While Fury is about the atrocities of World War II, it is really about heroic bonding between soldiers. Brad Pitt as Army Sergeant Wardaddy nurtures Norman (Logan Leman) who is a typist forced into combat under Wardaddy's "grow up or die' command of The Fury, a M4A3E8 Sherman tank. Norman has never fired a gun. Wardaddy teaches Norman how to fire a gun. Norman has never killed a soldier and refuses to. Wardaddy teaches Norman how to kill and how to survive. Fury stars four leading Jewish actors Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, Shia LaBeouf, and Jason Isaacs playing soldiers fighting Nazi Germany. Michael Pena and Scott Eastwood, yes the son of Clint Eastwood,who proves he is not just another handsome face, round out the cast. The ensemble acting is terrific.
It is the end of the war and the Allies are making a final push into the European Theatre, the blood and guts of Germany resplendent with Nazi's hidden in an otherwise idyllic countryside. Director /writer David Ayer chose Hertfordshire, England as his set. While the film's crew was rehearsing scenes, Brad Pitt was spotted by neighbors in the preparations driving a tank in the English countryside.
A team of five soldiers command the Fury, a Sherman Tank like no other . The film featured Tiger 131, the last surviving operational Tiger I. The tank belongs to Bovington Tank Museum. This is the first time a real
Tiger tank -- and not a prop version -- has been used in a film.
Various battles scenes show these soldiers grow in their relationships to each other. A touching scene takes place an hour into the film when we are presented with our first and only women. Two German frauleins, Alicia Von Rottberg and Anmaria Marinca, are captured by Wardaddy and Norman. They end up friends, voluntary lovers and dining companions when in barge three soldiers who mock the beauties who only speak German. Wardaddy almost creates
WWIII to instill in these soldiers dinner etiquette and respect for women. A good scene which shows how diverse the characters are and yet how close they become when in battle.
This scene is the touching meat and potatoes of Fury. Men overcome their chauvinism, their angers, and their diversity to defend our nation against a common, hideous enemy. Norman cried when Wardaddy held a gun in his hand as he forced Norman to learn to kill a Nazi. The audience applauded when Norman finally and enthusiastically killed Nazis. Give Fury a chance and while it is not a fun fest, it is a triumph of ensemble acting and how America's brave soldiers and their heroic choices beat the sadistic Nazis. Who likes to watch war? Director David Ayer helps you to care and to understand our soldiers who fought for our freedom and this is why Fury is an important film
