[Movie Review] ‘Triple 9’ is an ensemble mess

Criminals in "Triple 9." (Cathay-Keris Films)
Criminals in “Triple 9.” (Cathay-Keris Films)

Should you watch this at all? OK.

Should you watch this for free? No.

Score: 1.0/5

Secret ending? No.

Running time: 115 minutes (~2 hours)

“Triple 9” is a crime drama that has no relation to the Singapore TV series of the same name. It revolves around a group of criminals attempting to trigger a “Triple 9” police alert which will summon all police officers when a police officer is down, in order to pull off a heist. It stars Anthony Mackie (Marcus Belmont), Casey Affleck (Chris Allen), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Michael Atwood), Woody Harrelson (Jeffrey Allen), Kate Winslet (Irina Vlaslov), Norman Reedus (Russell Welch), Gal Gadot (Elena), Clifton Collins Jr (Franco Rodrigeuz), Aaron Paul (Gabe Welch), and Luis Da Silva (Luis Pinto). It is rated M-18.

“Triple 9” boasts a wonderful cast that is squandered on a pointless story that centres around a random gimmick. There’s no message or theme to this film, and it tries too hard to be a cop drama and a heist film without properly developing either concept. It’s a gritty treatment of the subject matter, but that’s hardly enough to carry an entire film on.

Preparing for the heist in "Triple 9." (Cathay-Keris Films)
Preparing for the heist in “Triple 9.” (Cathay-Keris Films)

Highlights

Depiction of gangs and corruption

The police can barely hold their own against the seedy elements of the city, which results in an uneasy peace between both factions. The gangs themselves aren’t stereotypical cults of evil, but fellowships of rejects from society. It’s understandable how crime can be so alluring in such an environment, which explains the motivations for several of the main characters.

 

Irina (Kate Winslet) convinces Michael (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in "Triple 9." (Cathay-Keris Films)
Irina (Kate Winslet) convinces Michael (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in “Triple 9.” (Cathay-Keris Films)

Letdowns

Messy, confusing introduction

There’s no explanation of what they’re doing in the opening, neither is there any reason for you to root for the protagonists. It’s good to start with an action sequence, but not if the audience has absolutely no idea what’s happening in it. There’s no tension because nothing has been done to make viewers care about what’s transpiring, and that’s what goes on to happen for the rest of the film.

Sprawling cast that fulfills repetitive roles

It’s an ensemble cast that could have been cut in half because so many of the character functions are redundant. Roles could have been combined, allowing more time to be spent on fewer characters. As it stands, Marcus Belmont (Anthony Mackie) is the only character you can truly empathise with, since he’s the only one who gets a decent amount of development and screen time.

A twist that’s painfully obvious

Once the criminals have set their master objective, which is the way they would pull off the eponymous “Triple 9” notification, the inevitable complication occurs. You can see this contrivance coming a mile away, because there’s a sudden switch in the dynamic between the characters. It’s corny, predictable, and it makes the rest of the film a waste of time since you already know what the “twist” is.

No purpose to the story

There’s no raison d’etre for “Triple 9.” You don’t learn anything besides the supposed “Triple 9” police notification, and there’s no significant catharsis after watching the film. You don’t gain insight into humanity, and neither do you gain any sort of spiritual uplifting. There’s virtually no purpose for “Triple 9” other than to be a crime narrative.

Irina in "Triple 9." (Cathay-Keris Films)
Irina in “Triple 9.” (Cathay-Keris Films)

“Triple 9” desperately tries to find its footing in a story that spirals out of control. Despite all its awkward stumbling, the film never gains any sort of momentum.

“Triple 9” opens in cinemas 17 March, 2016 (Thursday).

This review was first published on Yahoo.

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