Brad Pitt's WW2 tank movie 'Fury' review ...

[Milmart Militaria]

Agree 100% with what you said P51 - It would be a quick film as the Tiger would have started at the front, then the back and all Shermans in between. Ernst Barkmann near Le Lorey France (known as Barkmanns corner) knocked out 9 of 15 Shermans and sundry light vehicles in a Panther V all done whilst under an Oak tree.

The Cav charge on tracks across the field was no doubt done for cinematic effect, I get that. The effects of the AP rounds etc was well done But I think I'd rather go thru root canal work than sit thru the meal scene with the German girls, just interminable

[kmiles]

Agree 100% with what you said P51 - It would be a quick film as the Tiger would have started at the front, then the back and all Shermans in between. Ernst Barkmann near Le Lorey France (known as Barkmanns corner) knocked out 9 of 15 Shermans and sundry light vehicles in a Panther V all done whilst under an Oak tree.

The Cav charge on tracks across the field was no doubt done for cinematic effect, I get that. The effects of the AP rounds etc was well done But I think I'd rather go thru root canal work than sit thru the meal scene with the German girls, just interminable

I am pretty sure that whole series of scenes with the meal with the 2 German girls was there to soften Brad Pitts character. Before that series of scenes he came across as a real hard ass, and it would be even harder to believe the lead in to the final battle scene if they did not soften the character. The meal scene was out of place for the movie, but at least they did not drag on the "love" scene for the entire movie like they did with Pearl Harbor.

[p51]

I think I'd rather go thru root canal work than sit thru the meal scene with the German girls, just interminable

The meal scene was out of place for the movie, but at least they did not drag on the "love" scene for the entire movie like they did with Pearl Harbor.

I agree fully with each of these quotes. 'Fury' will be a great movie for DVD, as you can skip over that truly uncomfortable middle section in the German house. Clearly, it was done just to establish characters.
Frankly, I'm surprised there had been a huge backlash from vets and their families over the actions of the GIs shown in the movies. I can imagine plenty of Soccer Moms yelling out, "There's no way my Granddad did anything like this in WW2!" I know some vets are decrying the cursing, like they did for Privaye Ryan and Band of Brothers. If you read contemporary accounts of the war, you'll see a lot of references to cursing. Ernie Pyle wrote about this several times.
That said, I think the curse word every other word came into its own in the 'Nam era and is now a permanent fixture of military speak, and maybe is a little harsher than it was in WW2.

[mustangdriver]

Fury was well done. Here is the thing, it depicted normal guys stuck in horrible situations, trying to do the right thing, and survive. There is no sugar coating, no "look at us guys we are in WWII", and it depicted how dirty war is. As for the uncomfortable scenes at the dinner table, I am sure they are pretty accurate to what some of those people experienced. Anyone catch the top hot reference? It left you standing in awe of what those guys did.

[Dave Hadfield]

I just saw it. I liked it. Very powerful.

This movie will seem a lot better in the future when Hollywood "CGIs" tanks, like they do now with airplanes.

The P-51s looked fake. And I didn't understand why the German fighters attacking the B-17s head-on were turning away before engaging.

Dave

[Mark Allen M]

I didn't understand why the German fighters attacking the B-17s head-on were turning away before engaging.

Because the CGI guys felt it necessary to saturate the skies with 500,000 B-17's. The ending really was the judging factor for me. A disabled Sherman tank couldn't be taken out by what had to be a few hundred German solders? The littered Germans all around the tank at the end? Either the tank crew was really good or the Germans were really bad fighters. Potato mashers thrown into the tank and Brad Pitt's character had plenty of time to tell the kid to get out through the bottom of which he did with time to spare before they went off? It's these type of unrealistic scenes that disappointed me. But I suffer from 'reality syndrome' when going to see a new war movie. All too often I'm disappointed by the 'Hollywoodization' of what could have been a great movie. Problem being Hollywood could care less about pleasing the less than 1% of historians and authenticity experts. No money in it for them as their only interested in the other 99.9%. I was admittingly entertained because my expectations weren't high, but I was hoping to be impressed. A job well done on the equipment though.

[Milmart Militaria]

Anyone catch the top hot reference?.

Top Hot or Top Hat ?

[gregv]

Saw it, enjoyed it! Definitely not a documentary, not very historically accurate in a lot of ways, but quite entertaining. Ok wasn't sure if it was a Star Wars laser battle for a while there when it tuned (very) quickly to night, and yes Oscar award for most awkward meal scene goes to Fury, but hey it's two hours of guys in a tank blowing s$!t up, with lots of REAL tanks. Sure, 300 well-seasoned SS armed to the teeth with panzerfausts should have been able to clear a disabled Sherman in about 90 seconds (or 5 regular Wehrmacht guys with a few T-mines for that matter), but that's not what the movie was about. And yes I agree the P-51's looked terrible. They could get a real Tiger I but not a few Mustangs?? Anyways great popcorn material. And if it brings awareness to people about what this type of combat must have been like, in any sense, then kudos to the film for at least trying to be realistic. I'm just happy it wasn't another 200 million dollar feature based on a comic book.

greg v.

P.S. thumbs down to Shia's moustache. Thumbs up to Brad Pitt's StG 44.

[StangStung]

Please clarify the top hot/hat reference for the non-tankers among us.

[JDK]

Interesting (positive) review here on Australia's ABC radio.
Text, and (I presume) internationally playable audio.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/pro ... ar/5836718

[mustangdriver]

Please clarify the top hot/hat reference for the non-tankers among us.

During WWII American GI's in Europe loved to hunt down top hats and items like that. I have never heard why. There is a scene when the driver comes in with a top hat he has found somewhere. There is even a square or a plaza named top hat square. My friend that we watched the movie with owns a Sherman and was excited to see the top hat reference make the film.

[p51]

During WWII American GI's in Europe loved to hunt down top hats and items like that. I have never heard why.

Top hats were a symbol of affluence and wealth up to the depression era, I'm sure that had something to do with it. Sort of the 'bling' of the 30s, if you will.

[phil65]

Saw it Sat. nite, I'll let the little guy do the talking....

Phil