Review of Fury (2014) by Davidstennett — 13 Jan 2015

A highly enjoyable action war movie with great depth.

Some of the battle action is not realistic but this does not detract from the deeper massage.

“Ideals are peaceful, history is violent” states Don Collier (played by Brad Pitt) as he takes a new crew member under his wing. However it is this Norman Ellison played by Logan Lerman who is really the central character in this movie.

Conscience hits the reality of war, as a Norman young inexperienced American, suddenly takes the role as machine gunner in a US Sherman tank nicknamed Fury in the dying throws of Nazi Germany. Powerless and hardly believing where he is Norman cries, “I have never even seen the inside of a tank”. Movement, power, brutality and destruction follow the tracks of the steel tank, as all hell breaks loose.

This film is called “Heart of Steel or “Herz aus Stahl” in Germany and this name is very appropriate. Within the few days of combat in the heart of Germany, Norman goes from someone prepared to die, rather than execute captured SS soldiers, to a furious, hard hearted killing machine. As he quickly learns, it is not quite as simple as “kill or be killed”. If he does not kill quickly, his crew members could easily be those which will quickly die.

If you are looking for much more depth than just an action packed war movie, then this is for you. Every moment life changing decisions are presented. While the moral conflict rages all around him, it penetrates and grasps his heart. As the movie ends, he survives only through the mercy of an SS soldier. Deep in thought he weighs his soft heart at the beginning of the film and his hard heart at the end. The path his heart took seems almost unreal but the film makes it seem logical and plausible.

The deeper issue of idealism and realism is the heart of this story. Should an idealistic person such as Norman act on moral principles or as most others, act on interests. Ideals without power to put them in practice are shown to be empty but power alone is seen to be brutal. It is said that realism and idealism are different sides of power and must be used together with both heart and discernment. The main characters struggle with this moral conflict. This dark world shows that a man who understands both reality and morality is rare.

I couldn’t stop talking and thinking about this movie for days. Yes the action is not always realistic as many have pointed out but I think the message comes across powerfully. Ultimately you are drawn to ask,.

“How would I have decided in his situation?”.

The nearest way I can think of to experience this at home today, is if you have the courage to play a Moral Conflict WWII strategy board game! Playford Games beckons you, just like Norman to make decisions not just in real fast paced action but on their path of the heart.