“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.” —Wardaddy
Today’s quick review: Fury. In April 1945, Sgt. Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt) leads the crew of Fury, a battle-worn tank, in the Allied push across Germany. Facing superior weaponry and dwindling support, Wardaddy and his men (Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, and Shia LaBeouf) must rely on each other to survive. But their tight-knit unit is changed by the arrival of Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman), an inexperienced soldier with dangerous scruples.
Fury is a war movie that follows the induction of an innocent young man to the horrors of war. Norman Ellison must overcome his crippling fear to have any hope of surviving. But to do so, he’ll have to let go of the morals he knew and adopt the hardened pragmatism practiced by Wardaddy and his men. Fury is a brutal look at the darker side of war that features tense tank action, sharp moral conflict, and a roster of strong dramatic performances.
Much of Fury revolves around the conflict between Ellison and the rest of Wardaddy’s crew. The men view him as a coward and a liability, and they take every opportunity to make that sentiment known. For his part, Ellison is trapped in a sitaution he wants no part of, a typist assigned to a seasoned tank crew as a replacement. Watching that dynamic change, one harrowing experience at a time, is the main payoff of the film.
The external conflict is handled just as well. Fury and her crew are survivors. Their tenacity, luck, and willingness to make hard choices are what keep them alive in the face of untold dangers. The film does a good job of conveying this looming danger and the lack of resources they have to fall back on. Even when in formation with other soldiers, Wardaddy’s men are alone, and that isolation bolsters the tensions within the group.
Perhaps necessarily, Fury does not make for a very pleasant watch. The movie’s explicit gore and high body count place it on the harsher, more realistic side of the war genre. Wardaddy and his men have no sympathy or mercy for their enemy, and even their treatment of civilians borders on abusive. What’s more, the men are personally obnoxious; their redeeming qualities are brotherhood and bravery, not any nicety of character.
As such, Fury makes for a trying but rewarding watch. Those willing to brave its darker moments will be rewarded with rich character arcs and tense combat situations. Those who are averse to violence, prefer idealistic characters, or want a more hopeful story will want to look elsewhere.
For another dramatic look at war, try Dunkirk, Enemy at the Gates, or Apocalypse Now. For a more fanciful take on World War II starring Brad Pitt, try Inglourious Basterds. For an innocent rookie dragged into a compromising situation, try Training Day.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for heavy but effective wartime drama.