By CHRIS PUNTO & NATALIE SACKET
Columnists
Fall is now upon us, students. It’s time to set back your clocks and watch bloody war movies. No, just us? Okay, well our pick this week is:
“Fury (2014)”
Natalie’s Review:
4 Grenades out of 5
“Fury” is an intense drama, one sure to leave you down in the dumps for about three hours after its dramatic (and depressing) close. That being said, through the grit, gore and grime of this storyline, “Fury” is a great quality film. It serves not only as a film, but as a reminder of those who have sacrificed their lives in order for us to be here today.
The acting was intense and believable, with Logan Lerman and Brad Pitt in contrasting, yet strong, roles. The levels played by both actors carried this film. Also, props to Shia LeBeouf for taking the paper bag off of his head and carrying a strong role as well. There is a true sense of camaraderie conveyed to the audience, magnified by an all-around strong cast.
My biggest complaint about this film was Chris leaning over at the start of the movie and RUINING THE WHOLE FILM FOR ME. I kid you not, he whispered who lives and who dies during it. Go watch this film, but definitely not with Chris.
Also, don’t go watch this with Little Jimmy or Jane … or any children, actually. This film is bloody and gory. BEWARE ALL YE SQUEAMISH. There is also a substantial amount of violence and cursing, though I’m not sure what else is to be expected from a rated-R war movie. War is hell, and “Fury” gives a glimpse of that.
While the amount of gore may make your stomach do a couple of somersaults, it also presents a very real, very grim face of war. Set in 1945 on the front in Germany, this film presents very real events in a very real manner. The filming captured the essence of loss and pain in a very captivating way. That being said, there was not true sense of closure at the end. Then again, could a subject such as war, with thousands of lives being taken, ever leave one with a sense of peace?
Bottom Line: This is a beautifully constructed film pertaining to true events. Though I wouldn’t suggest it as a feel-good movie, it’s worth your time as a quality film that takes a glimpse of the harsh realities of war to the next level.
Chris’ Review:
2 total bombs out of 5
This week I guess we decided to rewatch “Inglorious Bastards.” Oops! Wait a second. We saw a different movie? Are you sure? Well okay, if you say so. This week we watched “Fury,” another war movie with Brad Pitt in it. Just a heads-up: This review will probably be a little boring because the higher-ups want me to try something new. Here we go.
“Fury,” which has an all-star cast in my opinion, features the likes of Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LeBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal. This film was very well cast, with each role accomplishing what it was set out to do, whether it was to be the war-roughened veteran, or the young recruit who is afraid of everything, with a mind that has been broken from the gruesome sights of war. However, this acting was the film’s saving grace.
I would try to tell you what the plot is about, but I don’t really think I can. The film was about a tank and World War II. That’s all I can really get out of it. The ending was not anything special. I walked out of the theater feeling emptier than when I came in. There is no closure. The argument is that there is no closure in war and that is what the film set out to show, but does that mean that I have to ponder on whether I should have spent $5 to figure this out? I don’t know what this film set out to do, but if you can’t figure it out after watching the movie, isn’t it safe to say they failed?
If my colleague, Natalie, would be more educated on funny movies, I might have had a good time talking about how those “natzis” needed to die. She’s clearly one of those girls who read Jane Austin and cried herself to sleep in high school and never saw “Inglorious Bastards.” Instead, I had to keep all my clever comments to myself. Another aspect of this movie that kind of killed me a little inside is seeing Logan Lerman use such harsh swear words. When I was younger, Lerman became Percy Jackson permanently in my mind after portraying him in the film “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” Now I can’t even finish the new Percy Jackson book without seeing Lerman killing Nazis and cussing like a sailor.
Bottom Line: I recommend you go see this movie, but for the simple reason that I don’t want to take business away from the good people at Rialto. That being said, if you could care less about providing business for your local movie theater, wait for the DVD. I’m sure that everyone has that battle-ready buddy who buys every military movie because they are red-blooded “’Merican.” Wait for him to buy it and then watch it.