Alfred Hitchcock once distinguished between surprise and suspense: if a bomb explodes under a table, the audience gets 15 seconds of surprise; but if they know about the bomb beforehand, tension builds. Fuze begins with that ticking bomb—and then some.
Director David Mackenzie, known for Outlaw King and Hell or High Water, delivers a smart thriller that juggles genres and characters. The plot follows construction workers in London who unearth a 200-kilogram unexploded bomb from the Blitz. The area is evacuated, and a military bomb squad, led by Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Chief Superintendent Zusana (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), moves in.
While the bomb squad works, a group of criminals takes advantage of the evacuation to rob a bank, stealing cash and jewellery from safety deposit boxes. The heist is soon discovered, and police move in—but the thieves also face internal betrayal.
The film balances quiet tension at the bomb site with frenetic action after the robbery. Cinematography by Giles Nolan adds realism, while Tony Doogan's score and Matt Mayer's editing heighten suspense. The cast, including Australian Sam Worthington as one of the criminals, delivers natural performances.
Some plot points stretch credibility, but the film's energy carries the viewer along. The title 'Fuze' is a military term for a detonator, and a flashback late in the film adds depth. A postscript rounds things off neatly. Enjoyable, tense entertainment.
