Year: 2016
Director(s): John Hillcoat
Writer(s): Matt Cook
Region of Origin: US
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Rating: R
Color, 115 mins
Synopsis: A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town. (Source)
If there’s a through line between all of director John Hillcoat’s films, it’s his gritty, bloody examination of family under strain. His latest, Triple 9, continues in that vein but under a much more accessible presentation. Taking a heist plot and siding us with the story’s sympathetic “villains” (a la Michael Mann’s Thief), he paints a pervasively grim portrait of dirty cops and the way they’ve adapted to their harsh environment by becoming beasts of a singular nature. Despite contrasting both biological bonds and an uneasy, extended surrogacy however, the story never fleshes out its characters into anything that really resonate, instead relying on exceedingly twisty plotting and a more than outstanding cast to keep things afloat. What we’re left with is a nightmarish descent into a dog-eat-dog world that feels all too familiar, yet consistently engaging, despite its thematic distance and lack of focus.
Somewhere in Atlanta, a tight knit crew of cops/ex-special forces lies in a heinous partnership with the Russian mob. Treading a tenuous relationship, one in which familial ties are threatened, they’re blackmailed to do one last, seemingly impossible job. To pull it off, they have to pull off a code 999, the death of a cop – it’s a move that would serve as a deadly distraction while allowing them to pull off a dangerous heist. The wrench in their plan may be their target, an honest, rookie cop named Chris (Casey Affleck) whom they may have underestimated.
As a modern day noir, Hillcoat’s vision of primal instinct is as bleak as it gets, making use of the director’s talent for gory realism and layered thematics, yet occasionally falling prey to the script’s over-reliance on dense plotting. In essence, this is a story about no honor amongst thieves, with an “us vs them” mentality that assures almost every character is crooked in one way or another, and that there’s no room for heroism in a world so corrupt. It’s a fascinating idea, but if you’ve seen one cop drama, you can already guess what’s at stake, as each character unwittingly lusts over greed, power and a version of justice which benefits themselves the most. The real problem, is that while there’s so much potential here and the drama is rich with possibilities, the film ends up being too much of a good thing, not allowing any of its most fascinating ideas to breathe or really resonate. Even more so, the story’s shifting alliances and numerous twists keep us guessing, but the pace feels strangely inert at times, rather than a building an avoidable tide of tension. Still, there are a few standout moments of suspense and a few great action beats for the most part, so fans of hard-boiled thrillers can count on the film to tick the right boxes in a satisfying way – even if you can see the potential being greater than the end result.
If there’s an indisputable bright spot, it’s the cast. Chances are, if you’re watching this film in the first place, it’s because of them, and they don’t disappoint, elevating the material with dark characters that we want can’t resist. You can tell that Kate Winslet cherishes her role as Russian crime matriarch Irina – her part is limited, but she has fun contrasting the characters’ cartoonish looks with an intimidating presence. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie and Clifton Collins Jr, all of whom (especially the latter two) are usually solid in supporting roles, finally get meaty parts to sink into, creating a band of brutal, unsavory characters that are magnetic. On the loosely distinguished other side of the law, Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck (who plays the dove of the group) are a nice contrast to the atypical villainous leads, each genuinely struggling with things bigger than themselves.
At its best, Triple 9 is visually stunning and has enough substance to set it apart from most films of its ilk, even if it isn’t bringing anything new to the genre. Hillcoat’s pedigree and ability to juggle so many savage ideas helps the film, as does it’s above-stellar cast, so it’s not an outright failure, just a minor disappointment. I have the feeling that this is the closest we’ll get to seeing Hillcoat tackle a blockbuster film, and for that, it’s a fascinating, yet watchable misfire, one that’s definitely worth the watch, but won’t make you think too hard about what it’s trying to say.
SG
