You Won’t Believe the Brutal Action in Brad Pitt’s ‘Fury’

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In 2022, action star Jason Statham has teamed up once again with director David Ayer for the film “A Working Man”, now showing in cinemas. So far, Ayer has directed 10 films, focusing predominantly on law enforcement and the U.S. military. Among these, his most impactful and visceral work is arguably the 2014 World War II movie “Fury”, which starred Brad Pitt alongside a talented cast that included Jon Bernthal, Jason Isaacs, and Shia LaBeouf.

The film “Fury” narrates the tough saga of an American tank unit battling formidable adversaries in the heart of Germany during the final stages of World War II, 1945. With its intense and lifelike depiction, it demonstrates David Ayer’s talent for both war narratives and crime dramas. Action enthusiasts, particularly those who appreciated “A Working Man,” are guaranteed to have a thrilling time streaming “Fury” on Netflix due to the intense combat sequences on display.

Fury Is a Great WWII Movie With an A-List Cast

Drawing inspiration from Belton Y. Cooper’s memoir, “Death Traps,” the intense battle depicted in the film “Fury” takes place in Germany during April of 1945. With the Germans on their last breath, they fiercely resist the U.S. tank crew commanded by Don “Wardaddy” Collier (played by Brad Pitt), whose M4 Sherman tank is nicknamed “Fury.” The experienced crew consists of driver Trini Garcia (Micheal Peña), gunner Bible Swan (Shia LaBeouf), ammo loader Grady Travis (Jon Bernthal), and the raw recruit Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman).

In the story, Ellison replaces Red following his death during battle. Inexperienced in combat, Ellison leads the team into a treacherous trap, causing discord within the tank unit. As blame is cast on Ellison, Wardaddy strives to maintain spirit and push Fury further into Germany’s interior. However, additional conflict arises when Ellison, under Wardaddy’s instructions, encounters and spends the night with a local woman, widening the rift within the tank crew.

Fury, along with three other tanks, takes up a strategic position on a crucial road. After numerous surprise attacks and bombings, Fury becomes severely damaged in battle, necessitating repairs on the spot. The crew retaliates by making Fury look abandoned and wrecked, all while hiding inside for a surprise attack. The movie maintains the nail-biting tension and suspense typical of David Ayer’s films, much like his recent collaborations with Jason Statham.

Why ‘Fury’ Appeals to Fans of ‘A Working Man’

David Ayer, whether directing ‘Fury’ or ‘A Working Man’, showcases a distinctive style of direction that revolves around raw masculinity and intense, extreme violence. While both ‘The Beekeeper’ and ‘A Working Man’ adhere to the Jason Statham movie formula with a lone hero meting out vigilante justice, ‘Fury’ offers comparable visceral excitement and relentless action sequences, this time featuring an ensemble cast. Interestingly, both ‘Fury’ and Ayer’s latest works share a connection through their roots in the U.S. Armed Services. Ayer’s films often depict hardened men performing brutal tasks with moral ambiguity at play.

In contrast to Fury, which follows an American Army tank crew during WWII, A Working Man showcases Jason Statham’s character, Levon Cade, as a former U.S. Royal Marine Commando. Even though he’s retired from military service, Cade utilizes his commando abilities to methodically take down a human trafficking operation in Chicago. Similar to The Beekeeper, Cade attempts to move on from his government/military background by working an ordinary job (construction), but his violent past eventually draws him back in, suggesting he can’t fully escape the dangerous lifestyle he once knew.

Connecting the charm of Fury and A Working Man is actor Michael Peña, who portrayed Trini Garcia in Fury and Joe Garcia in A Working Man. Although it might seem implausible that these characters are related given stories set eight decades apart, fans who appreciated Peña’s dynamic performances alongside Brad Pitt will undoubtedly enjoy watching him collaborate with Statham as Cade’s superior. It’s also important to mention that Peña previously worked with Jake Gyllenhaal in End of Watch, which many consider director Ayer’s best work to date.

Moving on, Ayer is slated to helm a remake of the iconic war film “The Dirty Dozen.” Given the sizeable cast, it’s plausible that Ayer may invite Statham to join the team once more. There’s also speculation that Brad Pitt might appear in “The Dirty Dozen” following their collaboration on “Heart of the Beast.” In typical Ayer fashion, “Heart of the Beast” will feature Pitt as a retired Special Forces soldier living off-grid, who is forced to re-enter society after getting stranded in Alaska with his combat dog. For fans of Ayer, Pitt, and Statham, “Fury” and “A Working Man” are highly recommended viewing while we wait for the production of “Dirty Dozen” and “Heart of the Beast.

How David Ayer Became a Prominent Director

Drawing upon his background as a former U.S. Navy submarine officer, Ayer crafted his initial screenplay, the World War II submarine war film “U-571,” inspired by his naval service. Following the completion of the script for “Training Day,” Ayer shifted his focus to law enforcement, penning works such as “Dark Blue” and “S.W.A.T.” Ayer made his directorial debut with the raw, urban crime drama “Harsh Times,” which was followed by “Street Kings,” “End of Watch,” and “Sabotage.” All these films explore themes of crime, corruption, and law enforcement.

In 2014, Ayer revisited the environment where his screenwriting journey started. He penned and directed the film “Fury,” then opted for an unconventional approach with “Suicide Squad” as his subsequent project. However, the outcome was lackluster, prompting him to revert back to themes of crime and law enforcement in “Bright” and “The Tax Collector,” which were less successful compared to Ayer’s previous productions.

For the first time collaborating with Jason Statham in “The Beekeeper”, director David Ayer has discovered a new source of inspiration in the action star from England, further developing their connection through “A Working Man”. As for future projects, Ayer plans to direct more war films, including remakes of “Commando” and “Dirty Dozen”, as well as “Heart of the Beast” featuring Brad Pitt. It remains to be seen if another Ayer/Statham pairing is on the horizon, but in “Fury”, both Pitt and Ayer deliver their best work. Currently, you can stream “Fury” on Netflix, while “A Working Man” is showing in theaters.

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2025-04-02 06:02