(Review originally written at 3 June 2007)
I'm a De Palma fan and I even always enjoy watching his bad movies. It's always something special and unique to watch, although I shall also always admit it when a movie is just bad. "The Fury" is also a movie that isn't among his best and for a genre movie just isn't good enough. Yet the movie has other better qualities.
The movie is a bit too supernatural, which creates a gap between the viewers and the movie. It's just not an easy movie to relate with. One of its consequences is that the tension and mystery of the movie doesn't always work out. It really doesn't make "The Fury" one of the best genre movies but the Brian De Palma directing still provide the movie with an unique look and feel.
Guess that in essence the story had more potential really. It had all the potential to become a good mysterious tense movie, with deceiving characters, film-noir style but De Palma doesn't ever really attempt to flesh the story out to its full potential. The story just isn't always the best going one also because they can't seem to decide who is the movie its main character; Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) or Gillian Bellaver (Amy Irving). The movie isn't always heading anywhere clearly, which also causes the movie to drag at points. The ending also feels like it was done in a hurry and even though its satisfying it still leaves an hollow aftertaste. No for a thriller this movie surely isn't good enough. Thank goodness that De Palma still provides the movie with some more than enough redeeming qualities. The movie is much different from any other '70's genre movie.
The movie still clearly shows the qualities of De Palma as a director. The movie has some great classic moments in it, that are done in a typical unique De Palma style, including once more a trademark great slow-motion sequence, in which one of the main characters escapes and some gruesome graphic sequences and violent deaths. The action is done well, its graphic moments are done well and some sequences shall really live on in memory. Also even the humor works out for the movie and why hasn't Mother Nuckells become some sort of cult-figure by now? The movie has some great, action, thriller, science-fiction/horror and comedy moments but all combined it just doesn't always work out as a whole, unfortunately.
Some of its moments are also made great by its unique cinematography. Guess it all is also the reason why this movie is liked better by the movie-lovers than by the more casual viewers, that won't pay too much attention to how a movie is crafted.
The combination Brian De Palma and John Williams seems like an odd one. He composed one of his lesser known scores for this movie but it's definitely not one of his worst. For some reason De Palma doesn't always work with established actors but when he does, it's always something special, such as also with Ennio Morricone was the case, for the movies "The Untouchables" and "Mission to Mars". But also when he doesn't work with 'big-name; composers the music is always good. Music always plays an important part in his movies, especially in the key- and most classic sequences, like for example in the movies "Dressed to Kill", "Carlito's Way", "Body Double" and "Femme Fatale" was the case.
Not the best but still an unique watch.
7/10
Watch trailer
I'm a De Palma fan and I even always enjoy watching his bad movies. It's always something special and unique to watch, although I shall also always admit it when a movie is just bad. "The Fury" is also a movie that isn't among his best and for a genre movie just isn't good enough. Yet the movie has other better qualities.
The movie is a bit too supernatural, which creates a gap between the viewers and the movie. It's just not an easy movie to relate with. One of its consequences is that the tension and mystery of the movie doesn't always work out. It really doesn't make "The Fury" one of the best genre movies but the Brian De Palma directing still provide the movie with an unique look and feel.
Guess that in essence the story had more potential really. It had all the potential to become a good mysterious tense movie, with deceiving characters, film-noir style but De Palma doesn't ever really attempt to flesh the story out to its full potential. The story just isn't always the best going one also because they can't seem to decide who is the movie its main character; Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) or Gillian Bellaver (Amy Irving). The movie isn't always heading anywhere clearly, which also causes the movie to drag at points. The ending also feels like it was done in a hurry and even though its satisfying it still leaves an hollow aftertaste. No for a thriller this movie surely isn't good enough. Thank goodness that De Palma still provides the movie with some more than enough redeeming qualities. The movie is much different from any other '70's genre movie.
The movie still clearly shows the qualities of De Palma as a director. The movie has some great classic moments in it, that are done in a typical unique De Palma style, including once more a trademark great slow-motion sequence, in which one of the main characters escapes and some gruesome graphic sequences and violent deaths. The action is done well, its graphic moments are done well and some sequences shall really live on in memory. Also even the humor works out for the movie and why hasn't Mother Nuckells become some sort of cult-figure by now? The movie has some great, action, thriller, science-fiction/horror and comedy moments but all combined it just doesn't always work out as a whole, unfortunately.
Some of its moments are also made great by its unique cinematography. Guess it all is also the reason why this movie is liked better by the movie-lovers than by the more casual viewers, that won't pay too much attention to how a movie is crafted.
The combination Brian De Palma and John Williams seems like an odd one. He composed one of his lesser known scores for this movie but it's definitely not one of his worst. For some reason De Palma doesn't always work with established actors but when he does, it's always something special, such as also with Ennio Morricone was the case, for the movies "The Untouchables" and "Mission to Mars". But also when he doesn't work with 'big-name; composers the music is always good. Music always plays an important part in his movies, especially in the key- and most classic sequences, like for example in the movies "Dressed to Kill", "Carlito's Way", "Body Double" and "Femme Fatale" was the case.
Not the best but still an unique watch.
7/10
Watch trailer
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