FUZE

(director: David Mackenzie; screenwriter: Ben Hopkins; cinematographer: Giles Nuttgens; editor: Matt Mayer; music: Tony Doogan; cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Major Will Tranter), Theo James (Karalis), Sam Worthington (X), Gugu Mbatha Raw (Chief Superintendent Zuzana),  Elham Ehsas (Rahim), Honor Swinton Byrne (Clareece); Runtime: 98; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Gillian Berrie, Callum Grant, David Mackenzie, Sebastien Raybaud; Sigma Films; 2025-UK)

“A hokum narrative that I enjoyed despite its rough spots.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Scottish director David Mackenzie (“Hell or High Water”/ “Relay”) directs this murky high-concept, lo-tech, ticking bomb/heist thriller. It’s loaded with double-crosses. Ben Hopkins writes the ambitious script by keeping things tense.

A WW2 German bomb is found at a construction site in downtown London that might go off at any minute. Police clear the congested area for a military bomb team to defuse the bomb. The  team of bomb experts is led by Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). The military works with the local police superintendent, Zuzana (Gugu Mbatha Raw), who deals with crowd control.

A heist takes place in the bomb area led by a diamond expert, the South African accented Karalis (Theo James) and his not trusting partner X (Sam Worthington), who are using the bomb scene as a cover-up. Their crew constructs a tunnel to enter the Bank Al Muraqabah, which is on the ground floor of an apartment building.

The fast-paced film has its moments where it shines before it dims. The acting is good and there are a few twists that keep it interesting. But it never amounts to more than a hokum narrative that I enjoyed despite its rough spots.

It played at the Toronto International Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 9/21/2025  GRADE: B
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