David Ayer’s new film, “Fury,” delivers a full-throttle, testosterone-packed, emotionally- charged masterpiece of historical fiction. This epic, edge-of-your-seat drama forces viewers to examine a gruesome spectacle of humanity, and experience method-acting at its finest. The all-star cast was encouraged to physically fight each other and trained for months, living in tents with one another and going through basic military training.

Set in Germany, 1945, “Fury” follows a platoon hell-bent on killing as many Nazis as possible. It opens with a black screen with a quote about how, during WWII, American tank crews were out-gunned and out-armored; they suffered greatly at the hands of the superior German technology. The foreshadowing suggests the main characters won’t survive the ordeal.

There’s the tough-guy, Grady ‘Coon-ass’ Travis (Jon Bernthel); the religious do-gooder, Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan (Shia Labeouf); the war-weary badass, Don ‘War daddy’ Collier (Brad Pitt); the Spanish interpreter, Trini ‘Gordo’ Garcia (Michael Pena); and the rookie, Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman). Mix this amazing cast and you’ve got Hollywood gold.

The dynamic of these men is sensational to behold. Their brotherly bond and undeniable talent bring this tense plot to life.

Beyond the remarkable acting, ferocious special effects dominate and captivate, making the viewer feel like they are a part of the action and experiencing every painful, agonizing and traumatic event. Tanks fire heavy artillery, men are murdered mercilessly, explosions are frequent, lighting the bleak landscape of the desolate, barren fields. Cities crumble, innocent lives are lost. These scenes are all-out-war at its finest.

My favorite scene of the movie is when Sergeant Collier forces Norman to execute his first Nazi. “Why are you here?” Collier asks. “You’re here to kill him. You know why he’s here? He’s here to kill you…” Norman can’t bring himself to do it, and says he’d rather die. Collier wrestles Norman to the ground. He holds a pistol between both of their hands, aimed at the Nazi’s back, and forces Norman to pull the trigger.

There are awkward moments, like when we glimpse the humanity left in these killing-machine characters. They share a breakfast with some German women being held hostage in their own home. I was on the edge of my seat the whole scene, wondering if they were going to rape, murder, and/or torture them. I was compelled to keep watching while squirming uncomfortably in my seat.

Spoiler alert – it ends how most war movies end; with a huge death-count. Boyd quotes a verse from the Bible, evoking tears from the actors and moviegoers alike. It’s a bittersweet and heroic taste of valor in their last moments on earth. Nothing short of genius, this masterpiece is sure to become a classic, and to haunt you long after you leave the theatre.