The latest film from acclaimed British director Ben Wheatley is a darkly humorous action-comedy that is likely to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of film. I loved it.

Premise: In 1970s Boston, a collection of criminals meet in a deserted factory for an illegal arms deal. On one side are the Irish buyers led by Chris (Cillian Murphy), on the other side is the South African arms dealer Vernon (Sharlto Copley) and his entourage, and in the middle are the brokers, Justine (Brie Larson) and Ord (Armie Hammer). Soon emotions run high, tempers boil over, and bullets start to fly.

Verdict:

I think it’s probably fairly easy to predict whether someone is going to enjoy Free Fire or not, based on their reaction to the premise. If you find the prospect of watching what is, essentially, a low-budget 90-minute shootout in an abandoned factory intriguing, then this is probably a film you’ll enjoy. If you’re asking yourself “but what about the plot”, you might find that this film is not for you.

That’s not to say that the film is shallow by any stretch – but its depth lies in its dark humour and its characters, rather than in a plot per se. Story-wise, the characters turn up, fall out, and start shooting each other – and that’s about it (although there are, in fairness, a few twists along the way regarding shifting loyalties and alliances).

“...‘Free Fire’ is essentially a black comedy with some dramatic moments…”

But the joy of the film is not so much about what happens, but the way it happens. Despite some superficial similarities, comparisons with Reservoir Dogs are arguably lazy and unfair on both films (Reservoir Dogs is a crime-drama with some humorous dialogue, whereas Free Fire is essentially a black comedy with some dramatic moments), but you could say of both films that, plot-wise, not a lot actually happens.

Instead, what makes Free Fire so enjoyable is the eclectic array of eccentric characters. The Irish buyers are led by Chris and Frank, played by talented character actors Cillian Murphy and Michael Smiley. While Chris and Frank have a certain level of professionalism about them, they’re backed up by Stevo (Sam Riley) and Bernie (Enzo Cilenti), a couple of unreliable low-level crooks looking to prove themselves. Their American contact is the broker Justine, played by Oscar-winner Brie Larson, who just wants everyone to keep a calm head and get what they came for.

“…the film is very nearly stolen by Sharlto Copley…”

Putting the deal together on the other side is Ord, played with an abundance of swagger by Armie Hammer. Ord has the confidence of an ex-military professional that has seen real action, and who is totally unfazed by the bravado and peacocking of the criminals he’s now surrounded by. When the excrement hits the fan, he’s the only one who doesn’t seem particularly concerned about his personal safety (as he’s more concerned with renegotiating the terms of his contract with Sharlto Copley’s Vernon). Armie Hammer’s portrayal of Ord is one of the comic highlights of the film, as his calm yet palpable contempt for those around him undercuts the tension generated by all of their posturing.

But as good as Armie Hammer is, the film is very nearly stolen by Sharlto Copley in his role as Vernon, the totally un-self-aware South African gun runner. Justine introduces Vernon by saying “he was misdiagnosed as a child genius and never got over it”, and that perfectly sums up who Vernon is. Preening, self-important and constantly trying to show what a big man he is, Vernon is completely deluded as to his talents as an arms dealer, a raconteur and a ladies man, which makes him a fantastic comic creation. His ridiculous catchphrase, “watch and Vern”, demonstrates just how oblivious he is to the lack of respect that his colleagues actually have for him.

Speaking of which, making up the rest of Vernon’s team are his “business associate” Martin (Babou Ceesay), and their muscle Harry and Gordon (played by an almost unrecognisable Jack Reynor, and by veteran actor Noah Taylor who’s probably best known for his role in Game of Thrones).

“…this is destined to become a cult favourite in years to come…”

The decision to set the film in 1970s Boston not only adds a really interesting visual flair to the film, but (presumably) also allows the filmmakers a bit more leeway in relation to the injuries caused by the various gunfights. I’m sure that modern firearms are not only more accurate, but also far more deadly when they do hit – yet in this film not only do the characters struggle to hit their targets with their collection of assorted 1970s guns, but when people are shot, they tend to suffer a lot of non-lethal wounds.

That said, this also isn’t the sort of film where people just laugh off “flesh wounds”, and as the movie progresses, the characters are left limping, crawling and clawing their way around on various injured limbs. And that’s half the fun of this tongue-in-cheek black comedy, where there’s a disconnect between the violence inflicted on the increasingly injured characters, and the otherwise familiar action movie aesthetics - so that there might be a “running gun battle” down a corridor, but here both characters are dragging themselves along the floor on their elbows while taking pot-shots at each other.

What surprised me was just how funny this film was, both in terms of the razor sharp dialogue, and the blackly comic violence. The film is unapologetic in terms of knowing that it is only likely to appeal to a relatively niche audience, but with a cast this talented, and a co-writer/director who’s at the top of his game, this is destined to become a cult favourite in years to come.