TRIPLE 9 (2016)

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Kate Winslet, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Norman Reedus, Aaron Paul, Gal Gadot, Teresa Palmer, Anthony Mackie, Clifton Collins Jr.
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language, Nudity and Violence)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://triple9movie.com

Opening Day: 17 March 2016

Synopsis:  When a crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist, they realise the only ay to pull it off is to manufacture a Triple Nine, police code for "officer down". Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale tangled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

Movie Review:

The thing about featuring an ensemble cast in a movie is, high chance you’ll please one group of fans. For John Hillcoat’s latest work, he has lined up a highly attractive group of actors, each with his or her own loyal following.  

If Ben Affleck isn't your cup of tea, his younger brother Casey has delivered underrated but promising performances in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) and Gone Baby Gone (2007). Chiwetel Ejiofor is one name you can count on for acting chops - if you haven't seen his incredible portrayal of the protagonist Solomon Northup in 2013’s Twelve Years a Slave, you don’t know what you’re missing. Another familiar name is Woody Harrelson, who has impressed critics with Natural Born Killers (1994) and Zombieland (2009).

Those who spend hours binge watching TV serials would be pleased to see Aaron Paul and Norman Reed’s involvement in this American crime thriller. Fans of Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad) and Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead), rejoice! Anthony Mackie is getting increased attention lately, thanks to his likeable performance at Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

There are ladies in this movie as well - The reliable Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road, Little Children) must have enjoyed herself playing the villainous wife of a Russian Mafia boss, and Gal Gadot (who else can’t wait to see her on the big screen as Wonder Woman?) has a bit role as well.

Taken your pick? Now let’s move on to the story. The gritty streets come alive with a gang of robbers who are forced to take on one virtually impossible heist. The only way to make it happen is to pull of a “triple nine”, a police code for “officer down”. This diversion would allow them to swiftly execute their crime. The problem here? These baddies include a crew of dirty cops, which means there will be dramatic tension involving loyalty, ethics and morals. 

We were expecting a movie dripping with delicious drama, containing lots of action, double crosses and unexpected twists. For some strange reason, the 115 minutes seem to drag along with it a overdeveloped plot, which made us lose interest after a while (you know, the type of story where you can expect characters to be offed one by one). 

Kudos to the Hillcoat (The Proposition, The Road) though, for managing to pull a cast this diverse together. Maybe he had too much to work with, thankfully, each member of the ensemble cast delivers. Whether it’s Affleck’s character whom you feel for, Harrelson’s veteran detective whom you fear will come to a dreadful end, or Paul’s effortless portrayal of a emotionally tortured criminal - you find yourself hooked to the performances. 

There’s also Ejiofor’s charismatic persona, Reed’s short lived on screen appearance. Mackie’s commendable effort as a corrupted cop for each of the star’s fans. Adding feminine touches are the two ladies: Winslet is campy, and Gadot is seductively attractive. 

The grittiness of the story is best illustrated with Nicolas Karakatsanis’s cinematography, and the brash electronic score by Atticus Ross, Bobby Krlic, Leopold Ross and Claudia Sarne. You get much style with this movie, it is just a little unfortunate that it feels underwhelming by the time the end credits roll.

Movie Rating:

(Watch this if you are a fan of any member of the talented ensemble cast)

Review by John Li