Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
Director: George Miller
Country: Australia | USA
Genre: Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Websites: Official site
Editor’s Note: Mad Max: Fury Road is currently open in wide theatrical release.
Mad Max: Fury Road is an incredible ride from start to finish.
We meet Max (Tom Hardy) in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world. He is an emotionally broken man, wandering the vast desert landscape alone, haunted by sharp and painful flashbacks. We are given no time to ease comfortably into the film before it launches into a stunning, fast-paced opening sequence, with interspersed flashbacks and imagery sometimes reminiscent of a feverish nightmare, where Max is chased and captured by the War Boys of the Citadel, an oppressive community run by Immortan King Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). This chase sequence is merely a prelude to the remainder of the film’s epic-scale chase across the desert, presented in a series of images that are superbly filmed, edited and scored. With excellent performances, incredible stunt coordination, outstanding special effects and moments of emotional relatability, Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that surpasses the label of run-of-the-mill action flick, and demands at least one viewing.
We are given no time to ease comfortably into the film before it launches into a stunning, fast-paced opening sequence, with interspersed flashbacks and imagery sometimes reminiscent of a feverish nightmare.
After his capture, Max is strung upside down in the Citadel, a brutal metal mask covering his mouth. He has become a “blood bank” for the weakened War Boy Nux (Nicholas Hout), a tube feeding Max’s blood into Nux. Outside, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) has rescued five of King Immortan Joe’s “wives” from their dungeon, and has set off across the desert in a gargantuan war rig, promising to deliver the women safely to “The Green Place,” a place that the audience can only imagine must be a vibrant, fresh oasis in contrast to the brutal, dry desert life they have been forced to live in under the Immortan King Joe’s oppressive and maniacal rule. When Nux hears of the King’s pursuit against Furiosa, he straps Max to the front of his vehicle and joins the fleet, determined to die in his King’s honour, and thus attain an enlightenment in death promised by the King, encapsulated in Nux’s gleeful roar: “We live, we die, we live again!”
Perhaps at its most basic level a good guys vs. bad guys action movie, Mad Max: Fury Road defies this simplistic description and unites unexpected characters in their quests, and effortlessly weaves themes of horror, humanity, hope and heartache into its tapestry.
Perhaps at its most basic level a good guys vs. bad guys action movie, Mad Max: Fury Road defies this simplistic description and unites unexpected characters in their quests, and effortlessly weaves themes of horror, humanity, hope and heartache into its tapestry, catapulting this film far above any recent action movies that come to mind. As alliances are formed, characters die in spectacularly orchestrated fashion, and rig after rig crashes, burns, and blows up in stunning visual glamour, be prepared to buckle up and hold on tight; and when the action quells, meaningful dialogue is shared and innocent deaths are beautifully presented, brace yourself for some surprising waves of emotion.
Although Max is the protagonist, Furiosa is the more overtly multi-dimensional character, at once fierce, unforgiving and determined, while also compassionate, gentle and hopeful. It is this final characteristic that divided Max and Furiosa the most, as he bluntly states there is no point in hope; but later we finally get to see the gentle side of Max as he moves determinedly to save a friend. Hardy, Theron, Hoult and Keays-Byrne give powerful performances, and bring to life their uniquely dimensioned characters. A bit disappointingly, the five wives lacked much development, but proved themselves brave and determined, instead of the powerless and weak beautiful female archetype that is so tirelessly paraded in action films.
Mad Max: Fury Road is truly a work of art. The visual effects are nothing short of phenomenal, and for a film with surprisingly little dialogue, it retains the audience’s interest absolutely, and maintains a clear narrative from start to finish. A must-see this summer.
As alliances are formed, characters die in spectacularly orchestrated fashion, and rig after rig crashes, burns, and blows up in stunning visual glamour, be prepared to buckle up and hold on tight; and when the action quells, meaningful dialogue is shared and innocent deaths are beautifully presented, brace yourself for some surprising waves of emotion.
