Free Fire: Guns, Guns and More Guns

Free Fire is a blast of old school mayhem that features lot of gore, death and profanity. Director Ben Wheatley (Sightseers, Kill List, A Field in England, High-Rise) is one of my favorite directors and I love how all of his films have been insanely different. The guy keeps expanding his filmography and you never know where his films will go. The dude has guts and has proven he can balance cults, violent travelers, tall mayhem and people yelling at each other in fields.  If you are into genre film making that doesn’t pull punches you should check out Wheatley’s films.

Free Fire revolves around two crews of insane people shooting at each other. On one side you have two IRA members Chris (Cillian Murphy) and Frank (Michael Smiley) and their idiot sidekicks. On the other side there is South African gangster Vernon (Sharlto Copley), his associate Martin (Babou Ceesay) and their idiot sidekicks. Joining the fray are Justine (Brie Larson) and the broker Ord (Armie Hammer) who flip-flop allegiances throughout.

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What I love most about Free Fire is how you never know where it is going. Like most Ben Wheatley films there are twists, turns and people being shot while turning. There are no heroes and the people you originally dislike become kinda likable. Each and every person has a unique personality and you hate as they get filled with bullet holes. My favorite part of the film involves the clash between dirtbag Stevo (Sam Riley) and fellow dirtbag Harry (Jack Reynor). Their feud from the prior night is what makes the night go bad and I love how the two of them just really want to kill each other. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a feud end so terribly and you will cringe as the gore is turned to 11.

Some of these people die in terrible ways…..

Free Fire is bound for cult classic status and I can’t wait to watch it again. It is grimy, nasty and would make for a perfect doubleheader with the grimy/nasty War on Everyone. I understand why mainstream audiences have shied away, but I hope fellow cinephiles help spread the word and get more people to watch this violent little thing.