Free Fire Is A Fantastic Western Shootout In A Polyester Suit

Free Fire, starring Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy and Sharlto Copley was released in 2016 to somewhat of a mixed response from fans and critics. Now, this movie has been on my list since the day I saw the trailer and I was finally able to check it out. First let me say that I loved it. I thought it was a hilarious, self aware action flick that we don't see enough of these days. So what exactly is Free Fire and why were people so mixed in their responses to it? The movie itself is about a shoot out. That's all. It has a basic story that allows the characters to come together and for the movie to actually happen, but essentially it's one long shoot out. It's a comedic western in a 1970's skin and it was really fun to watch. The constant, sarcastic banter between characters and the slow, painful degradation of morale amongst the groups gets better and better with each round fired. I think people who didn't like this movie were expecting something with more of a story. Either that or the humor just didn't land with them. I could also see Free Fire missing with audiences, even if they get the premise, just because it's pretty self explanatory. I might have liked it so much because I was at home enjoying it with a beer and a bunch of friends in a space where we could laugh and make jokes. Was this a game changer for Hollywood? No. Is it a new revelation in cinema? Not at all. It is simply a movie that was made for the purpose of being a good time and it does this really well. So if you like guns, quips, sideburns, and limb damage, check out Free Fire.