I haven’t really seen the previous Mad Max films but I
was aware of them. It wasn’t through lack of interest that I hadn’t gotten to
them it was always just something on my list for later. That said when the
trailer came out for Fury Road I found myself to be very excited since it
looked like a really over the top action flick. My surprise came when the
reviews started to come out and each one of them gave the film perfect scores.
My excitement doubled to see this film. So did the film live up to the hype?
Let’s review Mad Max: Fury Road.
The
Negative
The film is a massive action set piece with very little
breathing room. That said when the film actually does take a moment to stop and
collect itself the entire pacing comes to a dead crawl. This pause isn’t
unwarranted as it took a lot of effort on the part of our heroes to reach this
point but at the same time it almost singlehandedly derails the momentum the
film had going. I’m not sure how the film could have reached this point without
killing the speed but as it is now this moment just feels out of place.
Everyone has gone mad. I mean that is the point of a Mad
Max film after all but what I really mean is sometimes it becomes impossible to
really invest yourself into this world because absolutely everyone in it has
gone bonkers. Even when you think you are following completely sane characters
in their venture for freedom, the film goes out of its way to remind you that
they all have sanity issues and that is the only reason some of them are
surviving at all.
The
Positive
Everything has gone mad. Yes it can be a positive as
well. The main driving force behind the Mad Max universe is that with everyone
being insane you are going to witness some of the most insane action sequences.
I simply must applaud director George Miller for his mastery in executing some
of the most over the top and death-defying car stunts ever put to film. You do
wonder how they pulled the majority of these stunts off with CGI being used to
a bare minimum within this feature.
This film is a marvel to look at. Between the high octane
stunts and the gorgeous desert landscape, this movie captivates the audience. I
honestly didn’t want to remove my eyes from the screen for even one second in case
I missed another fantastic site to gawk at. Director George Miller has stated
that he is releasing a version of the film that will be entirely in black and
white. I’m really intrigued to see this version and how the new dynamic will
change up the visual splendor this film provides.
One of the greatest aspects of this movie is the acting.
Of particular note is Tom Hardy’s Mad Max who has surprisingly little dialogue
yet says so much through simple gestures or looks. Max’s story arc of
redemption is very subtle but one that is accomplished wonderfully. Nicholas
Hoult also turns in a rather bizarre performance of War Boy Nux, but one that fits
perfectly within this world. It is Nux’s story arc that really gives us a
glimpse into how the main villain operates. The true star of the film is
Charlize Theron’s performance as Imperator Furiosa. Theron’s performance
commands every scene she is in and honestly eclipses everyone else in the film.
In Conclusion
I think that Fury Road lived up to a ton of the hype that
it had going when it first came out. I also feel that the film probably isn’t
as perfect as many critics make it out to be. This movie is a marvel to behold
with insane stunts and wonderful performances by the entire cast. The issue
being if you’re not into action films with insane over the top stunts performed
by equally insane characters; this film is just not for you. I can see a great
number of people not enjoying this film simply put because it’s not what they
are into. For those who have been looking for a masterful work of art within
the action genre, this is exactly what you have been waiting for. 4.2 out of 5.
