Fury

Starring: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, Jason Isaacs, Alicia von Rittberg, Anamaria Marinca
Directed by: David Ayer
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama, War
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A young soldier (Logan Lerman) joins a U.S. tank division during World War II, fighting the NAZIs under the command of a grizzled veteran (Brad Pitt).

Review:
Tim: I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed David Ayer's Fury. Ayer's previous films have been a bit hit-or-miss. He does bring a certainly level of gruesome realism to his movies, but the quality has been up-and-down. End of Watch was strong, but Sabotage was less so. While Fury isn't a masterpiece, it's arguably Ayer's best film to date.

World War II movies are great, especially when done well. There haven't been very many tank-centric WWII movies, so I really appreciated the insight into this aspect of the war. It's incredible to see this claustrophobic, nearly impregnable rolling fortress in action. This was a fairly unique twist on this genre of film, which kept the whole thing feeling very fresh. When you add in Ayer's trademark gritty realism (the amount of gore in this film is surprising), this is a movie that will certainly hold your attention.

In these kind of films, the cast is even more important. You have to like them and connect with them to succeed. Ayer does something interesting here- his characters aren't the most likeable bunch- they are flawed, hard men. However, as the movie goes on, you still manage to connect with them. In some ways, it's probably realistic of the army- you're thrown in with a bunch of guys who can be real jerks. You might hate them at first, but as they've got your back, you eventually develop the bonds of brotherhood that form in war. They might be an unlikeable bunch of rascals, but they're your brothers, no matter what. So, as the movie goes on, you develop feelings for the characters, despite their flaws.

Brad Pitt has made WWII movies before, but this might be his best one. I enjoyed his complex, unexpected character. He does a good job of making him seem like a complicated, realistic person. He does some terrible things in this film, but he does some truly wonderful things as well. This might not have been his best performance, but he was really good. Logan Lerman makes this movie, though. I've always been a fan of Lerman, and it's performances like this that continue to reinforce that belief. He really becomes the central character as he becomes embedded in this tank group. His transformation from the beginning to the end of the film is quite stunning and a testament to his acting ability. It's quite a feat and fascinating to watch his loss of innocence unfold on screen. Shia LaBeouf was a nice addition to the cast. He has a few moments of absolutely stunning acting. I did think he tended to cry a bit much (most of his scenes seem to involve crying), but it's a strong performance overall. I've always been a Michael Pena fan, as he just gives good performances without being flashy. He does exactly that here. It would be easy to overlook his performance, but it's solid and it makes the movie better. I also like Jon Bernthal. I was amazed at his performance, because he truly has range. He's an unlikeable hick here. I didn't like his character at all, but I was very impressed with his performance.

I do have to point out an interesting sequence. Ayer's films are always very action and violence heavy. This movie is no different. However, there's this odd scene in the middle. Pitt and Lerman go into the home of two German women. It's bizarre and occasionally uncomfortable, but powerful as well. I thought Alicia von Rittberg gave an exceptional performance in her few scenes. The whole scene is just this different change of pace- it allows Pitt and Lerman to bond away from the other characters and gives deep insight into both of them. I was surprised by how long this lasted, but the break was a much needed one, and that sequence was one of the most memorable.

Speaking of memorable scenes, I loved the exciting tank vs. tank battle early in the film. One criticism I had is that I wish it had another scene or two like that. We just don't get those types of scenes very often and I wanted more. The big climactic battle at the end was very well executed, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed it involved a stationary tank. The fact that this bulky fortress can move around the battlefield is so exciting, and this aspect was lost for the finale. It was still a strong, memorable, emotional conclusion, but I wanted more excitement.

When you add it all up, Fury might not quite do enough to truly differentiate itself among World War II movies. This isn't Saving Private Ryan level of quality. However, it's an exciting, memorable, entertaining movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it and do consider it perhaps Ayer's most complete film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: End of Watch, Sabotage, Saving Private Ryan, Inglourious Basterds