Mad Max: Fury Road

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

Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, is George Miller's attempt to reignite his long dormant Mad Max franchise...and my god does he ever. For the past decade or so, with exceptions such as John Wick, The Bourne Trilogy, and The Raid, action movies seem to be struggling to capture the excitement and enjoyment the genre once held; a tenacity that classics from the 80's and 90's had in spades. George Miller single handedly delivers our saving grace with Fury Road on the back of a spike covered oil rig with a blind zombie playing a fire breathing electric guitar.

Max is a man of few words, but Tom Hardy's talent for portraying strong, silent characters shines through in a gruff but sympathetic performance. He teams up with Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa to save the last 5 hot women in the world from the leader of a powerful cult with a terrifying breathing mask inspired by the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. From there, the chase is on.

Using this simple plot as the setting, we are able to bear witness to one of the most beautifully shot films in years. The world of Mad Max looks absolutely gorgeous, combining awe-inspiring practical effects and landscapes with bold colours brimming from all edges of the frame. These are of course just bonuses in enhancing the primary reason people will love this film, the action itself. I'm happy to report these action sequences are damn near flawless. No shaky cam, barely a hint of CGI, and scenes where we actually feel like our characters are in danger (yes Furious 7 I'm calling you out). Total chaos relentlessly ensues for the majority of the film, but it's chaos you can follow clearly and marvel at. Whether it's one of the explosive car sequences, or one of the smaller emotional moments, Mad Max: Fury Road refuses to let up on tension for one second.

There's a reason this movie is sitting at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is an action movie that will set a precedent for years to come, roaring ferociously at all who may challenge it. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of a genre revolution early in the making.

FINAL VERDICT: Mad Max: Fury Road is a beautifully chaotic display of masterfully executed action sequences with a strong emotional core, and a raw energy unmatched by nearly all of its action genre competition.

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.

The rationale behind the success of 'Fury Road' predominantly lies with director George Miller whose commitment and love for the film series that he's been developing since its first outing in 1979 is evident throughout, and it's pretty obvious that he knows how to craft a damn fine action sequence. Without this passion, the film would have likely stooped as there's not much else in the way of a plot or character development, even though Theron tries her hardest to give us an enthralling new action heroine to be revered. Aside from the aforementioned writing setbacks, 'Fury Road' is a powerhouse in the technical categories. With stunning contradictory cinematography from John Seale giving us a post-apocalyptic world of lavish colour rather than your typical muted tones, a heart-pounding score from Junkie XL and exquisite production design work that rightfully earnt the film an Oscar (one of six) for its spectacular vehicle design.

Rewatching this before Furiosa felt like a cornucopia of action, eye candy and quite simply, madness. It's a film that has a simple plot and premise but is heavy on pretty much everything else from dedicated actors sinking into the madly written lines and plot, gorgeous cinematography, an excellent audio score and the excellent use of practical effects. Seriously it uses such a blend of practical effects within special effects that compliment each other so well you start to believe they're actually in these crazy chase sequences including a ridiculous one through a live sand storm that was wicked to watch unfold. My only complaints would be it could have used a little more complex plot and Max himself could have been in the movie more as a protagonist instead of feeling like a supporting character in a movie with his name in the title. Other than that it's a wild ride from start to finish with almost near non stop action to keep you invested until the climactic, while partially abrupt, finish.