Free Fire

First Hit:  Not many screenwriters and directors attempt to shoot an entire film in one room and this film shows why. Part of the issue with shooting a film in a one room, with a few scenes outside the room, is that the room set has to be dynamic or amazing and/or the characters have to be inspiring and so engaging that the audience is on the edge of their seat. Some films focus on one or the other while most of the rest try to focus on both. This one appears to focus on character development but by limiting any movement in the set because people are in a gunfight and pinned down, the difficulty in making the characters interesting, is pronounced.

What we have is two factions. One group wants to buy some M-16 rifles and another group wants to sell guns. The deal is filled with mistrust as the rifles that get delivered to the meeting place, a broken-down warehouse, are not M-16s. This creates tension between the two factions.

What blows this up is one of the guys Stevo (Sam Riley) who’s on the team buying the guns for the IRA, got beaten up by Harry (Jack Reynor), one of the guys from the seller’s team. Harry beat-up Stevo because he said some very rude things to his sister. When they each recognized each other they start to fight and the two sides begin shooting at each other and thus begins about an hours’ worth of shooting in a small confined space.

During the shooting the sides call out to each other and some of their past association comes to light.

There are very amusing parts and quips along the way which worked, however, the fight was too long and it ran out steam about 20 – 25 minutes into the gun battle. Although the ending wasn’t predictable, it didn’t mean much because I didn’t care a whole lot.

Regardless of the film, if there is nothing to root for, care about, or associate/connect with, then the experience dies and the film fades from my mind just as soon as I get up out of my seat.

The actors that stood out during this film were: Armie Hammer (as Ord) the strong arm. Brie Larson (as Justine) as the smoother between the two groups. Sharlto Copley (as Vernon) another strong arm. Others, like Riley and Reynor, were good, however this film didn’t quite lend itself to strong acting, just short quips and brief explosions of anger or shooting. Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley wrote a quippish script. Wheatley as director did get something out of the limited script, but after 20 minutes of the OK corral in a broken down warehouse the film just fizzled out.

Overall: This film had possibilities but in the end, it failed on all levels.

High Rise

First Hit:  One of the worst spools of celluloid ever put together.

With two rather talented actors headlining this move, how did it become such a hot mess.

Tom Hiddleston (as Laing) and Jeremy Irons (as Royal) are living in a building that Royal has designed. The building is all inclusive meaning that is a gym, grocery store and other amenities allowing the residents to not leave the grounds if they choose not to.

The building they live in is one of five in the series Royal has designed. From a general design point of view, the buildings are supposed to look like a 4 bent fingers and a thumb lifting up from a palm which is the center courtyard. The status of a person is based on the floor they live on as demonstrated when there is a power shortage, the lower floors have more blackouts than the higher floors.

The theme, if there really was one, was lost on me and the actors, storyline, and lack of cohesion made it impossible to watch, although I will watch anything once.

Hiddleston’s character was not fleshed out enough to know why he acted and reacted the way he did. More than likely this was a story/screenplay issue as I do think Hiddleston is a good actor. Irons is a superb actor but his role as the high and mighty architect was flimsy at best. It was neither tolerable nor believable. I won’t bother with the rest of the cast as it isn’t worth it. Amy Jump wrote the screenplay and if this is her best work, she might think of another line of work. Ben Wheatley directed this with little thought about presenting a cohesive interesting story. It was more about bad behavior getting worse.

Overall:  Please don’t watch this film, as it will be a waste of time and money.