The Mexican standoff is a classic trope of cinema, where two parties find themselves caught in a situation that neither can escape without exposing themselves to risk. It’s a great way to elevate tension and can even give way to some comedic moments. In his new movie Free Fire, however, director/writer Ben Wheatley (High-Rise) explores what happens when that concept is stretched over the length of an entire feature film.
Set in 1978 Boston, two group of gangsters meet in a warehouse to make a weapons deal. When the product isn’t as advertised, though, it becomes an all out battle of bullets. Co-written by Amy Jump, the film stars Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, and Jack Reynor.
The new red band trailer (aka, potentially NSFW) for the film, which you can watch above, paints the picture as a pretty exciting one-room crime comedy. What’s more, there’s even a bit of social commentary tucked into the proceedings, encapsulated in the tagline, “When everyone has a gun, no one’s in control.” Free Fire is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, but considering the current tensions around gun control, it’s wide release in 2017 can’t come soon enough.