Half a decade has passed since British auteur Ben Wheatley broke into the relative mainstream with Kill List and in that time, the astute filmmaker has carved out a jet-black, intelligent troupe of features. There was Sightseers, a dark romantic thriller that’ll put you off any pencil museums this side of the Atlantic, and then there was arguably his most high-profile to date, High-Rise, an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s equally dark novel.
Next up? Free Fire, a wildly stylish ensemble thriller that imagines a posse of gangsters, all housed up in an old Boston warehouse circa 1978, that turn on one and other when an arms deal goes south. If you’ll recall the blistering first trailer (see above), it’s shaping up to be an edge-of-your-seat white-knuckle ride – one with a cast to match.
Before the bullets start flying and a desperate fight to the death ensues, Free Fire will introduce moviegoers to a sleazy mob of questionable schemers and tricksters comprised of Brie Larson, Jack Reynor, Noah Taylor, Enzo Cilenti, Babou Ceesay, and Sam Riley. Armie Hammer Sharlto Copley also star as Ord and Vernon, two old acquaintances that stage the rendezvous in the first place. As we alluded to before, this is a much more dynamic set-up than previous Wheatley films, which has us all the more excited to see it play out in full – not least after Matt Donato’s glowing TIFF review.
Free Fire brought the curtain down on the London Film Festival on Sunday past, and will touch down in the UK on March 31, 2017. A North American release shouldn’t be too far off, then, and we’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
