Fuze flip-flops between different characters and storylines so frequently that the initial excitement becomes disorientating.
I’ve long admired director David Mackenzie’s refusal to be tied down to one classification. From the neo-noir eroticism of Young Adam to the prison drama Starred Up to the brilliance of Hell or High Water – possibly the best neo-Western of the last decade – Mackenzie shows a willingness to jump between genres yet maintain a rugged style that’s singularly his. His latest film, Fuze, once again tries something different – this time tackling a premise that Hitchcock would’ve geeked out over. However, the initial simplicity quickly morphs into something else entirely, leaving this critic conflicted.
Fuze wastes no time getting into the action. A construction crew working in the middle of London uncover an undetonated World War Two bomb on their building site. Alarm bells screech across the city as police and the military conduct a mass evacuation of the area. Major Will Tratner (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his bomb disposal unit team work to disarm the device – a task with elevated urgency once it becomes clear that the bomb is ticking.
This is an excellent premise that could easily sustain a film on its own. A ticking countdown to devastation; a well-fortified but stressed team of military and police alike racing to find solutions; massive stakes should the bomb detonate. The story practically writes itself. The first act of the film follows all the beloved suspense tricks to heighten immersion. Intense close-ups on the characters trying to figure things out. Vast wide shots that imply the potential cost of failure. Editing that lingers just a little too long, perhaps to highlight the underlying stress of even these professionals. It’s all splendid stuff.
But the eagle-eyed among us may notice that Fuze is also labelled a heist film. While the evacuation is underway, we cut to a seemingly empty flat. Inside are five men in construction gear, led by Karalis (Theo James). They are a heist crew targeting a wealthy bank, using the chaos surrounding the discovery of the bomb to carry out their plans. This leaves us wondering whether this was an insane coincidence or if the two storylines are somehow connected. That a young corporal on Will’s team begins to have doubts about the bomb’s authenticity as a WWII device would certainly suggest the latter.
On its own, this isn’t a bad bait-and-switch scenario. Someone using a bomb scare as cover for a heist is quite an inventive idea. Screenwriter Ben Hopkins explores plenty of avenues through this setup, with Karalis and team – namely his right-hand man (Sam Worthington) – trying to evade both police patrols and wider surveillance technologies deployed by the military, namely heat-seeking drones. There is a certain tension in the precision of the heist crew’s actions, reminiscent of great heist films like Heat or Rififi. One can possibly draw inspiration from the Hatton Garden burglary, given the target and the use of industrial equipment in the heist.
However, once the two plotlines collide, the film quickly becomes cluttered. As Chief Superintendent Zuzanna (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) finds her priorities split between the bomb disposal unit and the bizarre heat signatures she’s getting – the heist crew – the audience too finds themselves caught in a tug of war between the storylines. Before long, the heist plotline has become the central premise. But even the surprise revelations have surprise revelations as Karalis’ ambitions go wrong. More characters are introduced, priorities are reassigned, and a multitude of twists begin occurring. As for any motivation for these characters, it is saved for the picture’s final scene, which feels tacked on rather than a natural explanation, leaving the film just to stop rather than resolve.
You’re not 100% sure who you should be rooting for. The film flip-flops between different characters and storylines so frequently that the initial excitement becomes disorientating. There are rug pulls within rug pulls, and at what point does that start to become irksome rather than nail-biting? It doesn’t help that the characters are collectively bland, on-screen purely to serve the plot. The performances are solid across the board – Mackenzie’s direction certainly captures the inherent grit of the premise, which each actor conveys with appropriate gravitas. However, outside of their objectives within the narrative, there’s no real dimension to any of them outside of implications. It makes the overall picture difficult to invest in beyond the surface-level intrigue of the premise.
With that said, this is still a slickly made thriller. Whatever the faults in the characterisation and storytelling, Mackenzie’s uniquely tenacious style infuses the creative choices. The cinematography is expansive and gripping, swiftly immersing you in the stakes of the bomb disposal. Tony Doogan’s score has a pulse-pounding intensity, highlighting the drama of the moment and its shocking developments throughout. All the while, the characters, as one-note as they are, are forced to adapt to the unexpected developments of the plot, even if it engages in a few twists too many. For those looking for a fun crime picture, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into. It’s just a shame there’s not much substance beyond face-value thrills.
I find myself torn on Fuze. It’s impressively crafted, and even quite riveting to start with. But once it introduces its heist element, it’s unable to find the necessary balance between its plotlines, becoming overcrowded and complicated for complication’s sake. It proves a frustrating watch, particularly given its many strengths. David Mackenzie remains a remarkable director, and his commitment to experimenting with different genres is commendable. It’s hard not to respect his efforts, even if the results are a mixed bag. If some readers are crime thriller fans and wish to see Fuze solely because of that, this critic won’t discourage them. They’ll hopefully, and probably, find what they’re looking for. But this critic would sooner put Hell or High Water back on.
Fuze is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
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