When looking back over the work of filmmaker David Ayer, beginning as a writer and working up to adding producer and director to his credited roles, there is one thematic constant: war zones. His films have been typified by his immersion and fascination with those who live their lives everyday on the edge, simmering tensions barely held in check, the violence they wield and the reasons they do so. However, his focus has remained almost entirely in the realm of contemporary urban warfare, looking at those who stand on either side of that thin blue line of law enforcement. Training Day, Dark Blue, End of Watch and more besides, only once before has Ayers gone further back to look at a more literal kind of warfare, with the much-derided World War II-set actioner U-571, a film that Ayers has since called a “distortion” and not something he wished to repeat.
Now, with his new film Fury, Ayers has returned to the temporal setting of the Second World War, this time focusing on the efforts of the weary and battle-hardened Sherman tank unit in the final month of conflict. Commanded by Sgt. Collier, known to all as “Wardaddy”, the unit are tasked with a dangerous, possibly even suicidal mission to take the fight to enemy soldiers in their homeland. Brad Pitt (himself returning to WWII territory for the first time since 2009’s Inglourious Basterds) heads a cast filled out by Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman.
Previously only seen in a mini featurette, this is the first full trailer for the film, and it certainly shows a grittier approach to the material. Explosive action and brutal combat is the primary facet of Fury that would seem to be on show here. However, it should be noted that even the trailer makes the point that this is not the constant barrage of warfare casually blasted through, but does acknowledge the hard and emotionally fraught decisions that must be made to carry out such warfare.
The amount of seemingly over-the-top combat sequences on display in the trailer would seem to suggest an over-egged sense of action, which could perhaps lead to its own form of battle fatigue in audiences. Plus, it seems like it is showing a little too much, potentially robbing the film of its own development and tension when it hits UK cinemas in October. However, there is a pedigree of talent here, and we can certainly hope that Ayers’ previous assertions that he doesn’t want to offer another historical distortion prove to be a lesson learned.
Now, with his new film Fury, Ayers has returned to the temporal setting of the Second World War, this time focusing on the efforts of the weary and battle-hardened Sherman tank unit in the final month of conflict. Commanded by Sgt. Collier, known to all as “Wardaddy”, the unit are tasked with a dangerous, possibly even suicidal mission to take the fight to enemy soldiers in their homeland. Brad Pitt (himself returning to WWII territory for the first time since 2009’s Inglourious Basterds) heads a cast filled out by Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman.
Previously only seen in a mini featurette, this is the first full trailer for the film, and it certainly shows a grittier approach to the material. Explosive action and brutal combat is the primary facet of Fury that would seem to be on show here. However, it should be noted that even the trailer makes the point that this is not the constant barrage of warfare casually blasted through, but does acknowledge the hard and emotionally fraught decisions that must be made to carry out such warfare.
The amount of seemingly over-the-top combat sequences on display in the trailer would seem to suggest an over-egged sense of action, which could perhaps lead to its own form of battle fatigue in audiences. Plus, it seems like it is showing a little too much, potentially robbing the film of its own development and tension when it hits UK cinemas in October. However, there is a pedigree of talent here, and we can certainly hope that Ayers’ previous assertions that he doesn’t want to offer another historical distortion prove to be a lesson learned.