War is hell – War movies too!

Rating: 7/10 (28 October 2014)

Fury is written and directed by David Ayer and stars Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and John Bernthal. Set over a two-day period towards the conclusion of WWII, it is the story of a battle-hardened U.S armored tank division fighting through German lines.
The film begins in the aftermath of a battle where a small tank platoon has suffered the loss of one of their drivers. We are introduced to the crew of the Sherman tank named Fury led by the charismatic, yet reserved, Sergeant Don 'Wardaddy' Collier (Brad Pitt), deeply religious Boyd 'Bible' Swan (Shia Labouf), fast talking driver Trini 'Gordo' Garcia (Michael Pena) and the bully of the unit, Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis (John Bernthal).
On the unit's return to base, their fallen comrade is replaced with raw recruit, Private Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman). Ellison is only a typist with basic tank driving skills and has never seen a day of battle in his life. Wardaddy's unit has no patience for rookies. The unit is then sent on a mission to hold down a crossroad against larger German forces armed with superior artillery.
Brad Pitt's performance is mostly reminiscent of a previous WWII film, Inglorious Basterds. Like his character in Quentin Tarantino's revenge fantasy, Pitt as Wardaddy is a commanding presence with a total disdain for his enemies. Michael Pena as Gordo repeatedly cracks jokes even at the darkest of times. Shia LaBouf's performance as god-fearing 'Bible' steers clear of the overly religious character trope. John Bernthal's performance as the tank's loader is well executed but he portrays him as an unlikable bully who's as brutish as he is reckless. Logan Lerman is impressive but his character's development from a raw recruit to a war-hardened warrior is underwhelming.
Most war films portray their characters as people we can support and want to see survive, but Fury's main characters do not fit this mold. Wardaddy's unit is voracious and has no regard for the enemies they kill. Fury's cast is reminiscent of the characters in HBO's Iraq war miniseries, Generation Kill. Like Generation Kill, Fury has a strong 'war is hell' message and portrays its characters as self-proclaimed, war- hardened warriors who view war as just a job.
Ellison is the only character we relate to. He is fearful and reluctant to fight even when he needs to. There is a scene when he hesitates to fire during an ambush and after which Wardaddy disciplines him by forcing him to execute a Nazi prisoner of war. From this point on, Fury makes it clear; there are no heroes in war. This is not your typical war movie. Fury feels realistic but is still like any other action film, but with the addition of intense and grinding tank battles.
In the end I didn't feel as though Fury matched the themes of heroism and sacrifice like Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down. After watching these men go through so much turmoil, I expected a stronger sense of brotherhood between the characters. It's not to say the rest of the movie is a disappointment. Fury delivers on chaotic action-packed battles and what feels like an insider's look into what a real WWII tank platoon would have been like.