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Judy Thorburn's Movie Reviews

Fury | Brad Pitt, Shia LaBoeuf, Michael Peña, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal | Review

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4sm The Flick Chicks movie rating for this film is GOOD Judy Thorburn

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4lg The Flick Chicks movie rating for this film is GOOD

 

Fury

Brad Pitt must get a kick out of playing a Nazi killing World War II American Army officer. He portrayed one in Quentin Tarentino's Inglorious Basterds.  In Fury, he once again takes command (minus the humor) as a WW II soldier with a deep rooted hatred for Nazis, leading his crew on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines.

Written and ambitiously directed by David Ayer (Training Day, End of Watch), Fury is set in 1945, during the final days of World War II when the allies were advancing towards Berlin, and conveys the brutal, harsh realities of war from the eyes of a young soldier that is thrust into the pit of hell.

Private Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) has been in the army only eight weeks and soon finds his world turned upside down after he is pulled away from his safe job as a clerk typist and assigned to replace a killed gunner that was part of a crew led by tough, but stressed out war veteran Sgt. Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) who carries psychological, emotional and physical scars from his many experiences on the battlefield. Operating a Sherman tank they've dubbed Fury, Wardaddy's tight knit crew of stereotypical characters includes mechanic, Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis (Jon Bernthal) a quick tempered hick, booze drinking Latino driver Trini "Gordo" Garcia (Michael Pena), and Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LeBeouf) a scripture quoting religious Christian.

Thrust into the battlefield unprepared, innocent Norman is soon put to the test, learning that in order to survive, he must kill the enemy or be killed as his tank maneuvers through the battle torn countryside, taking over towns and protecting convoys, while trying to avert enemy ambush attacks along the way.

Unflinching in his depiction of the horrors experienced by soldiers at war, filmmaker Ayer pulls no punches by bombarding viewers with realistic streams of graphic, bloody violence, blasts of gunfire and explosions, that result in severe injuries, dismemberments, and a continuous pile up of broken, dead bodies.

Not only is Fury an intense action packed war drama, it is a gripping human drama about survival that shows the dilemma faced by soldiers that are forced to compromise their morals and are traumatized by what they've experienced.  With powerful performances by the entire cast, standouts are Brad Pitt delivering one of his finest, most complex performances ever, and Logan Lerman, who does a totally convincing job transforming from innocent rookie to a brave war hero.  Also deserving considerable praise is Shia LeBeouf, who was so invested in his role that to help create a more believable gritty look for his character, he actually had one of his lower front teeth removed.

An anti war slogan in the 1960's stated “War is not healthy for children and other living creatures.”

Beginning with grown men in battle, it is a proven fact, shown clearly and with no holds barred in this well acted, chilling, yet disturbing war movie.

 

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