The Art of War

Fury

A lot of films about World War II have been produced over many years. Some have been inspirational stories like Schindler’s List or The Pianist. Films like these have shown audiences tales of survival and true human spirit. Other films about the War have been about a different type of survival, like Saving Private Ryan.  Ryan is Steven Spielberg’s fictional account of a small platoon in search of one man through war-torn France. Since Ryan, filmmakers have tried to create a more realistic account of World War II by not holding back on what the effects of war have on man. Recently another World War II movie tried to show us what those effects look like months before the war had ended. 

In April of 1945, World War II was slowly coming to an end. American forces were pushing their way toward Berlin. The road to Berlin was not an easy one by any means, especially for long term veterans who have survived most of the war. Veterans like Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt World War Z) and his five man tank crew. So when the battle-hardened crew loses their assistant driver, feelings are not hidden when they reluctantly accept his replacement Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman Percy Jackson films). The bond between the crew quickly takes shape as the war doesn’t stop around them. The crew of the “Fury” is asked to lead a few other tanks to a crossroads and hold it at all costs in the German countryside, but things go horribly wrong when the outgunned Sherman tanks are attacked by a German Tiger tank. The bond between the crew is tested when “Wardaddy” insists that he is going to finish the mission any way he can.

For those of you that have seen Saving Private Ryan, you will remember the brutal opening 30 minutes of the film. For those of you that have not seen the film (I HIGHLY recommend it), there is a graphic scene of the Allied forces storming the beaches of Normandy.  In 1998, a lot of people mentioned that they couldn’t handle the vicious depictions of D-Day. The reason I mention this, is because Fury takes it to another level. This film and its view of what war is can be very graphic. I wasn’t really surprised for a couple reasons. One, because Quinten Tarantino took war violence to that next level in Inglorious Basterds (Another amazing WWII film) and two, because director David Ayer is known not to hold back on the violence. So be prepared.

This film is a great study of human emotions that have been stretched to the limits. Every actor in this film displays those emotions perfectly. Starting with Brad Pitt and his performance as “Wardaddy”, Pitt is able to show the audience what the cost of war does to a solider in command. The consequences of his actions and the weight that Pitt’s character must carry shows through, but among all of that Pitt is still able to give “Wardaddy” just a little humanity in a few scenes.  The other veteran crewmembers of the “Fury” do a magnificent job as well, but I think that Shia LaBeouf (Transformers) is the stand out. LaBeouf, who plays Boyd "Bible" Swan, shows his maturity in this role with the way he tries to be a voice of reason among the trigger happy crew. I will say that the actor I was most impressed with was Lerman. Lerman so effortlessly is able to give Norman naivety in the beginning of the film and seamlessly transforms him into a battle tested solider by the end. Lerman and Pitt play off each other very well, especially during the first act of the film due to their characters being on the complete opposite of the “war” spectrum. 

End of Watch director David Ayer takes his first shot at a war film. Though, I am not sure that this type of film is any different than what we are used to from Ayer. Ayer directs films like End of Watch and Street Kings, films about a different type of war, the harsh war on crime and corruption. However, this film is a way for Ayer to show his audiences the desolation of war and the psychological effects it has on even the most ‘innocent’ of men. Ayer is able to mix that in with amazing war action sequences that I believe are some of the best that have ever been filmed. Ayer does a great job immersing the audience in the war torn country with caking his actors in mud and blood, to remind us that this time frame was not an easy one for soldiers and civilians alike.

Fury is among the best War films to have ever come out. Like Ryan, the film shows us the brotherhood that was formed during World War II and the psychological effects of killing can do to man.  As “Wardaddy” says in the film, “Ideals are peaceful. History is violent”. 

The Verdict: Worth Your Time