Mad Max: Fury Road

"Mad Max: Fury Road" is not the sort of film I enjoy and I after watching it, I am not a huge fan though I deeply respect the filmmakers. The reason I even saw it was the insane reaction the public had to this one...and the critical reviews were all surprisingly good. I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about...and try to understand why folks liked it so much. My take on it is that if you enjoy a film that is non-stop amazing action, then this one is for you. As far as the story goes, it's plot is super-thin--but the movie is handled so well and the stunts so amazingly insane that you don't mind. Worth seeing--but I sure wouldn't like to see a lot of films like this. Additionally, it was VERY refreshing to see a film where so many women are NOT mindless objects to be killed or protected--several are about as strong and heroic as Max himself--and no doubt this is why women seemed to like the film so much.

George Miller elevates action and violence to a true art form in this remake of a classic. The film is a gripping full adrenaline race across the desert of a post-apocalyptic future. The action sequences are mesmerizing and the work of a true master craftsman in action. What is perhaps the most enthralling part of the film is the absolutely absurd story and world building. Miller created a fantasy world where men playing flame throwing guitars and leaping through high speed chases on pull-vaults seems like a typical milk run. The movie keeps a relentless action pace that makes all of the absurdity seem so completely ordinary, which might be the real magic of this movie. This is only really possible because the action, filmography, set choices and music are so brilliant you cannot help but believe the insanity that plays out before you. You want to believe the fiction because of the quality of the production. The movie also features some surprisingly good performances. Charlize Theron being the real the star of the film, with the titular character really only acting as her support.

I see a lot of negative reviews for this movie popping up. People complaining that there is a lack of story and character development, and too much action.... too much action? Really? Have these people never seen a Mad Max movie before? How is that a bad thing in a Mad Max movie? Fury Road feels like an 80's action movie, with a preposterously large budget, and it is GLORIOUS. This movie was an epic ride. So many awesome set pieces, incredible car designs, twisted and bizarre costumes and characters, and a lot of really strong warrior women as well.

I've also heard it said that this movie contains a lot of feminism. Strong female characters that kick butt, is not feminism people! There's no anti-men message here. Just a cast which is dominated by more women than men. And about time for a change! Charlize Theron is my new favorite actress after this (it used to be Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton). She really takes the spotlight, and that is about the only criticism I can think of with this movie. It's not so much about Mad Max, but about road warriors in general, and specifically Theron's character. I didn't think Tom Hardy was quite as good as Mad Max as Mel Gibson was, but he wasn't terrible. He just didn't lend enough presence to his character in this movie. Which may be a hard thing to do when the movie does not focus on Max.

Special mention should also be given to all the side characters. The villains are enjoyably menacing, especially Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe, John Howard as the People Eater, Richard Carter as the Bullet Farmer, and I also loved Melissa Jaffer as the leader of a gang of elderly motor ladies.

Go see this movie if you like Mad Max!

The opening is wild, kicking off with a captivating start. I think everything about this movie is perfect: the visuals, the action, the dialogue, the costumes, the acting... it was both beautiful and apocalyptic. I loved how everything felt like a rock 'n' roll fest.

I love dystopian movies, but you don't have to be a fan to recognize how amazing this was. It's a story of survival in a savage wasteland, every scene felt epic. I liked the cult-like nature and how they glorified their deaths like they were Vikings. Everything was eccentric and crazy, with non-stop action for nearly the whole movie.

It's really dystopian and wild, so it's surprising that this was actually a mainstream hit. "Do not become addicted to water" was such a wild statement, lol.

The premise is very simple; I don't think I can think of a more simplistic movie that worked so well. They drive out into the desert, then make a U-turn back to where they came from. That's it. And it's a blast. This is my favorite action movie, jam-packed with crazy sequences.

The movie is really just one huge dystopian action sequence, so I guess the drawback could be that it's all action. If you're looking for something more, you won't find much. Apparently, Mad Max lore has some complex and darker elements, and maybe the upcoming Furiosa will delve deeper into that.

Furiosa was probably the main character; it felt like Mad Max himself was just tagging along. The villain, Immortan Joe, was great. All the characters are memorable. And because the premise is so simple and the movie is so action-packed, it feels shorter than it actually is. It's just great fun and keeps me glued to the screen. Looking forward to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

I was left speechless when this finished. It can be hard to describe indeed.... but I'll go for it... Sheer madness that isn't sullied by bad acting or laughable lines. A blockbuster that is gritty and doesn't have a sense of humour that could be equated to a fluffy kitten. No 'lets all hug' sentimental BS. This is seriously a movie I thought I'd never see: a CGI-filled blockbuster that I flat out loved. The stunts are so much fun, the FX so great, it is the first movie I have seen where I have thoroughly enjoyed all this type of stuff - probably because the cinematography for once doesn't suffer cos of it. It is all incredibly shot. The action is so brutal and appropriately high-octane. I thought to myself more than once, 'I think I am loving this more than Terminator 2' but other than that, there wasn't time to think. It kicked off fast and barely stopped, and the lulls were amplified by the insanity preceding them. Plus it is a dark film, which made it even better. I many people do an Aussie accent even close to well, was Hardy actually trying for that? Either way, he didn't talk much so it didn't really matter. This is more Theron's movie than Hardy's, he doesn't say much and does next to nothing for the first third or so. Theron's Furiosa is more of the hero is the story, if there were to be a hero in such a grisly and dark world. I don't even like this type of movie but the execution is everything. I'm gonna go see this again, soon. 4.5/5