Most pundits, bloggers and movie lovers are fascinated by the lay of the land when it comes to fall film festivals. Certain moves show confidence, other display a lack of it, and Sony’s World War II drama “Fury” is an interesting case. It’s got a powerhouse cast—Brad Pitt Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña and Jon Bernthal—and is directed by David Ayer, who scored a lot of acclaim for his police drama “End of Watch” (though perhaps lost that goodwill rather quickly with Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring crime actioner “Sabotage” earlier this year).
With "Fury" “premiering” at the 2014 BFI London Film Festival as the closing film on October 19th (even though it opens October 17th in the United States) there’s been speculation (read: hoping and wishing) that it could play at Fantastic Fest before that, which has so-far not been substantiated. We suppose it could play as a secret screening at the New York Film Festival, but that already sounds unlikely given the film looks and feels nothing like the more artistic stuff playing the refined fest.
So then you wonder, is it not good enough for a festival? Or is it perhaps just a good ol’ actioner, and not the type of movie that usually plays a prestige festival? A recent New York Times article makes it sound like a look at the brutality of warfare that seems much different from an action-centric WWII film. Maybe it’s something in between? I realize I sound like Jeff Wells trying to piece it all together, but it’s absence so far does make this a rather interesting one to contemplate
The Times wrote, “In what promises to be one of the most daring studio movies in an awards season…[Ayer delivers]..a relentlessly authentic portrayal the extremes endured, and inflicted, by Allied troops who entered Germany in the spring of 1945.” Maybe that’s just hyperbole? Regardless, the piece has definitely intrigued us all the more.
In the meantime, to whet your appetite, some new photos and a TV spot has arrived. Watch below.