Film Addict's May Film Choice

We all go through life with ups and downs and sometimes they are big and sometimes they are small, and this month just seems to be full of both big and small downs.  My grandad was diagnosed with cancer well over 5 years ago but we thought he beat it, the lovely stubborn man that he is but unfortunately, the cancer decided to strike twice and he took a big turn for the worst this year.  He passed away this month and though we knew it was coming, we are all going to miss him so while I've been sat here on my own, thinking about how to deal with this, I decided to dedicate Film Addict's May Film Choice to him.  While I don't know what his favourite film is because he used to watch so many and he was a man of very few words but I know that he liked war films so I have decided to pick one from my extensive film collection and chose Fury.

Fury is the 2014 war film directed by David Ayer who also wrote the screenplay.  Brad Pitt (Ocean's Trilogy, Fight Club) stars along with Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Constantine), Logan Lerman (Perks of Being a Wallflower, Percy Jackson series), Michael Peña (American Hustle, Shooter), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Wolf of Wall Street), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter series, Peter Pan), and Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, The Longest Ride).

Rating: 6

Recommended To: War film fans

Favourite Characters: Wardaddy

Favourite Part: Wardaddy: [pointing at the tank, Fury] That's home. Do what you're told. And don't get too close to no one.

Good Points: The relationships between the crew of Fury; sense of realism throughout; good old fashion action

Bad Points: Predictable

Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Pitt), the war-hardened US staff sergeant and commander in the 2nd Armoured Division, is in charge of an M4 Sherman tank nicknamed Fury, manned by an all-veteran crew; gunner Boyd "Bible" Swan (LaBeouf), loader Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis (Bernthal), and driver Trini "Gordo" Garcia (Peña).  The crew have been together since the North African Campaign and are making their final push into Nazi Germany with the rest of the Allies.  The original assistant driver/bow gunner, "Red", was killed in action, and Norman Ellison (Lerman) is assigned as a reluctant replacement, coming in as a fresh recruit trained only as a clerk typist.

It's important for there to be growth and development between the characters as it allows the audience to engage with the film and the characters that feature.  The dynamic that is already established between the crew of Fury and the changing dynamic that occurs throughout the film is one of the interesting parts of Fury.  Having been together since they were deployed to Africa, the crew are extremely close and fight for each other and are reluctant to let Norman in as it could cause them more pain as they have lost a number of comrades over the years that they were close to.  However, as they begin to grow used to his presence, they open up to him and accept him, all starting with Wardaddy, it's interesting to see these characters change and develop.  It may be difficult for Norman as the others are brutish at times, making it hard to make a connection for the young clerk typist who was enlisted and is a reluctant replacement but that is what makes it believable.

Some action films, especially war films, can be over-exaggerated or be found lacking a certain quality that makes them believable; fortunately, Fury has this sense of realism that is carried through the storytelling from both sides of the camera.  The dynamic between the original crew of Fury hinges on realistic portrayal of camaraderie and fortunately, you get a sense of that the moment you meet the four men who have fought together for years, giving the feeling of authenticity to the film which could be easily forgotten about.  Just as we would expect, they snipe and laugh with one another and it doesn't seem forced which could only be achieved by the original four of the Fury crew (and maybe Norman) spending a large of amount of time together.  David Ayer always wants his actors commit to the role and it pays off, sending Pitt and co. to tank boot camp for a month prior to filming, enabling them to drive said tank themselves and create a team out of them; also encouraging rough housing amongst the crew to get them amped up also triggered this bond, something most directors wouldn't think about.  Some people would just make them train a bit prior, just so they look more competent than average and just had the group meet during readings and such.  While it could be believable that they are comrades this way, depending on the actors and the script, forcing five men in a tank to work as a team for training makes it more authentic later on as it can seem more natural through their reactions to one another.

As you would expect of a war film, there was plenty of action within the film: tank fights and explosions of various sizes as well as gun fights and physical altercations that reflect parts of the characters' personalities as you would expect with a fast enough pace to keep your attention throughout.  The visual and special effects do the action justice as it is believable for a war film; things were blowing up but had a reason behind it rather than just randomly.  For the action fans, Fury delivers as tanks, both German and American, are blown to hell and most characters are riddled with bullets, dying in some grand manner of sorts.  It's definitely more for the action war film fans rather than those looking for profound moments that can be found in war films; I'd watch this again if I was in need for action.

Brad Pitt's Wardaddy was by far my favourite character in Fury as he embodies the best and the worst qualities of the infantry in World War II in my opinion and Pitt's portrayal of Wardaddy was brilliant, spanning the spectrum of emotions that these men go through.  He clearly cared for his men but knew that they all lived in a harsh reality so he prepares Norman for it in an equally harsh manner; he may not be likeable all of the time or a good guy from Norman's point of view but he's a hero of his time, defending the country he loves in a war he believes in.

As with many American war films, when it came to the end of the film, the characters we follow throughout become the last "man" standing, making the climax epic as the audience watch everyone falls victim at the hands of the crew of the Fury.  It's predictable and happens regularly with only a select few, or even just one, people making out of the situation alive much like in Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbour.  While it's a highly fictionalised ending, it made for an entertaining conclusion, making the crew of Fury heroes.

Wardaddy: [pointing at the tank, Fury] That's home. Do what you're told. And don't get too close to no one.

This line is a contradiction and I love it; home is where you are comfortable, where you are close to the most people normally but at this point, the crew of Fury have bonded over the years and are reluctant to open up to this new guy after the death of their friend, Red.  Norman needs to be comfortable in Fury, enough so that they can work as a unit but they don't want to be friends or become his family.  This line illustrates the harsh reality these men are living in so simply that I love it along with other lines that Wardaddy especially says in Fury.

I have never been a big fan of war films, especially American World War II films which paint Americans as the ultimate heroes of said war, but there are a few that I have enjoyed such as Saving Private Ryan.  Personally, I found Fury to be lacking in comparison to Saving Private Ryan despite aspects they share such as the characterisation of each main character and the ending.  The very ending was predictable as only one character made it out the end, typical of an American war film; it was entertaining as the film came to a climax as the heroes take part in an epic battle but inevitable that most of them go down in a blaze of glory.  However, I did enjoy the sense of realism that was in Fury as most war films I have seen are over-exaggerated over the course of the film; the sense of realism comes through the performances of the cast as they appear to be a real team who work together rather than five people who have been forced together moments before they come on to set.  An interesting aspect of the film was the dynamic between the crew, both the already established crew and the new one when Norman joins; it charts the growth and development of the characters, making it even more believable, allowing an audience to engage more with the characters as they can establish a connection to them and come to care for them in the end, despite their brutish behaviour, just like Norman at the end of Fury.  While it doesn't live up to Saving Private Ryan, lacking a certain quality, Fury is entertaining for those that like action films, full of tank fights and explosions coupled with physical altercations and gunfights.

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