Perhaps one of the most anticipated and hyped of the summer blockbusters, Mad Max: Fury Road descends upon us nearly 30 years since we last saw the title character. While the third film was generally well received upon its release, it didn’t match the universal adoration that was heaped upon The Road Warrior. For years, it seemed as though the series had ended with Beyond Thunderdome.
But then it was announced that series creator/writer/director George Miller had a script for a fourth film and that the apocalyptic wasteland that we had come to know was going to be revisited. And now that time is upon us as Fury Road is set to hit theaters in a blaze of explosions, insanity, and more than a little anarchy.
Mad Max: Fury Road tells the story of Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) and his journey through an apocalyptic wasteland with Furiosa (Charlize Theron), who is trying to save several former female captives, known as the Five Wives, from the cult-like leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Driving through the desert in a monstrous truck known as the War Rig, the group aim to fend off hordes of war parties who aim to take back these captives, who were being used for breeding purposes.
The first thing I noticed about this film was that it’s absolutely gorgeous. Some of the shots are absolutely dazzling, such as the sandstorm that has been seen often in the trailers. There is also fantastic usage of color. Considering that the vast majority of the film takes place on the open road, the only sources of natural light are from the sun, which bakes everything in harsh oranges, yellows, and reds, and, at night, the stars and moon, which gives a beautiful ethereal blue. In a way, the colors used call to mind the giallo works of Dario Argento.
I would comment on the acting but the reality of the situation is that this movie relies heavily upon action, to the point that each character has minimal lines. Honestly, Tom Hardy probably had to memorize one page’s worth of lines for the entire film, most of which were two to three words. In a way, however, this is very refreshing. There isn’t any absurd exposition that made me roll my eyes nor is there vast amounts of dialogue to fill empty space. In a movie packed with this much action and ferocity, those moments of silence are little treats that allow us to recoup and catch our breath.
Speaking of the action, this film pretty much never lets up. What’s most impressive about the action is how real it is. While it would have been very easy to CGI the majority of scenes, they went the opposite route and actually built these Frankenstein-esque vehicles (which are worthy of every praise possible) only to obliterate them wholly. Because of the actual physical presence of the cars, and the people that drive them, the damage done feels so much more destructive and, as a result, exhilarating. To say that the action scenes in this film are thrilling is an understatement.
Many times the audience laughed when they saw certain villains, such as the now wildly popular guitar player who rides upon a truck with a front built of speakers. While this sounds absurd on paper, it’s no more or less absurd than many other visuals in the film. In a way, that’s what makes this movie so charming. Nothing feels out of place in this world because everything is over-the-top anarchy and chaos.
Additionally, that insanity plays into the fact that nothing in this world is sacred. There’s a scene involving a baby, led by Angus Sampson (Tucker in Insidious) and the entirely callous manner in which it’s approached is actually rather shocking.
Special attention and praise needs to be placed upon composer Junkie XL for creating a backdrop that is bombastic, thrilling, and amplifies the action greatly. The orchestral and almost operatic approach created a nearly religious experience, the music an adulation to the heavens as the apocalypse waged upon the Earth.
I saw the movie in 3D and I want to state that there were very few gimmicks thrown in. In fact, I can only think of one specific scene where it felt totally designed for 3D audiences. Rather, the 3D is meant to immerse you into the world, to put you into the center of the action and it’s damn effective.
One of the biggest things I need to recommend when watching this film is to remember just precisely what kind of movie you’re going in to see. This is not something that is going to riddle your brain or demand your intelligence. This is action, pure and simple. You’re meant to sit back and enjoy the ride.
The Final Word: Forget Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road is the action event of the summer! It’s a total throwback to the action films of the 80’s, where fast zooms and real explosions brought you to the edge of your seat. This is one of those moviegoing experiences that ruins other films and will have you begging for more. If this is indeed the beginning of a new era for “Mad” Max Rockatansky, the future is very bright.