The war movie “Fury” pulls no punches visually, emotionally or mentally. For those who can’t handle “The Walking Dead”-level gore, scenes of traumatizing situations or the exposure of how grim World War II actually was, then this is not the movie for you.
“Fury” gets seven out of 10 stars for its honest, non-candy-coated depiction of war and the people who fought in it. It abandons the stereotypical, romanticized version of World War II and reminds viewers that actual people fought and died during this war.
The story is set in 1945 Germany, where Hitler has declared total war, and follows the crew of the tank known as “Fury.” The tank members have lost one of their men and have to repair the tank before they can head back to base.
The performances of the different tank members are excellent. Brad Pitt plays Staff Sgt. Don “Wardaddy” Collier, who is a battle-hardened leader who understands the necessity of the violence he and his men commit, but at the same time is reluctant to take on his new assistant driver, Norman, who has been in the Army for only eight weeks.
Logan Lerman portrays Norman Ellison, a young clerk typist who is exposed to and horrified by the atrocities of the war.
Norman is bewildered and overwhelmed when he is ordered to do things he cannot morally come to terms with, such as shooting an SS child soldier or bodies he presumed dead.
The other tank members consist of Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Grady “Coon-Ass” Travis (Jon Bernthal), and Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Pena).
Bible is a devout Christian who frequently tells the crew that it is due to God’s grace that they are still alive and leads dying soldiers to Christ.
Grady is the simplest and cruelest of the bunch and
picks on Norman frequently for his values.
Gordo is the Hispanic driver of the tank and gives Norman tips on how to kill as many Nazis as possible.
“Fury” examines just what kind of psychological issues a man would face when suddenly placed in the nightmare of war. Some made a joke out of it, others justified it as doing the Lord’s will, while others struggled and fought more with following orders that clashed with their standards.
Whether the soldiers have physical or mental scars, it is obvious that no one made it out of the war unscathed. Norman starts out clean and tidy, but very quickly he becomes as grungy and grimy as the rest of the crew. This alludes to the fact that those who survived had to get down and dirty.
There are many moral dilemmas that occur throughout the story that show just how far soldiers had to go to win the war. At one point a captain asks why the Nazis don’t just give up, but Wardaddy responds with the logical question “Would you?”
The film is suspenseful, but it has some odd lulls that leave the audience restless and wondering what purpose the breaks served.
The movie highlights the sheer brutality and desperation of Germany in the final months, when every man, woman and child was expected to fight for their country and those who refused were hanged.
The language is strong, but it is used in reasonable situations rather than being overused to the point of becoming abrasive. “Fury” is not without its humor; however, it is only a very black humor.
Gore and death are not shied away from, making the film more realistic because it forces the audience to realize that war is not a pretty sight.
This movie is not for everyone, but it does show the kind of selfless sacrifices that were made for what one tank crew believed was right.
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