In April of 1945 during the latter stages of World War 2, a battle-hardened army veteran named Don Collier (Brad Pitt) spearheads a five-man tank crew on a dangerous and potentially deadly mission, far behind enemy lines, fighting the German army head on. Greatly outnumbered and massively outgunned, the five men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to defend themselves against the enemy. A dark and at times unsettling war flick featuring an all-star cast. It’s worth noting that Fury is currently streaming on Netflix.

Director: David Ayer
Writers: David Ayer
Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Michael Pena, Logan Lerman

Known for his gritty and realistic storytelling, David Ayer, the writer and director of Fury, managed to bring a plethora of experience to this film, as the writer and director himself served in the United States Navy, significantly influencing many of the decisions made during the one-hundred and thirty-four minute runtime. Interestingly, the film also features a rare operational “Tiger 1” tank, the only tank of its kind in working condition.

One of the finer aspects of Fury was the cinematography. From start to finish, the filmmakers managed to capture the stark and harrowing nature of war-torn Europe at this time. Curiously, many of the primary filming locations were spread across the United Kingdom, England to be more precise, with Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire lending their authenticity from the first minute until the last.

The action delivered was intense and certainly had hints of realism to it also. It’s rare that a war film scopes so narrowly in on warfare that involves the heavy usage of tanks, but this one did. Fury gave the viewer an intimate look into how claustrophobic and brutal the conditions were that many soldiers faced in those days. There were also some impressive usages of special effects for a large portion of the action sequences, as well as authentic and effective costume and set design.

In terms of the cast, Brad Pitt spearheaded the flick, starring as the formidable, yet equally as troubled Don Collier, while the supporting cast included the likes of Shia LaBeouf and Jon Bernthal, portraying Boyd Swan and Grady Travis, while Michael Pena and Logan Lerman also adopted the roles of Trini Garcia and Norman Ellison, respectively. The chemistry between all key characters seemed to play a central part to the film, with their strong bond coming across extremely convincingly on the big screen.

Overall, Fury is a hard-hitting and thought-provoking war film that really excels in regards to the emotional side of warfare, rather than fixating solely on the action-based sequences that many rival pictures of this nature do. It’s certainly worth a watch if you’re sustainable to this kind of flick. As previously noted, Fury is currently streaming on Netflix.

“The Devil watches over his own.”

Don Collier – Fury