“The best job I ever had.”– Sgt. Don ‘Wardaddy’ Colier from the movie Fury directed by David Ayer
I just returned from the theatre from watching ‘Fury’, which premiered Friday October 17th, and according to Variety is suspected to pull in 25 million dollars by the finish of this weekend. Some may think that ‘Fury’ is just another war movie, and maybe it is. But to the men who has served those tanks in a war this movie tells their story.
Fury, a WWII movie focuses on the decisive act of tankers who in 1945 war torn Germany decide to dig in, and hold an important position that would help defeat the German army and possibly end the war.
The war hounded and angst ridden team is led by Academy Award winning actor, Brad Pitt (12 Years A Slave, Inglorious Bastards) . Pitt, plays a man hardened by war and scarred by the missions he has led, but continues to promise his men he’ll get them home alive. Not too much later the tankers find themselves in the battle for their lives.
Shia Lebouf (Transformer, Nymphomaniac) as Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan (when focused on acting instead of antics) delivers a memorable performance as a soldier whose faith keeps him and his fellow tankers going even as they protest and tease him on his preachy ways. Michael Pena ( Battle Los Angeles, Gracepoint) and John Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Wolf of Wall Street) hold their own switching from hard to compassionate when the moments called for it.
The most surprising performance was from Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Three Musketeers), who played newly assigned tank driver and desk jockey Norman Ellison. Norman is a young private who claims his specialty is not shooting bullets but typing 60 words per minute. Pitt’s character Sgt. Don ‘Wardaddy’ Colier takes Norman under his wing for many reason but the main reason is to keep him alive. As a form of solidarity the men tell themselves in what seems a sarcastic yet truthful salute, “this is the best job I ever had”.
The film is intense and the acting is right on. I cried, but then I always cry at every war movie I go to. I have my personal reasons. However, it’s hard not to cry when the scenes are so intense and the people are so real. The actors are heaving with such emotional turmoil your own insides ache for them. The tanker’s brotherhood resonates as I am reminded of all the people I have met who have been affected by war today.
“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.”- Sgt. Don ‘Wardaddy’ Colier from Fury
Director David Ayers (Training Day, Fast & The Furious) did well in showing how war can cause conflicts within soldier’s about their moral values and faith as they fight to make it home from war. While at times Pitt’s character seems harsh he shows that he is harsh for good reasons in his lessons to young Norman.
The film is worth watching, and although the story is an old one, the stories told are relatable to some viewers out there.
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A minor correction to your piece on Fury. Logan’s character was newly assigned as a ‘Hull Gunner’; not as a driver. (Distinction, only true tankers would appreciate.) For Tally book, During first Tour of Duty in (then) West Germany, our M60A1 tank had a catastrophic maintenance problem at edge of a German’s farm. Middle of the day, he came over on a farm machine and we had a brief chat. Later he returned with a picnic lunch (Beer included!) along with several family members. Sillivians might find this…odd. We tankers…Didn’t. For you see, as a boy Heir Seipe had been conscripted late part of WWII and drove a Panzer; until it was disabled by Sherman’s AT hit. Only he and another boy survived the war…of his local detachment. (He told us that as depicted, it was either fight…or be hanged.) His life had been spared, by those of the crew that had crippled that Panzer killing the (only adult) Panzer commander he and others had been forced to serve; and he was very grateful. Thought you might find these recently posted comments on FB interesting. [For Daddy’s Girl. Finally got to sit down (along with Mom) and watch WWII (tankers at war) movie ‘Fury’. Professional critics have compared it to (Vietnam Era) ‘Platoon’ and frankly, I was reminded of an old BW WWII Movie ‘War Lover’ starring Steve McQueen. Most adequate critique I may voice without reservation; it is (in effect) a tank crewman’s ‘Saving Pvt Ryan’. Regards to realism, gives as good a representation of (WWII) Armor warfare, as ‘Band of Brothers’ gave to Airborne. Only negative I’ll cite is they played real fast and loose with profanity. (That said, my own language back during days rolling throughout a large chunk of German Countryside…was also colorful. She’d have to remind me where I was/who was hearing all that, after return home.) As for combat depictions (from a tank crewman viewpoint), pretty much spot on. During my career I had opportunity to physically be in every position of a an actual Sherman and to best recollection, spot on accuracy. A personal note. Though at that point of my career, unit MBTs (Main Battle Tanks) were M60A1, we had photo of you/us taken in front of an M47 tank painted with tiger stripes (which had some Sherman characteristics); just prior reassignment from 2/33 Tiger Battalion of the 3rd Armored (Spearhead) Division to stateside. Actors in ‘Fury’ are wearing 2nd Armored (Hell On Wheels) Division. Love, Dad.] 19K40X SFC US Army (1975-1995) Rtd
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Thanks for the correcting that information about tankers. I have a friends who are tankers which is why I reviewed the movie. Thanks so.much for commenting the review and taking time to reading my blog. My thanks to all who served in the Armed Forces.
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Going to see this in a hour or so and nice review. Thanks.
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Your welcome and thanks. Enjoy. 😀
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