The Fury

Brian De Palma directs John Farris' novel like a wizard at a witches convention. Thrills, intrigue and paranormal with vivid violence. Kirk Douglas goes in search for his kidnapped son(Andrew Stevens), who has been snatched by the head of an institute for psychic research. The ruthless boss(John Cassavetes)and his administrative assistant(Charles Durning)are also cultivating the psychic powers of a young girl(Amy Irving). Both young people with their extraordinary mind power can be sold to the highest bidding terrorist organization.

My favorite two scenes happen to be two of the most violent scenes in the movie. The first is where the alluring Fiona Lewis playing Dr. Charles is elevated into the air by Stevens and is set to spinning until she bleeds to death. The second scene that gets to me is in the final moments when Cassavetes gets his just desert.

Douglas is showing his age in this role as the business tycoon, who himself was left for dead. He still proves to pack a punch and hold his own as the lead. Carrie Snodgrass is ho-hum in her role as Douglas' lover and friend of Irving. Her character's demise is also quite violent. Miss Irving is perfection in her young and charming way. Look for Gordon Jump(of WKRP fame)in a small role and yes that is Dennis Franz(of NYPD Blue) early on as the young cop with the brand new car.

Sometimes a little bit slow, but this is your part in earning the big bangs for your bucks. John Williams provides a very haunting score that keeps this thriller thrilling.

'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.

Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) a government agent is betrayed by a fellow friend/agent Ben Childress (John Cassavetes), who kidnapped his son for his psychokinetic powers. Where we learn that a secret US agency is holding him and that he's being used in dangerous mind experiments. So Peter gets help from a girl with similar abilities to locate his son's whereabouts.

I wasn't expecting too much from it after borrowing it off a friend that recommended it to me. After seeing it, it's probably De Palma's most underrated film in my books. It might not have dated that well and the premise of the film might be considered ludicrous now, but it doesn't stop it from being an exciting adventure.

This is a flashy and mostly fast-paced thriller by director Brian De Palma. It does have a couple of slow moments and maybe it was a tad too long, but it's well compensated by superbly tense situations and blistering action sequences, especially in the first opening hour involving Douglas's character when his son is kidnapped and when his hiding out from government agents. There are also some scenes that are not recommended for the squeamish. As some scenes are filled with a lot of blood and more blood. It's rather graphic violence. Not to forgot the whooping and hearting-pounding conclusion. The make-up and special effects throughout the film are truly stunning.

The plot basis is on psychokinetic powers and at times it's rather absurd and incoherent. With some incredibly cheesy moments within the dialogue. Though, the direction is what covers the story's inconsistencies, with great and simply memorable set-ups and some well-shot scenes. The music score is fairly effective in building up the tension and thrills, but also it has an impact in the quieter moments.

There are great performances from the experienced Kirk Douglas (who's incredibly fit for his age and has some physical roles) and Cassavetes, who really boost and add some class to the film. There is such a great chemistry between them and Cassavetes is simply riveting as a conniving agent. Amy Irving was good in her role as Gillian Bellaver, the girl who is having trouble coming to grips with her strong psychokinetic powers. Though, the same can't be said about the rest. As Andrew Steven's as Robin Sandza is incredibly hammy and Carrie Snodgress as Hester is fairly irritating.

I wouldn't class it as one of De Palma's best, but still it's far away from his worst. Overall, it's a fascinating set-up that has its fair share of flaws, but that doesn't disrupt entertainment factor.

Does anyone remember the famous Star Trek episode, one of the earliest ones where an encounter with an anomaly in space leaves Enterprise crewman, Gary Lockwood with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men? If you'll remember he was abandoned on deserted asteroid. The Fury deals with a young man on the way to being another Gary Lockwood.

Young Andrew Stevens has those abilities already, they just need to be focused and developed. Stevens is being raised by his widowed father Kirk Douglas who's a government agent. A raid while they're on vacation in the Mediterranean by some Arab terrorist types allows a ruthless bureaucrat played by John Cassavetes to separate father from son. Stevens believes Dad has died, but Kirk doesn't swallow that so easy.

Kirk's on the hunt for his son and the quest takes him to Chicago where people like Stevens with paranormal abilities are being studied and tested so the USA can have them as a weapon. Carrie Snodgrass and Charles Durning are working there as well. And so is Fiona Lewis who's been given personal charge of Stevens and develops the kid's libido as well as his telekinesis.

Brian DePalma directed this film and it's a good one with outstanding performances by all the cast. Look for a good performance from Amy Irving as another young person with such abilities who literally makes Cassavetes fall apart at the end. And there's a memorable bit from a younger and thinner Dennis Franz before the gain of weight and loss of hair that we all know as Detective Andrew Sipowicz. Franz plays a Chicago police officer who's something of a doofus.

Fans of Brian DePalma in particular and horror films in general will very much like The Fury.