Fuze
review by Bobby Blakey
I love a good heist flick and when done well it is one of the most creative and exciting genres. The latest diving into that world is Fuze starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington from Hell or High Water and Relay director David Mackenzie. Could this film take the audience on a heist worth risking it all for or will it fail to escape the blast radius?
Fuze follows an unexploded World War II bomb unearthed at a busy construction site in London, forcing a massive citywide evacuation. Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation is set in motion—one that uses the evacuation as cover for a meticulously planned heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed.
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The story here has taken the usual heist film and put a spin on it with the addition of the bomb threat. Now I know there have been plenty of films that have used distraction elements for a bigger heist like in Die Hard With A Vengeance but is in an element that works when done right and it does just that here. There are plenty of by the numbers elements here that could have used some creative infusion, but it didn’t need it to work.
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The balance between the two stories happening before it all comes together keeps you invested and interested to see how it is all going to play out. I was surprised that it didn’t force more action elements into it but didn’t really need it. There are some chases and shootouts here and there, but it keeps the focus on the heist and bomb diffusing for the most part and it works just fine.
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For most of the film both stories are straightforward, but once we get on the other side is when the twists and turns come into play. Some unexpected and others not so much but does take it to some fun new directions to keep it feeling fresh while being familiar. Once it is said and done it even takes it back to see how it all came together, which might be the only element that feels somewhat out of place. It is fine, but I felt like it was forced just to give us more context that wasn’t really needed or could have been weaved in earlier once some of the reveals were made.
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There is also an unnecessary, but lighthearted end explanation to the characters as though it was a true story. It is a fun cap to the film but one that doesn’t really fit with everything that came before it.
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Decide for yourself and check out Fuze available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Roadside Attractions and Sony Home Entertainment.