Mad Max Fury Road Review

The missus and I finally got a chance to see Mad Max Fury Road this weekend. I have to say, when the movie first started, I was not in love with it. George Miller really changed a lot with this reboot and I had to tell myself this wasn't the same Max I knew. With that said, once the action began and the story really took off I loved the film. One of the major changes with Fury Road was that the apocalypse occurred because of nuclear war as opposed to a large war that consumed the Earth's resources. Mind you, most of the movie focuses on a small area which has a place called "Gas Town", so in this area fuel is in no short supply. However, the biggest resource that lets people control the wasteland seems to be water. Gas is important still, water seems to be gold in this universe. Even with the changes, the movie is worth your time because of the excellent story telling and action.

Sweet

The story begins with a very feral Max being taken by a group of fanatics that worship Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Burn also played Toecutter in the very first Mad Max, so my girlfriend and I were very happy to see him return to the series even if he had both eyebrows). Joe controls a large population in the desert, not by shear fear, but because he controls the water and therefore controls people. While Max is captured, a caravan is meant to go out for a resupply of fuel from "Gas Town" and bullets from "Bullet Town". This resupply will be headed by a woman known as Imperator Furiosa. When Furiosa makes an abrupt detour into the wasteland, Joe sends his fanatics out to recapture the fuel tanker and bring Furiosa back. Max, who is being used as a blood supply for one of the fanatics, gets strapped to a vehicle and taken along on this mission. Eventually, Max and Furiosa meet after a long chase sequence and the viewers find out why Furiosa was running and who else was with her. I don't want to give anything away because I'd rather you see it than me try to poorly explain what happens.

The mythos of Max has changed but only slightly. Max was still an MFP officer who drove the V8 Interceptor until the world went to ruin. Max also seemed to lose his family but his child was a lot older than the one in the first movie. For a good portion of the movie, Max is "Mad" as in crazy. He hears voice and sees visions which is something Mel Gibson never had (or at least we never saw it) in previous movies. I loved Tom Hardy as Max but I didn't think he delivered dialogue very well. Most of his lines were a series of grunts and short sentences which I guess is okay for someone who is learning to be social again, but it was not aesthetically pleasing to me. I don't even know if that was Hardy's choice or if Miller felt it fit best for the movie. Also, for a movie about Max; a lot of screen time went to Charlize Theron as Furiosa. Max was the vital piece that helps her on her mission, but I felt that she was the hero and not the guy the movie is named after. Regardless, Max is still a big part of the movie and I have no problem with Furiosa sharing the lime light.

You may be tough, she's tougher

I thought the cast of characters was excellent. There were a lot of female characters that really kicked ass in the movie. Surprisingly, feminists are loving this movie because of the amount of powerful woman in it. I think it is great when woman can really be heroic in movies instead of helpless damsels. I don't think Joss Whedon could've done any better writing for the movie in regards to female characters. Nicholas Hoult's character is pretty amazing too which is surprising because the trailer makes him look like he won't be in the movie as a big part. Of course, Immortan Joe was a fantastic villain and was exceptionally terrifying.

A person I wouldn't mess with

Everything in the movie was great. The visuals were breath taking and very realistic (mostly because very few things were cgi). The story was very well written and a great addition to the chronicles of Mad Max. The acting was shockingly decent from everyone, especially since some of the smaller parts of the movie were played by people I personally would not consider great actors. Bravo, Geroge Miller, Bravo!

one of them is a Victoria's Secret model

If you've never seen a Mad Max movie in your life, do yourself a favor and see just this one. I think all of the Mad Max's have something for everyone but this one has what most don't; a solid presentation and great story worth watching. The movie ends perfectly, especially in regards to Max and a sequel is on its way. Go out, if you haven't already, and catch a showing of Mad Max Fury Road. I give this movie, nine gallons of gasoline out of ten. Go ahead and enter the wasteland with Max as your guide.