Good But Not Great

Rating: 8/10 (19 October 2014)

I saw "Fury" today. I am still trying to figure out how much I liked it, especially when comparing it with Saving Private Ryan or the German mini-series Generation War. "Fury" takes place in Germany in April 1945 and all of the scenes are shot with overcast skies, fog and mud which adds to the generally dark atmosphere of the film. The combat scenes are very visceral and exciting, especially the battle against the Tiger tank. In most cases they are realistic although the finale is a bit over the top. Death is present at all times but comes unexpectedly adding to the tension of the movie. As Brad Pitt observes, "the war will end soon but before it does, a lot more people have to die." No one wants to be the last person to die so the film's depiction of emotional toll on soldiers and civilians alike is especially well done. Yet, "Fury" dragged at times and is formulaic enough that I knew early on how it would end and who would ultimately survive. It is definitely a movie worth seeing, especially on a big screen. However, I rated it only 7 out of 10 on IMDb. I had expected to rate it much higher.