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Here's a review of the new movie I saw this week.

Fury
Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia LeBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, and Jon Bernthal
Synopsis: William Sherman — the Union Army general who marched through the South near the end of the Civil War, leaving a path of destruction in his wake — once said, “War is hell.” Often, though, war movies have a tendency to soft-pedal certain aspects. Now that might sound like a bit of an overstatement, and perhaps it is, but many of our war movies focus on the nobility of the cause, the heart of the men or the importance of the objective. That’s not a wrong way to go, but it’s not the whole story. War is, indeed, hell — and not just for those who are caught in its wake. War takes a mental toll on the men that fight it, no matter the outcome. David Ayer seems interested in this idea with his latest film, “Fury.” What makes it different is the action in the tanks — something I’ve never seen done quite like this — and the emphasis on the fact no one who goes to war comes back the same. That last bit is particularly fascinating for World War II films. Many have showcased the brutality of war, but few have showcased the men that fought for America the way they’re depicted in “Fury.” The film picks up in Germany in April 1945. The war is nearly over,  but the Germans refuse to stop fighting. After years of bloody conflict, they’re still holding on. The Americans, meanwhile, are also tired. They’ve lost many soldiers and they just want the war to end. “Fury” isn’t a feel-good film. That, too, is rare for WWII films. While no one would call “Saving Private Ryan” an easy watch, there is a certain nobility in the characters and the mission. There is a certain sense of patriotism in the way the story is told. That isn’t Ayer’s aim with “Fury.” This is a gritty, dirty and difficult story to watch. One example of that is when the American unit, which includes the main characters inside Fury, “liberate” a German town. They kill the Nazis, sure, but they aren’t the benevolent conquerors we tend to see the Americans painted in war films. Instead, they loot, drink, carouse and engage in all sorts of dubious behavior. They act like victors, not like liberators. It’s a bleak and stark depiction, one that offers and indication of the type of film Ayer set out to make. War is hell — for those caught in its wake and for those who are left standing when the last bullets fly. The mental toll taken on Don and his crew have left them bitter and changed. They each try to cope as best they can, and each fail in their own ways. There is no nobility to be found in the battles here. The violence is brutal, and the constant brutality takes a giant mental toll on all that participate. There are no winners in war, only survivors who leave broken in some way. Because of its bent, “Fury” is a particularly grim movie to watch at times. It takes a mental toll on the audience as well, which is a demonstration of the skill and care used in making it. Ayer — who wrote the script for “Training Day” — does a nice job of crafting his story, the action and drawing out the themes that inspired him to make the film. The cast does a nice job bringing the story to life, too. Pitt is the rock in the lead role, carrying a number of scenes without saving a word. Lerman — the innocent through whom we enter the action — also does a nice job. He has, perhaps, the most defined character. The rest of the supporting actors do what they can, too. Pena, LeBeouf and Bernthal are talented performers, but the characters in the film feel too slightly drawn. They appear more as character types than fully formed inhabitants of the world. That’s the biggest weakness in what Ayer seeks to accomplish. Despite that, “Fury” has well-constructed action sequences and a story, point of view and take on war that makes you think.
Rating: R for strong sequences of war violence, some grisly images, and language throughout. Enter with caution.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, October 24 — "Ouija," "John Wick," "St. Vincent"

Friday, October 31 — "Nightcrawler"