Rent Triple 9 (2016)

Superior cops-and-robbers movie - Triple 9 review by Alphaville

This tense cops-on-the-make saga, in the tradition of TV series The Shield, has no right to be so riveting. Chiwetel Ejiofor, cinema’s 12yr slave, is charismatic as the chief baddie. John Hillcoat directs with pace and a sharp eye. The gifted Atticus Ross underpins the action with an insistent soundtrack. He should be employed on superhero films to wean them off John Williams-type generic muzak. Even Woody Harrelson’s stereotypical hard-bitten detective and Casey Affleck’s congenital mumbling become less irritating as the plot negotiates its twists and turns. The whole package gets better and better as the complex narrative unfolds, so much so that you may even temporarily forget Heat and LA Confidential.

Crime Thriller - Worth Checking Out - Triple 9 review by GI

This may not be director John Hillcoat's best film by a long way but its still a fine action packed crime thriller that has the influences of Heat (1995) about it. With an all star cast this has some gritty action set pieces, a strong if occasionally overly convoluted plot and some bloody violence. Chiwitel Ejiofor plays Michael, a former Special Forces soldier, who heads a tight crew of criminals that includes several corrupt cops. Michael is under the control of a Russian mobster, Irina (Kate Winslet, suitably menacing) who orders him to carry out two complex heists in order to steal some very particular items. The first nearly goes wrong when one of the gang (Aaron Paul) gets greedy and the second is highly risky. The gang decide that they need a huge diversion to draw the police away from the scene of the second heist and plan to murder a police officer, Chris (Casey Affleck), which will cause all the police to head towards the police murder. But loyalties in the gang become very fraught! Woody Harrelson heads the team of detectives investigating the gang and Anthony Mackie, Gal Gadot and Norman Reedus co star. All the characters are neatly drawn with various flaws and agendas and there's some terrific chase scenes and shoot outs. All round it's thoroughly enjoyable and definitely worth checking out.

Waste of time - Triple 9 review by tw

Just watched this on Film 4. Logged on here to find out what it was all about.

I think it was a different film, as it seemed to me that it was totally pointless and nothing like the description on here or film 4.

Lots of bangs and loads of kensington gore.

All the mumbling ruined any chance of being able to understand what the plot was.