Fuze (M) – 96 minutes

Fuze is a tense, high octane thriller.

It centres on a daring bank robbery, carried out while the centre of London is in lockdown after an unexploded WWII bomb is unearthed on a construction site.

Leading the team to try to defuse the ordinance is heroic Afghanistan veteran Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

Far from straight-forward in the first instance, the situation is complicated when he discovers a timed trigger.

The police operation to clear the area is controlled by Chief Superintendent Zuzana (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). 

She continues to liaise with Major Tranter’s offsider, Military Sergeant Dootsie Keane (Saffron Hocking).

Among the families evacuated is that of Rahim (Elham Ehsas) and his elderly, wheelchair-bound father.

They are concerned because they have a flight to catch.

Using heavy equipment to break into the bank’s security vault is a team assembled by Karalis (Theo James) and his right-hand man, X (Sam Worthington).

It is a meticulously planned heist.

On the line is cash, jewellery and millions of dollars in uncut diamonds.

But both operations end up compromised and that is when the real fun begins.

Gradually, we learn more about each of the key players and there is far more there than at first meets the eye.

Fuze involves cross and double cross, as the ground is constantly shifting.

That is what makes this such a wild and entertaining ride.

Writer Ben Hopkins keeps us guessing by introducing a series of calculated twists.

The question remains: who are the real bad guys and will they get away?

Director David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) keeps the action moving throughout with multiple foci.

Importantly, the threads all come together in time, in fine and unexpected style.

I liked the bravado of the key players involved here too.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is gung-ho as the man putting his life on the line.

There is an intensity about Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the police officer in charge. 

Ruthless is the key characteristic Theo James brings to his representation of the bank robber.

Sam Worthington’s radar is on high alert as his offsider.

Elham Ehsas has a calm presence as the family man.

Fuze is enhanced by compelling cinematography from Giles Nuttgens and a potent score by Tony Doogan.

It is energetic and invigorating, making for an easy and enjoyable watch.

Rated M, it scores a 7½ out of 10.