Review: Fury

Fury is almost a classic war film. Throwing audiences right inside a WWII tank, the film is muscular and riveting. Right up until the final fight and end moments the film treats war as work, very ugly work and creates a sense of bravery out of no other choice. That so called bravery is continually examined through the eyes of newcomer Norman, a breakout performance by Logan Lerman.

The film continually puts Norman up against Don, Brad Pitt. Don is a veteran of the war who understands the necessities of surviving it. He forces Norman to kill a German early on to prove that Norman won't get everyone killed. Norman begins to see that bravery in war is often mixed with unruly behavior and extreme violence. The film never fully takes this thread to a satisfying conclusion. In fact the final moment with Norman rings so false that it almost undoes so much greatness before.

David Ayer directs the film with confidence, pacing the film at a quick speed. This makes the film gripping throughout. Ayer is particularly skilled with procedural films. Like his End of Watch, Fury is best when focused on how these men get through such an intense job. The film is shot beautifully, often making you feel stuck inside the tank with the men.

The film's best scene comes when Don and Norman take some R&R with a couple of German women. Norman and an innocent looking young German girl share a sweet moment of love in the midst of all the war. However, the rest of the men soon barge in wanting a piece of the girl. The tension of how these men can work together but be separate comes to a head with wonderful and dramatic results. Few war films would take the time for such a scene but this is Ayer's focus in Fury. He is making a film about the individuals as well as the machine they form.

It is then a shame that the film ends with resetting these men on to equal ground. Forget that some of them seem good and some seem to have had the good ripped out of them, once they start killing Nazi's everyone is righteous. The film builds towards something far more interesting where heroes may not be righteous or good. Ayer and company back away from this instead and give us a riveting but empty ending punctuated by a sappy coda.

4/5