FURY is the new film from David Ayer; a heart-wrenching, gut-churning story of surviving death, strained friendships that survive as the soldiers must do when surrounded by terror and death, as Brad Pitt leads his tank crew through the horrors of Hitler’s last stand in this graphic, action-packed war movie. 

Brad Pitt plays Don “Wardaddy” Collier, a battle-scarred commander of a 2nd Armoured Division tank crew who have fought across the depths of the world, from North Africa, Belgium to France and now he finds himself in war-torn Germany to try and put an end to Adolf Hitler’s regime on German soil.

Throughout his tumultuous travels, he was not alone. The commander was part of a four-man crew, responsible for an M4 Sherman titular tank and trying to end the war, as the remaining allies push towards their biggest goal – Berlin. On the outside of the 76mm gun is the word ‘Fury’ painted on representing their rage and the power of the gigantic, green beast under the command of Wardaddy.  

Despite their length of time serving together and the Wardaddy’s promise of taking care of all of the crew, one of their men dies, leaving his face behind – literally – and someone else has to fill in his boots.  With the death of many men and few soldiers left to replace the injured and fallen, up steps a young office typist who is ordered to join the crew despite his fear and reluctance.  The young clerk, Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) is sent to fill the gap and through the added addition of the boy to the crew, writer-director David Ayer brings to life the true horrors of the battlefield through the eyes of an innocent ‘soldier.’ 

Fury’s newest recruit suddenly finds himself as a driver and is more out of depth than ever before in his life.  Wardaddy knows he must toughen up the fearful juvenile, or it will cost him his own life and the life of others if he refuses to kill. His commander informs him of two simple rules: kill all the Germans and be mindful of becoming too close to somebody – the final a rule which perhaps the leader of the crew fails to follow himself, as he tries to teach and help his young protege learn how to survive and more importantly to kill. 

Throughout the film the visionary gloom is suffocatingly realistic with its trench-mud palette and scenes of bodies splattering all around. Like the soldiers in the tank, FURY takes no prisoners in terms of graphic detail, with arms, legs and heads being blown off and severed at every opportunity. The scenes where prisoners are shot in the back of the head and German women providing entertainment for the victors are sometimes uncomfortable and vexatious to watch as Ayer tries to bring a harsh reality to the horrors of the World War. 

The film itself is a visionary masterpiece to behold. Shot in Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, England, the set designs, mirky locations and realistic scenery sweep the audience back in time as it beautifully encapsulates the destruction of that era and what is more impressive, is that it is simplistic yet so convincing.

One of the biggest successes of the film is the quality of the acting and the superb casting of the characters. Without a doubt, Pitt delivers a stand-out, evoking performance as the leading commander who appears like a monstrous, killing machine on the outside, contrary to the shattered moralistic man on the inside, burdened with duty and the need to conceal his feelings and emotions. 

Pitt may be known for his murder-hungry renegade role in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, but as Wardaddy in FURY his authoritative, yet soulful delivery of his role leaves the audience attached to the soldier due to his buried vulnerability and father-figure appointment towards the young and extraordinarily innocent Norman, which Pitt manages to convey so effortlessly.  

Pitt is superbly supported by his other crew members, Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf), Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Peña) and Grady ‘Coon-Ass’ Travis (Jon Bernthal) who are all very different from each other, yet are united by their deadly plight. Knowing they face death at any moment, there is a heart wrenching, touching scene where they sum up their occupation as “the best job I ever had” and at that moment even the toughest of souls will feel pangs of despair for these brave and unruly killing machines.

Ayer’s scripting causes an unshakeable attachment to the characters – particularly Wardaddy and Norman whose changing ways and tragic experiences offer the leading commander to entitle him “the machine.” The wish for their survival is unavoidable, despite the feeling of impending doom hanging over the top like the dirty smoke from the beaten tanks and it continuously resonates at the forefront throughout the gritty film.