“Fury” (15)Directed by: David Ayer.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal and Jason Isaacs.
Rated: ‘15’ for containing strong bloody violence, gore and strong language.
Running time: 134 minutes.
Released in UK cinemas from the 22nd of October, 2014.
Originally a Submariner in the U.S Navy, David Ayer has continued to surprise audiences throughout his fourteen year writing/directing career with films of a particularly high quality, such as “Training Day” (which he wrote) and 2012’s terrific directorial effort, “End of Watch”. Other films within Ayer’s filmography haven’t been as well received as certain entries, but after his gore-ridden failure “Sabotage” (helmed by Arnold Schwarzenegger), Ayer has returned with "Fury" a monumental epic, which gruesomely depicts the veritable horror of conflict.
Set within the remaining months of the European campaign in World War Two, the tank crew of our titular M4A3E8 Sherman tank, "Fury", are tired, beaten and emotionally distraught. Our rag-tag team of hardened soldiers have been fighting since the North African offensive, passed through hell and back, and currently consist of four men: Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Pitt), Boyd Swan (LaBeouf), Trini Garcia (Peña) and Grady Travis (Bernthal).Whilst fighting in the very heart of Germany’s countryside, the crew had recently lost their assistant driver, and barely survived the deadly fire-fight which ensued. Led by their sergeant however, the group return to an army base in order to re-stock supplies, and are subsequently introduced to their newest driver, Norman Ellison (Lerman). A recently enlisted typist, Norman hasn't fought a day in his life, and it's obvious that he isn't soldier material. In spite of Norman's fear, the group set out to make a man of him yet, but as they drive onwards through Germany, they soon discover the true horror of war and its effects upon society; this leads them to embark upon their toughest mission yet, set deep within the very heart of enemy territory.
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| Home without the creature-comforts... The team of our titular tank star in a still from "Fury". |
Any director would be hard-pressed to even match the superior quality of war films such as “Come and See” (1985) and “The Thin Red Line” (1998), but David Ayer accepted the challenge and has composed a masterful blockbuster which isn’t as emotionally scarring as many WW2 films have proven to be, but this is a crowd-pleasing piece which boasts explosion filled set pieces and gripping performances from its cast.
The performances in fact are the main reason that the film manages to hold itself together, primarily due to the strikingly fragile performance of Lerman. Having appeared in various dramas throughout the last five years, Lerman continues to astonish audiences with his ability to craft sincere performances which complements the film and works well alongside his fellow actors. Pitt’s character is interesting, as Collier is a less excitable version of his character Lieutenant Aldo Raine from “Inglourious Basterds”, yet just as savage, and Ayer has written Pitt’s character as a violent SS-hating soldier, who despite his skill in violence, is thoughtful and reflects upon his actions, prompting the audience to sympathize with his emotionally and scarred character. Perhaps the most surprising performance however derives from LaBeouf, who after his recent troubles has returned with a portrayal of a Christian soldier, which has allowed him to improve upon his acting skills and return to the public eye in a favourable light, especially after his shocking performance within “Nymphomaniac”. Peña, Bernthal and Isaacs also provide worthy performances, despite their part in the film being particularly small.
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| The band of unlikely brothers... Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman and Michael Peña star in a still from "Fury". |
With “Fury” marking his fifth directorial feature, Ayer remains a skilled filmmaker, with the use of many ingenious camera techniques and the ability to create gripping scenes throughout the sequences within the tank itself. His writing has improved since films such as “Street Kings”, and he seems to be able to write more engaging characters which carries the film throughout its running time. Ayer seems to have one small problem however, “Fury” seems rushed in certain places, not allowing various scenes and underused characters to develop themselves, which could have proved interesting. It is evident in many scenes, and the script occasionally falters in relation to clichés, which is unfortunate, but the acting and overall camaraderie from the team keep the film on track.
Not only does the film look wonderfully stylized and occasionally gritty, but the expert set-pieces are particularly enjoyable to watch. Perhaps it’s due to the film’s authenticity, but every detail is covered and it manages to create shocking battle sequences which may even rival “Saving Private Ryan” and its counterparts.
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| One to watch... Logan Lerman stars in a still from "Fury". |
But without the stunning score from Steven Price, "Fury" wouldn't have such an emotional impact upon the audience. Now a year after his work on the multi-award winning Sci-Fi drama "Gravity", Price has developed and composed a thrilling score, which continues to surprise and confirms his distinguished abilities in creating music which stands above many other soundtracks written this so far this year.
Despite the occasional cliché, Ayer has carefully crafted an inspiring war film which boldly depicts the unrelenting savageness of war, camaraderie and the breaking of innocence. Forget “Sabotage”, Ayer is back on formidable form.
7 Stars out of 10
Written by Scott Gentry.
Film/TV Rating Key
1-2 stars out of ten = Awful.
3-4 stars out of ten = Average.
5-6 stars out of ten = Good.
7-8 stars out of ten = Excellent.
9-10 stars out of ten = Amazing.
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