I recently watched Fury Road for the umpteenth time with a friend who had never seen it before, and it was just as amazing as the first time I saw it. This film is one of the greatest action films ever made, and it has definitely deserved all of the praise and awards that came with it. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron crushing it in their roles of Max Rockatansky and Imperator Furiosa is only the start of the great things about this film. While it is a reboot, Mad Max: Fury Road will go down in history as absolutely astounding.
There is so much to rave about, I am not sure where to begin. Tom Hardy is definitely the new Max that we needed in this generation, and he brings a familiar sense of the classic films back to life in this movie. A very soft-spoken but begrudgingly tough survivor, Max finds himself trying to survive in the post-apocalyptic world that we have come to adore. Haunted by the nightmares of the deaths of his wife and daughter, Tom Hardy brings so much life to his character. Seeing Mel Gibson in this role definitely would not have felt right, and Hardy is such a fresh face that he absolutely nails it. He was not the only fantastic role in this film, however, as Charlize Theron plays Furiosa, an ex-war general who abandons her post and fights for what she believes is right. Furiosa is a new character to this franchise, and she stole the show. Theron's immense talent was shown in her quest to save her fellow females from Immortan Joe, the slave-wielding dictator of the citadel. It was absolutely amazing to see Furiosa fight to free her fellow females from becoming full-time breeders of Joe, and it gave me such a sense of hope. Especially in the setting of this movie, it was necessary to see that some people still had a sense of right and wrong.
What I love most about the Mad Max films, besides whatever unbelievable cars and trucks they can come up with, is how simple but effective the plots are. Max is caught by a gang of War Boys who take them back to their citadel, run by Immortan Joe who enslaves women and forces them to bear his children to make more War Boys. Max leaves while still imprisoned by the War Boys, but ends up getting entangled in Furiosa's quest to save the women. They desire freedom and want to go the "Green Place", a safe haven for all women in the awful world. They don't know, however, that the "Green Place" has been gone for years, and they end up fighting their way back to the citadel and taking control. This film has more plots than the others, but their simplicity added together makes for an astounding viewing experience. For example, Nux, played by Nicholas Hoult, is a War Boy turned ally who falls in love with one of the breeders, played by Riley Keough. I personally was so invested in their relationship and wanted to see more of where it could have gone, but Nux sacrificed himself to keep her and the rest of the women alive. These sub-plots are what I personally think make films great, because there is so much potential to flush out more of their backgrounds and learn more of their story. We also got to see stories of the varied civilizations in this Australian desert scene. We saw many different groups who were out to kill Furiosa, and seeing how different their fighting and driving styles were is so visually pleasing. Having played the Mad Max video game, these groups of people are so much more detailed than the movie gave them credit for, but it was awesome to see their canon on the silver screen. And of course, Tom Hardy had to make his seamlessly quiet exit from the citadel in the closing of the film, a classic Max move.
The paramount and most critical aspect of any Mad Max film, however, are the vehicles. It is simply not the same without the bizarrely creative cars, trucks, and gadgets, and this film was no exception. The two main treasures and currency in this world, after all, are gasoline and water. While we saw Max's classic Ford Falcon coupe towards the beginning, before it was hauled away, at least. Some of the most peculiar automobiles were displayed in this film, and we can thank George Miller's creative genius for them. Some of the most eye-popping vehicles were the long pole-vaulters that dipped down and snatched people straight from their cars and many other weird outfitted vehicles that riddled the land. The War Rig driven by Furiosa was a beast to behold, as well. But I think the coolest and most original vehicle in the film was the massive monster truck pimped to carry the flame-wielding guitarist and his drummers. It added that extra flare to the music and vibe that Junkie XL gave us with the amazing orchestral soundtrack. What is so impressive about the stunts and action done in this film, however, is that none of it was CGI. All of the stunts done and cars driven were real, and to put that much effort into each individual vehicle is astounding. It is no wonder why this film won so many Oscars, including Best Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, and Sound Mixing and Editing.
In conclusion, Mad Max: Fury Road is a masterpiece of a film, and is a must-see for any fan of action and adventure. Its plots are subtle but attention-grabbing, and the overall tone of the film is capable of attracting any moviegoer. I love this film, and can not praise it enough.
My Rating: ★★★★★
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