Fury
Dir: David Ayer
Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia
LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, and Jon
Bernthal
David Ayer
understands how to make procedural films, look no further than the
“day-in-the-life” cop drama “End of Watch” for evidence. “Fury” examines a worn-out
and broken group of soldiers, following them at the end of one battle right
into another mission, just another day of work for these men. Ayer incorporates
affecting character drama and creeping tension from the unknown and unexpected
aspects of danger lurking seemingly everywhere. “War never ends quietly” is the
tagline and Ayers understands this, incorporating panicked scenes of battle
accompanied by the blast of a tank canon. “Fury” is seldom showy, aside from
extravagant violence; it displays a traditional war film atmosphere and a
successfully simplistic structure.
A group of
soldiers in a Sherman tank are sent on a mission behind Nazi occupied enemy
lines. Lead by a hardened sergeant who goes by the nickname “Wardaddy” (Brad
Pitt), the group of men has bonded on the battlefield. Accompanied by a fresh
recruit (Logan Lerman) the group is utterly out-numbered and faced with danger
around every turn.

Brad Pitt
is convincing as the uncompromising leader who levies a fair amount of tough
love to his bonded group. His performance isn’t too far off from his prior role
as Lt. Aldo Raine in “Inglorious Basterds”; here Pitt is less boisterous and
more haunted, spurned by the call of duty but afflicted with the long road
paved by violence. In a supporting role Shia LaBeouf is great, his character
red-eyed and on the verge of tears quotes and reads scripture dubbing him a
moniker of “Bible” by his band of brothers. LaBeouf displays the talent that
has been shadowed by some his past film selections.
The
violence is quickly paced, startling, and gruesome. Ayer is purposeful and
gratuitous with the use, which sometimes works, and other times feels blatantly
unnecessary, gore for the sake of gore. There is no denying that overall
however the violence, regardless of the how it is utilized, displays the sudden
and terrifying atmosphere of the battlefield.
It would
seem difficult to make a film about soldiers when they are driving something as
visually consuming as a war tank, however director David Ayer succeeds in many
instances here. “Fury” assertively displays the violence and chaos of war but
also offers insight and unflinching perspective into the routine of warfare.
Monte’s
Rating
3.50 out of
5.00
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