The Fury

Directed by Brian De Palma, The Fury follows Kirk Douglas’ Peter Sandza as he eventually enlists the help of a powerful psychic (Amy Irving’s Gillian Bellaver) to rescue his equally powerful son (Andrew Stevens’ Robin) from the clutches of an evil government agent (John Cassavetes’ Ben Childress). Filmmaker De Palma, working from a script by John Farris, delivers a somewhat forgettable yet mostly watchable thriller that benefits substantially from a predictably larger-than-life visual sensibility, as the movie, shot by Richard H. Kline, boasts a handful of absolutely enthralling set-pieces that go a long way towards smoothing over the frequent bumps in the narrative – with, especially, a rescue attempt that unfolds entirely in slow motion and a sequence set at an indoor amusement park ranking high on the picture’s list of captivating interludes. It’s clear, then, that The Fury‘s far-from-spectacular atmosphere is due predominantly to an overlong running time and heavy emphasis on Irving’s less-than-engrossing protagonist, although, admittedly, such concerns become moot once the film progresses into its action-packed (and impressively violent) climactic stretch – with the unexpected, shocking final few minutes ultimately cementing the movie’s place as a hit-and-miss endeavor from a mostly consistent director.

**1/2 out of ****