Rating: B+
If you’ve made it this far in your life without seeing a movie based on World War II, though I’m unsure of how you could, I suggest you consider having your first time be with “Fury.” No, it won’t hurt as bad as the title suggests.
With style and grit, “Fury” takes on the daunting mission of portraying the lives of a group of American soldiers manning an M4AE38 Sherman Tank in the European theater of World War II and succeeds on all fronts. Like many of the greatest war films, “Fury” benefits from competent direction and writing, strong performances and a compact storyline.
With writer and director David Ayer – also known for directing and writing 2012’s “End of Watch” – at the helm, the film benefits from strong experience. As with any conflict involving the entire-known world, the scope of films such as these can easily be overwhelming, and knowing which details and events to include are key.
In this case, Ayer immediately establishes early on that the German tanks are more technologically advanced than the Allies’ tanks and, rather than focusing really any further on the logistics of the war and military strategy, Ayer chooses to analyze themes of camaraderie and the brutality of war.
Set in April 1945, the Allied forces have invaded Germany and are slowly marching across the countryside by tank, horse and foot. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt) commandeers the tank called Fury and oversees the underlings that have become his wartime family: Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Grady “Coon-ass” Travis (Jon Bernthal) and Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Peña).
At the start of the film, the fabric of this family’s dynamic unravels at the death of the unnamed/unnicknamed assistant driver and the arrival of replacement driver Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman). Norman, previously a clerk typist and only in the Army for a total of six weeks, is essentially the wide-eyed, frightened freshman in a world full of seasoned, bitter seniors.
In the days that follow, Norman comes face-to-face with the violence of war and bonds with his fellow soldiers, especially Wardaddy, who helps desensitize him to the hostile environment. As the crew takes town after town, stakes grow higher and the team’s morality, courage and determination are tested along the way. Their journey culminates in an epic showdown with Waffen-SS soldiers, one of the most dangerous military branches of the Nazi regime.
Throughout the course of the film, the equal strength of the performances of the men of “Fury” is most surprising. No one outshines the other – not even Academy Award nominee Brad Pitt – and because of this, it is easy for the audience to see them as a real team depending on each other for survival.
The dynamic of the group and their aversion and acceptance of Norman allows for a poignant look at what experiencing war does to human nature. In many ways, Norman represents the others before their years in service. Their initial distaste for him stems from their own remorse over innocence lost, and their eventual acceptance of him signals a simultaneous struggle to reclaim a purer nature while also showing that Norman is no longer innocent himself.
In fact, the different characters all represent different paths that a human can take after war. Wardaddy is the no-nonsense patriarchal figure. Bible has turned to religion to cope. Coon-ass uses alcohol, cruelty and vulgarity to maintain a sense of self, and Gordo finds solace in humor. And the interactions between these personalities and the brotherhood that subsequently develops is fascinating.
In the most compelling scene of the film, Wardaddy and Norman enter the home of two German women after conquering a town. For a moment, their motives are questioned, but Wardaddy simply yearns for a reprieve from the chaos. The others arrive in a drunken stupor and try to destroy the delicate moment, but after an intense exchange, the softer shades of human nature prevail.
The only real weaknesses in the film come from several parts being a little slow and a strange attempt at tossing in a short, awkward romance between Norman and a German girl named Emma.
Overall, the film’s approach to the questions of human morality and violence set against the backdrop of a crew of tank operators during World War II is compelling, cinematic gold. This is not a war movie: This is a movie about an unlikely brotherhood of heroes.
You’re doing yourself a serious disservice if you don’t enlist at your local theater and go see “Fury.”
