Fury.

Ah shit, righto,  Here’s my take on the recently released WWII action film Fury.

I watched tonight, with the M.R.S. even She was questioning of it.

Another War movie, another display of Hollywood’s take on life or so I see it.

I dunno hey, folks, I’m watching the iTunes extras with my version of this movie and a writer associated with this film was saying he had family in the service and I have to wonder how this connection would result in someone making a film like this.

The acknowledgment by veteran Allied tank drivers, that the Sherman tank wasn’t a match for the German armour was recognised, and a discussion of the tactics and vulnerabilities discussed in relation to having to engage German armour covered by real veterans of this conflict in the extras.

In light of this, in light of the connection the writer of this film has to the people who “have been there, done that” I have to ask why a more thorough representation of this epic conflict wasn’t created.

Some of the scenes created, in my opinion are definitely out there as far as what may have happened.

Here in Australia every April and November we gather to stand fast and remember and recognise the past and present members of our community who have gone forward and fought in defence of our ideals, most often than not in foreign lands and despite the conversations about the virtues surrounding those ideals, we for the most, respect this tradition.

I don’t think this is unwise or incorrect whether we recognise this and the influences on our futures this part of history has had on our nations and communities.

There is a lot of evil that occurs in a war, some of which besmirches the claims of our victories, in respect to our Western values. All of this is not uncommon to humanity of which we are undeniably a part of. And for me, as I learn more about these past conflicts, I recognise these days as a reminder of this reason, while I try to visualise what it would be like endure and persevere through this experience as either a combatant or a bystander.

It is stating the obvious to say that unless you have endured this first hand you don’t have a real grasp on the subject and this is something I am more than willing to concede. This factor alone is indisputable for me, no argument here. But I believe we owe it to the people who have seen this aspect of human existence to try to understand their stories and this for me is why I respect and defend these days of reverence.

After viewing movies like Fury, Blackhawk Down and Lone Survivor etc, and researching (lightly I will admit) the details on them I can’t help but be disdainful of their representation of these wars and the people involved. I think (culturally) we’d be better located if we were to more realistically represent what happened and thus be better educated as to the realities and accept the less glamorous aspects (to put it lightly) of these wars.

And in respect of the capacity that Hollywood has to engineer this visual aspect with modern film making techniques I maintain this point of view even more so. I honestly wish they would. It would make action movies less palatable but that reason alone would suffice for the purposes stated above. I know this would be an anathema to the purposes of making a film but the higher virtue in time would, I think, be recognised beyond the financial profits of the movie.

I’ve taken the long route to explain what I don’t like about these films, and I don’t hate them all out, they’re a good “story” so to speak but as I elucidate, I sincerely wish there was a more realistic aspect to the brutality. I think we’d be better off for it.