The Fury

R

Released Mar 10, 1978

1h 58m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

List

80%

30 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) from his son, Robin (Andrew Stevens), the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress (John Cassavetes), who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian (Amy Irving), a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

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Critics Consensus

Brian De Palma reins in his stylistic flamboyance to eerie effect in The Fury, a telekinetic slow burn that rewards patient viewers with its startling set pieces.

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Jeff M

Had I not known better, I would have sworn this had to be based on a Stephen King novel! It feels like a perfect integration of CARRIE and FIRESTARTER. But the screenplay and the book on which it is based were written by John Farris. I find the topics of telekinesis and psychic phenomena and that sort of thing absolutely fascinating. The aforementioned CARRIE may be my favorite horror movie of all time. And during the middle sections of this film, I was halfway enthusiastic. However, it takes a good 45 minutes in the beginning to pick up steam, and the last 10-15 minutes are nothing short of horrendous. This is one of the worst endings to a movie ever. I personally would have liked to see Douglas' role excised (it's basically a glorified supporting performance) and see the focus shifted more to Irving and Andrew Stevens, who plays Robin. If crying and widening your eyes are an art form, then Irving is Picasso here. One of the pleasures for me was the quintessential 70s cast with many familiar faces. Look for small parts by Daryl Hannah and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS' Melody Thomas Scott. But this is among my least favorite of DePalma's films - maybe THE least favorite of what I've seen thus far.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/17/24

Full Review

Alec B

De Palma makes the extremely silly screenplay work, emphasizing violent set-pieces over the tedious psychobabble. Also, I appreciate a movie that knows exactly when it should end.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Steve D

Never seems to focus on a protagonist so it never develops any of them.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/14/23

Full Review

M S

A really bad knockoff of Carrie. Amy Irving just couldn't reproduce Sissy Spacek's performance. And not one of Douglas's better films, but we all have to have wrecks in our lives. Why De Palma would want to do what is essentially the same film twice is beyond me. Don't waste your time, watch Carrie instead.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/19/23

Full Review

steve m

Great start to the movie, but slowly died to a government conspiracy movie. Lots of big movie stars, too bad they didn't have better material to work with.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Shioka O

I think De Palma can make it much better. The ending is a great joke! I'm not sure whether he used Kirk Douglas and John Cassavetes effectively. It's pleasure to see them in a picture, though.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/03/22

Full Review

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Brian De Palma

Director

Kirk Douglas

Peter Sandza

John Cassavetes

Ben Childress

Amy Irving

Gillian Bellaver

Carrie Snodgress

Hester

Fiona Lewis

Dr. Susan Charles

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

There’s an ecstatic element in Brian De Palma’s new thriller The Fury: he seems to extend the effects he’s playing with about as far as he can without losing control.

Sep 12, 2023

Full Review

Eric Henderson

Slant Magazine

The movie that draws the deepest line in the sand between De Palma apologists and De Palma maniacs.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 4, 2006

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Brian De Palma's The Fury is a stylish entertainment, fast-paced, and acted with great energy.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Kathey Clarey

Fresno Bee

It's not for the faint-hearted, the impressionable or for children It is for those who enjoy the kind of suspenseful horror film that never quite lets you on the edge of your seat and makes you believe the world it creates.

Aug 5, 2021

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a somewhat forgettable yet mostly watchable thriller...

Rated: 2.5/4

Feb 17, 2021

Full Review

Bernard Drew

Gannett News Service

It is convoluted, confused and confusing. It has a serviceable enough idea for a genre melodrama of this sort but it has not been properly worked out.

Nov 1, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) from his son, Robin (Andrew Stevens), the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress (John Cassavetes), who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian (Amy Irving), a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

Director: Brian De Palma
Producer: Ron Preissman
Screenwriter: John Farris
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 10, 1978, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 58m

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