“Why are you here? You’re here to kill him. You know why he’s here? He’s here to kill you. He’s here to kill you. He’s here to rip your throat out, put a bullet in your… I’m trying to teach you something. Are you here to get me killed? Are you going to get me killed? I need you to perform. Just get it over with. Just get it over with.”

“I can’t do it.”

“Yes, you can. I know you can. He kills you or you kill him. It’s simple math. You or him; pick.

“Just kill me, kill me, kill me, kill me, kill me, please. I can’t do it.”

Sgt Collier shoved the pistol into his hand and pulled back the hammer, all the while Norman struggled, unwilling to take part in what he viewed as such an inhumane act. But despite his struggle he was forced to pull the trigger, the German’s back exploded and his body lurched forward, accepting the force of the bullet from five feet away. Just like that the German lay dead, and the crowd of soldiers dispersed, like nothing had happened.

The horrors of war are such that no one can began to fathom them unless he has seen them with his own eyes. There is no glory in victory, no joy or happiness in success, there is just the memories of the terrors endured and the haunting of those left behind. Despite being so terrible, for those of us who have never experienced it, war is easy to forget. We go about our daily lives completely oblivious to the sacrifices that have been made.

The blockbuster hit Fury, staring Brad Pitt, paints war as nothing more than the horrible tragedy that it is. Despite its blood, gore, and language, Fury provides an inside look into the terrors and brotherhood that is shared between our country’s warriors. Fury provides a perspective on war that is brutally honest and almost unbelievable in nature, yet so very true. Although many civilians  might consider it abrasive and distasteful, Fury is probably as close to war as they will ever get. As Veterans Day nears, we are a society that has all but forgotten how merciless and deadly WWII was. Nearly 70 years since its end, WWII was responsible for approximately 400,000 American deaths. And while the numbers are easy to add up, the memories, nightmares, and sacrifices that have since haunted the survivors are ones that many people will never understand.

War doesn’t make people do terrible things, it requires it. There is no room for mercy in war, because no life of the enemy is worth your own, or that of your brothers. Despite how difficult it is to watch Fury, it is an intense and necessary reminder of the sacrifices made, and things endured by the men and women who served during WWII. It is an important reminder of where we have come from and what we stand for. I pray we never face another war of the same magnitude of WWII, but my prayer is one that if we do, we will have the strength, courage, bravery, and above all, heart, like that of the WWII generation. Throughout the movie there is one continuous message that all of the characters resonate no matter what is happening, and that is, “Best job I ever had!” They didn’t enjoy the killing, nor did they live for the destruction, but every man there understood that the sacrifices they were making were necessary in order to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Written and directed by David Ayer, Fury follows in the heart-breaking, realistic footsteps of End of Watch. With a solid acting corps built around Brad Pitt, Shia Labeouf, Michael Pena, and Jon Bernthal, Fury is a magnificent work of art that is brilliantly acted and directed. You may not walk away from it with as much emotion as I did, but it surely will not disappoint you. And although you may not agree with the approach that Ayer takes, it will undoubtedly be an academy award nominee.