Free Fire is a 2016 British action-comedy film directed by Ben Wheatley, from a screenplay by Wheatley and Amy Jump. It stars Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy and Jack Reynor.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2016. The film also served as the closer of the 2016 BFI London Film Festival on 16 October 2016. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2017 by StudioCanal UK, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on 21 April 2017 by A24.
Directed by : Ben Wheatley
Produced by : Andy Starke
Written by :
Cast :
- Brie Larson
- Sharlto Copley
- Armie Hammer
- Cillian Murphy
- Jack Reynor
- Babou Ceesay
- Enzo Cilenti
- Sam Riley
- Michael Smiley
- Noah Taylor
Music by :
- Ben Salisbury
- Geoff Barrow
Cinematography : Laurie Rose
Edited by :
Production company :
- Film4 Productions
- BFI
- Rook Films
- Protagonist Pictures
Distributed by : StudioCanal UK
Release date :
- 8 September 2016 (TIFF)
- 31 March 2017 (United Kingdom)
- 21 April 2017 (United States)
Running time : 90 minutes
Synopsis
Two criminals, junkie Stevo and Bernie, drive in a RV to meet two IRA members, Chris and Frank. On the way, Stevo tells Bernie that he was beaten up yesterday by the cousin of a woman he abused. The group meet outside a Boston warehouse, where they wait with intermediary Justine. A representative arrives, Ord, who leads them into the abandoned warehouse. The group is there to buy guns from arms dealer Vernon and his associates, Martin, Harry and Gordon. Despite heated tensions between the two groups and the fact that Vernon supplied the wrong weapons as Chris ordered, Chris' group manages to secure the weapons in a van and hand over their vast sum of money in a briefcase.
Stevo notices that Harry was the one who beat him up yesterday, and refuses to go near him, irritating Frank. Harry eventually notices and lashes out at Stevo, further exemplifying the tensions between the group. Stevo seemingly apologizes, but then brags about what he did to Harry's cousin. Infuriated, Harry shoots Stevo in the shoulder. The situation then grows out of hand, with both groups splitting off onto the different sides of the warehouse, shooting and wounding each other. Martin, Vernon's right hand man, is grazed by a bullet in the head. As Martin was holding the briefcase, which lies exposed in a clearing, Vernon attempts to coerce many of his members to try and get it.
Bernie, attempting to walk across the warehouse, is shot in the back by Harry and dies shortly after. Not long after, two men with rifles hiding on the outskirts of the warehouse room begin shooting at the two groups. One of them, Jimmy, is killed, the other is recognized by Ord as Howie, who reveals that he was hired to shoot the two groups and take the money. Before Howie can reveal who hired him, he is shot by Chris' group. Chris, defending Justine, requests that Vernon's group let her go. Gordon crawls after her, intent on killing her.
After various shootouts, resulting in further wounds to both sides, a telephone rings in one of the offices. Realizing that they can call for backup, Chris sends the wounded Frank to go to the office, which prompts a wounded Vernon to crawl after him. Gordon chases Justine to the warehouse entrance, but she manages to kill him. As Chris, Ord, Stevo and Harry engage in another shootout, Vernon kills Frank after he is severely burned by a trap set by Frank.
Martin regains consciousness, and begins shooting at his own group. He reveals that Howie and Jimmy were working for him, and that he is trying to steal the briefcase money and betraying Vernon. Despite managing to get the briefcase, Martin eventually succumbs to his injuries. After managing to get past Ord and Harry's line of fire, Chris gets up to the office and kills Vernon. Using the telephone to call his associates, Chris is cut off by Ord while Harry distracts Stevo. Returning to the warehouse, Justine takes Jimmy's rifle.
One of Chris' associates, Leary, who enters the warehouse in search of his IRA comrades, is killed by Harry after a brutal fight. Taking the briefcase, Harry attempts to escape in the van, but Stevo attempts to kill him. Although Harry manages to run Stevo's head over, he is killed when Stevo fires his gun just before he is crushed. The fire that Frank caused spreads and sprinklers are turned on. Exhausted and out of bullets, Ord and Chris agree to stop fighting, take the money and wait for the inevitable arrival of the police.
Justine shoots Ord in the head, and accidentally shoots Chris as he "was in the way". Chris talks with Justine, regretting having not known her better, and eventually succumbs to his substantial wounds. As Justine walks away to the warehouse entrance, red police lights are seen, and she turns to the camera worriedly as the sounds of sirens become louder.