War has been depicted on-screen throughout the decades from many
different angles; whether from land, sea or air there is a common
denominator in that all look to portray the true horrors of such
historical events. The latest director to take on such a challenge is David Ayer, whose aptly titled Fury is both grounded in realism and instantly striking with its emotional connectivity.
As the close of the Second World War approaches in 1945, army sergeant 'Wardaddy' (Brad Pitt)
takes his Sherman tank Fury into one final battle as the troops look to
complete their mission in the heart of Nazi Germany. Joined by his
motley crew (Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal and Michael Pena), Wardaddy not only has to encounter the dangers of the enemy, but also the threat of a new recruit in Norman (Logan Lerman), whose inexperience in the field - let alone in a tank - makes him a liability.
With
Norman refusing to embrace the harsh lifestyle of a soldier and a
seemingly impossible mission in their path, the tank-bound soldiers are about to face their most testing times on a gruelling battlefield.
It
can often be all-too-easy for war-based films to fall into the trap of
relying heavily upon respect for former films and coming across as an
end result that feels all too familiar. Thankfully, Ayer has full
awareness of the genre he has entered into and the strong subject matter
he finds himself embroiled within. War is a harsh and harrowing thing
and the director carries this message throughout a film that is grounded
in its realism and ultimately looks to depict just how psychological
the warfare can be, as well as the physicality of it.
In
assembling such a strong team to lead the film, Ayer has accomplished an
immediate connectivity with the audience. With Brad Pitt in the driving
seat as Wardaddy we have a sergeant whose layers slowly unfold for him
to become the beacon of right and wrong, while the brilliant Lerman
showcases the harsh terms in which younger men are drafted into an
unavoidable fate. In addition, Shia LeBeouf hits back with a powerful
performance as the emotion-driven Boyd, and the likes of Bernthal
(immersed in yet another dark role) and Pena ensure that chemistry is at
its peak level.
The cast pulling together in harsh circumstances (both lived through on and off screen) helps Fury
power through the muddy and treacherous landscapes like a classic war
movie. Filmed predominently in the UK, the presentation of the film is
every bit the dangerous and damning scenario of war, the tank tracks
squelching through the mud and bodies being deposited left, right and
centre. The background sound of exploding shells and overflying planes
only heightens the realistic edge to Ayer's representation of war and
when battle commences it is an intense experience.
That is where Fury
often revels; in-between some emotionally harrowing and affecting
scenes (one within a German home especially handled perfectly), Ayer
barrages us with a foray of thrilling and tension-thrilled battle cries,
often coming out of nowhere. From seemless explosive tank head-to-heads
to town raids, the End Of Watch director uses every
opportunity to solidly bring us the horrifying nature of war without
ever feeling heavy-handed or brutal. Indeed, bloodhsed is of high levels
but this is once again the grounded reality of the situation and
continually feels well handed under his direction.
Surprisingly moving, incredibly engaging and brimming with a level of humanity that many war films lack, Ayer's Fury
is a film that is exceptional on many levels. Many may have issues with
some of the characters but their actions only heighten the damning
reality of soldiers involved in such horrific events. Handled
beautifully in both its emotion and action, Fury is a sure-fire hit.
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