Furie

'The Fury' is a very interesting mixture of science fiction, horror, action, and espionage thriller. One of Brian De Palma's most underrated movies, it isn't without some flaws, but overall I enjoyed it much more than some of his most recent disappointing efforts like 'Snake Eyes' and 'Mission To Mars'. They might be much better known than 'The Fury' but they are not better movies. The plot is a bit convoluted at times, and maybe a little TOO ambitious, but there are several classic sequences that make this a must see for any De Palma fan. The whole thing comes across like a cross between 'Carrie' (De Palma's previous movie), and Cronenberg's 'Scanners', a movie it predated by three years, interestingly enough. Amy Irving, who also appeared in 'Carrie', is beautiful and believable as Gillian, a troubled teen attempting to understand and control her frightening paranormal powers. Veteran Kirk Douglas ('Spartacus', 'Saturn 3') and cult director/actor John Cassavetes ('Rosemary's Baby', 'The Killers') are both solid as friends-turned-enemies who once worked for the same nameless Government agency. Douglas' psychic son Robin (Andrew Stevens) is kidnapped by Cassavetes and his cronies and experimented on until he reaches the brink of madness. Douglas desperately searches for him by any means necessary, a quest which inevitably means he encounters the traumatized Gillian, who has an increasing psychic link with Robin. Irving and Douglas are both excellent in this movie, Cassavetes plays a fantastic villain, and the supporting cast includes Carrie Snodgress ('Diary Of A Mad Housewife'), Charles Durning ('O Brother, Where Art Thou?'), Fiona Lewis ('Drum'), and cameos from Daryl Hannah ('Bladerunner'), De Palma semi-regular William Finley ('The Phantom Of The Paradise') and a noticeably younger and thinner Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue'). While I couldn't argue that 'The Fury' is De Palma's best work it has aged very well indeed and is recommended viewing. This is one movie that deserves to be re-evaluated!

"The Fury" was a decent movie. It started off rather fast paced and I was somewhat clueless as to what was going on, but as the movie went on I got into it. Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) was going through great lengths to find his kidnapped son, all the while his son, Robin (Andrew Stevens) was under the watchful eye of a government official interested in Robin's psychic abilities. A collision course is set between Robin and another young lady with psychic abilities as well. The movie has a bit of suspense and a bit of spookiness to it as well. The ending was a total surprise and very um... bloody. I liked the movie, I thought the story was unique enough and the suspense and action wasn't half bad.

Fortunately, De Palma's hyperbolic, visually compelling, science fiction occult espionage thriller moves so fast that the ludicrous dialog, indifferent performances, and Swiss cheese plot don't spoil the fun. The Fury starts from an interesting premise, but De Palma is clearly more interested in the spectacular set pieces than logic or characterization. The potentially most interesting character Robin is off screen for too long and instead we get low comedy relief with Mother Knuckles and the off duty cops in the Caddilac. Also, Gillian's mother and the students at the Paragon Institute seem to disappear. And where Sissy Spacek was touching as Carrie, Amy Irving and Andrew Stevens as psychic teens who unleash the fury are whiny and callow, and you don't really care about their fates. Though Douglas, Snodgress, Cassavetes and De Palma regular William Finley ( Raymond Dunwoodie) are always interesting, the rest of the cast is pretty bad. And a scene between Irving and Douglas on a bus is embarrassingly bad. Still, The Fury with its telepathic visions, its pulse pounding score by John Willams and Richard H. Kline's elegant deep focus cinematography is superior to junk like The Eyes of Laura Mars. De Palma pulls out all the stops and creates some spectacularly over-the-top scenes. Faults and all, The Fury is more entertaining, and less pretentious and derivative than most of De Palma's more recent efforts to say nothing of Dressed to Kill, Body Double, Obsession, Wise Guys, Carlito's Way, Raising Cain, and The Bonfire of the Vanities.

A man discovers that his telekinatic son has been kidnapped and is being exploited for his powers. He seeks the help of a young woman who has similar powers to help him locate his son, but it might be too late, because with each growing day he becomes more violent and out of control.

Ambitious horror/suspense film is perhaps one of the scariest, most disturbing and violent films ever released into mainstream America. It reaches tremondous heights for a film in this genre, because of the terrific performances from everybody in the entire cast, top notch direction, superb score, and sensational editing that keeps things tight and never lets the suspense to ever lag. A masterpiece for the horror genre and one of De Palma's best.

Rated R; Extreme Graphic Violence, and Profanity.

THE FURY

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Mono

An ex-government agent (Kirk Douglas) enlists the help of a gifted psychic (Amy Irving) in the search for his equally gifted son (Andrew Stevens), who has been kidnapped by a sinister cartel for nefarious purposes.

Dismissed at the time of its release as a mishmash of themes and genres, Brian De Palma's dazzling thriller encompasses Middle Eastern terrorism, government conspiracies, psychic horror, and a series of Grand Guignol set-pieces, orchestrated with pulp grandeur by a director flexing his creative muscles. Highlighted by John Williams' magnificent score (a genuinely eerie composition, one of the best of his career), the film builds slowly and surely to an explosive climax which closes proceedings on a note of absolute screaming hysteria (celebrated and vilified in equal measure by fans and critics alike!). The supporting cast includes John Cassavetes, Charles Durning and Carrie Snodgress, all of whom add gravitas to the material. Look fast for Daryl Hannah in an early pre-stardom role.