Fuze Is an Entertaining But Minor Effort from a Major Director

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Some movies are so focused on keeping you entertained that they struggle to settle on a single direction, constantly shifting gears. David Mackenzie’s Fuze starts with a quick, chaotic series of fragmented scenes showing different characters discovering… something. And it maintains that energetic, choppy rhythm throughout. Initially, it feels like a bomb-defusal thriller – a type of movie we don’t see enough of – but it quickly evolves into something different, and then something else entirely. It never quite stops changing, which can be confusing. However, the film is held together by its brisk pacing and strong performances from the actors.

Several of these actors could convincingly play James Bond, each bringing a unique, tough appeal. Leading the pack is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Major Will Tranter, a reserved and professional bomb disposal expert. He arrives at a London construction site where a large, unexploded bomb from World War II has been discovered. The surrounding neighborhood, including Afghan immigrant Rahim and his parents, has been evacuated to Hyde Park, and the police, headed by the capable but stressed Chief Superintendent Zuzana, are securing the area. However, hidden within the empty buildings, a shadowy group led by the reserved X and the determined Karalis is using the evacuation as a distraction to pull off a bank robbery.

The plot is much more complex than it appears, constantly throwing in new twists and turns without pausing for breath. (The trailer actually reveals quite a bit!) This frantic pace cleverly prevents the audience from dwelling on inconsistencies. You start to wonder things like, ‘How did they figure that out?’ or ‘Why didn’t they just do this?’ and ‘When would he have even had time to…?’ But the movie doesn’t let you linger on those questions. Heist movies are inherently far-fetched, and the filmmakers seem to realize that keeping the story moving quickly is the best way to bypass our logical thinking.

The main problem with this film is that emotional moments don’t really land, because it’s hard to become invested in the characters or what’s happening. Fuze is easy to watch – it’s the kind of movie that could become a favorite for casual viewers, and might have found an audience on cable television in the past. However, I expect more from the director, David Mackenzie, who previously made impressive films like the dark drama Young Adam (2003), the gripping prison movie Starred Up (2013), and the excellent neo-western Hell or High Water (2016). His more recent film, Relay, starring Riz Ahmed, was also very compelling. While Fuze shows Mackenzie’s technical skill and ability to direct actors, it ultimately feels a bit insubstantial. It’s a less ambitious work from a usually outstanding director.

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2026-04-23 22:54