Fury

grangNot since Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan has there been a WWII film as brutal as David Ayer's depiction of the physical and emotional horror of “boots on the ground” in Fury. Set in 1945, the story revolves around the 2nd Armored Division, which has faced combat for years and is now on its last reserve of manpower. After slogging through Africa, to Normandy, across the Rhine, and into Germany, the crew members of the M4 Sherman tank dubbed “Fury,” led by Sgt. Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt), are exhausted. They've lost one of their original five squad members, who has been replaced by fresh-faced, raw recruit Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman), a former office clerk/typist who has just finished basic training. If Norman cannot function as a team player, his ineptitude will endanger everyone else. So Wardaddy must get him hardened and battle-ready in 24 hours. “Ideals are quiet. History is violent,” he explains. “We're not here for right and wrong. We're here to kill.” Also on hand are deeply religious Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf), a gunner who quotes scripture; Trini “Gordo” Garcia (Michael Pena), the Mexican-American driver; and ordinance loader Grady “Coon-Ass” Travis (Jon Bernthal), a Southern redneck. A bleak, intensely savage film with a pervasive sense of authenticity and consistent emotional tone—as Norman's innocence is completely corrupted—this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Blood Brothers” cast and crew segment (11 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are deleted and extended scenes (58 min.), the “Director's Combat Journal” with filmmaker David Ayer (17 min.), the production featurettes “Taming the Beasts: How to Drive, Fire and Shoot Inside a 30-Ton Tank” (13 min.) and “Armored Warriors: The Real Men Inside the Shermans” (12 min.), a photo gallery, and a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package—on the Blu-ray release—for a solid war-is-hell drama.] (S. Granger)