The best war movie of 2014

Rating: 8/10 (5 March 2016)

I am not exaggerating with the title there. Considering the shallow 300 RISE OF AN EMPIRE, the even more shallow American SNIPER, to the serviceable UNBROKEN, it seems like 2014 has conjured quite an abundance of underwhelming war movies. That is not to be expected, since at the time we have been engaged in an actual war, and the prospect of delving into war movies that might draw comparisons to real situations seemed much of a stretch, even compared to war movies back in the 20th century.
However, there is one war movie that stuck out from the crowd, not so much by story and character, but by grit, depth, and the ability to go full-force with what results from such war that parallels the current one so well. That movie is FURY, directed by David Ayer. Despite a few missteps, this movie easily accomplishes what most war movies sorely lack in this time.
POSITIVE: Say what you will about David Ayer, he is one clever man. Most of what I desire from his movies is added depth and tangibility for otherwise sick and depraved people. With TRAINING DAY taking a good-cop/bad-cop story and creating smart, insightful deconstruction of right-abusing cops and "by-the-books" moral ism that somehow makes us root for the characters, even when on the edge of degradation. Thankfully,FURY is no different. These characters, however done to death, are greatly humanized thanks to the script and the conditions they must adhere to. Brad Pitt's stern but sympathetic leader character with too much to lose, Shia LaBeouf's Bible-carrying saint faced with a major reality check, and Jon Bernthal's despicable degenerate character, who is still somehow the most sympathetic at all; these characters are done to death, but are excused thanks to a sharp writing and the conditions of what they go through. War is hell, and the gruesome depictions of it makes these characters makes more sense than the simple man caught in the wrong setting.
Speaking of war, another Ayer perk is how much he holds NO punches. We see blood, heads blasting, people being set on fire, numerous firefights, among other things that would've fit in a dumb action movie. But, as stated before, it is not dumb, and they way they depict these scenes is out of grit and not lunacy, thus adding to the realism and dread of the setting. This is also buoyed by Ayers still- impressive directing talent, with great composition and editing skills. All while adding what is considered easily the film's highlight, the tense-building and seldom depicted tank battles.
NEGATIVE: Sadly, Ayer isn't all too perfect. As much as I loved END OF WATCH, TRAINING DAY, etc., I just could not ignore the way he ends his movies. There is just a nagging feeling that he should patch up the overlong and, at times, ridiculous climaxes. FURY, as it turns out, is one of them. During the groups one last push against the enemy (which, to be fair, is amazing) the characters get axed off one by one in a way so heavy-handed and extensive it kind of jerks me out of the movie.
VERDICT: In the end, no matter how cliché and predictable this movie turned out to be, all it matters is how much it works. And FURY definitely works! Trust me folks, give it a chance!
RATING: 8/10