Free Fire

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Free Fire Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Extreme gun violence, 1970s outfits, not much else.

R 2017 90 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 4 reviews

Kids say

age 15+

Based on 6 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Free Fire is an ultra-violent, Quentin Tarantino-esque shoot-'em-up set in one location over the course of one night. After a long set-up, characters shoot guns at each other almost constantly, with tons of gory consequences. Expect blood spurts, bloody wounds, fighting, stabbing, hitting with a crowbar, a character's head being run over by a van, and a character stitching up her own wounds. A character is also set on fire, and there's a verbal reference to brutal violence against a woman. Language is also extremely strong, with countless uses of "f--k," plus "c---sucker," "c--t," "t-ts," "s--t," and much more. One character is shown smoking "smack" (i.e. heroin) using tinfoil, a pipe, and a lighter. Characters also smoke cigarettes regularly, and there's sexual innuendo.

Community Reviews

Sam M.
Sam M. Adult
August 19, 2017
age 14+

What if Reservoir Dogs was a bad movie?

A hollow, joyless affair, reliant soley on a gimmick that has been done better in numerous other movies. None of the cahracters have any personality aside from thier accents, there is no sense of character fleshed out motivation so there is no reason to place sympathies anywhere let alone shift them. Character relationships are shallow, and never go anywhere so some teaming up with others is dramatically pointless. The jokes fall flat, the action is poorly directed there is a lack of interesting set pieces save for one involving gas tubes. But it is nullified cuz it doesnt change the stakes or state of the setting so it might as well have never happened. Deaths feel forced (seriously this one guy couldnt smell gasoline was being poured under him?! And why the hell would you crawl in from of a moving van thats not even aiming for you when you have a better shot in your safe zone? All impact of them is moot due to the fact we have no reason to cheer or worry for anyone. As for adult content: So many F words used casually and panicked that you stop noticing them 20 minutes in, ironically that lowers the impact. Most of the violence isnt graphic (mostly generic puffs and squirts) save for a few moments including a face briefly peeled off by tire, a nose partially caved in by a bullet and and man with a chip in head that exposes some brain (played comically). A scene of smoking a join, a scene of attempted smoking of joint, and a scene of smoking heroin. A brief reference to masturbation, goat f-ing, "suck his d---".
CastielFan
CastielFan Adult
August 14, 2017
age 18+

AWESOME FLICK

I was supposed to see it in the cinema but I didn't have time to see it and my dad surprised me with the DVD love the Choice of Music and the ending is put well together
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In FREE FIRE, it's the 1970s, and several criminals assemble in a warehouse to complete a weapons sale. Vernon (Sharlto Copley) is the seller, Chris (Cillian Murphy) is the buyer, and supercool Ord (Armie Hammer) is negotiating. Justine (Brie Larson) is also on board, as are several hired thugs. Unfortunately, one of the thugs, Harry (Jack Reynor), recognizes another, Stevo (Sam Riley), from a bar fight the night before; Stevo mistreated Harry's cousin, and although Stevo got a beating out of it, Harry isn't quite through with his revenge. Eventually, shots are fired, and from there on out, it's more or less continuous shooting. Some unexpected snipers even show up. But no matter who started it, will anyone survive long enough to stop it?

Is It Any Good?

Obviously inspired by Quentin Tarantino's movies, as well as 1970s shoot-'em-ups, this action movie tries to be stripped down and clever, but it only succeeds at being laughably violent. Directed by Ben Wheatley (High-Rise), Free Fire is all 1970s outfits (big collars and lapels, facial hair, tight pants, and polyester), and loud gun sounds. Though the warehouse is an interesting setting (cribbed, clearly, from Reservoir Dogs), Wheatley fails to establish the spatial locations of the characters. When someone fires in one shot, and someone else screams in the next, we have no idea where they were aiming -- or where anyone else is.

Soon, everyone hits the floor, and everyone is a dust-and-blood-and-hair covered figure, crawling on the ground, barely distinguishable from one another. Occasionally it looks as if something clever will happen, such as when the characters discover a working phone in the office, but these things only result in more shooting. The dialogue tries to be witty, but the only thing that clicks is when a character occasionally gives up and simply laughs at the absurdity. Whereas the John Wick movies took violence to such an astoundingly high-pitched level that they became almost existential, Free Fire is far too aware of itself to make any such claims.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Free Fire's violence. Does its over-the-top nature lessen its impact? Or does the sheer volume make it impossible to ignore? How do the consequences compare to those in movies with more realistic violence?

  • How does the movie depict drug use? Does it look cool or unappealing?

  • How is the movie's lone female character treated? Is she a stereotype? A sex object? Does she have a memorable personality?

  • How does the movie's time period affect the story?

Movie Details

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