Fury (2014) - One Lizards Review
April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
Director: David Ayer
Writer: David Ayer
Stars: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman
More: Fury (2014) - IMDb
Fury
(IMDB Link)
If you are a fan of WW2 action films this cannot possibly disappoint. If wartime combat violence puts you off, stay far away.
Now this is the way to make a film. Pre production was extensive and well funded. Kinda like what one thinks for an epic. Old school practical sets like an entire small town. Brought in real tanks from collectors/museums. Shot on film, using the maximum possible amount of practical effects where CG surely would have saved time and money the look is perfect. Real Sherman tanks, being driven and crewed by the cast. Great big landscape complete with hedgerows. One good hint at the detailed authenticity brought by using real tanks is when a crewman opens or shuts the hatch you can see the strain of the armor steel weight. Not acting.
The ensemble cast had a chemistry that was very evident. Brad Pitts acting has matured profoundly over the years and it pays off here. Judging by the ladies reactions I was with he looked great. Shia Lebeuf utterly destroys recent critics of his acting chops. Shia LeBeof trained for months with a national guard unit and shadowed a military chaplain. He may be losing his mind off camera but for this film he was nothing short of excellent.
Cinematography and sound design were beyond reproach.
That all having been said to be fair the combat violence if right up there ala Saving Private Ryan. Intense, close, grisly, and shocking. Old trope.-The tank hatches lack a simple lock to keep swarming enemy soldiers from just yanking the hatch open to attack the crew. The character development was lopsided. Flawless for our cast, weak with the enemy. That is forgivable because it reflects how Wardaddy sees the SS/Nazi units. A deadly pestilence to eradicate. Not the locals or young draftees but the hard core dead enders.