult hit, and even though “High-Rise,” their last feature, divided audiences, its advocates are some of the most passionate you’ll meet.

Wheatley took the demands of this project seriously, recreating the entire set in Minecraft to map out the blocking every step of the way. The effort appears to have paid off with strong reviews that praise the movie’s darkly comic tone and the audaciousness of Wheatley’s conceit. Variety claims that the film “crosses the irreverent cheekiness of Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Reservoir Dogs’ with the ruthless spirit of 1970s B-movies.” If that’s not a recipe for a great night at the cinema, nothing is.

“Free Fire” opens nationwide on April 21.