Title: Mad Max: Fury Road
Directed by: George Miller
Screenplay by: Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris, George Miller, and Eric Blakeney
Year: 2015
Thirty years since the last Mad Max movie, and George Miller has returned to helm this fourth installment. I have to say that the trailers for this picture were fantastic. It looked epic and grand. Does the aged Miller still deliver the high energy and madness that the franchise is known for?
The titular Max finds himself in a world without water, rules, or sanity. He gets caught up in a smuggling/rescue mission and he must accompany Imperator Furiosa as they run from Immortan Joe and his army of pale skinned drivers.
When you get right down to it, Mad Max: Fury Road has a very simple plot. This doesn't always work in film, but here it does. This film deals with a lot of powerful emotion and themes which not only makes up for its simplistic story, but also enhances it. The best thing about the story is that it is easy to follow. The heroes need to get from point A to point B whilst being chased by the bad guy. Complicated stories have the tendency of getting their story lines all tangled up rather than nicely and neatly laid out. Mad Max: Fury Road is very streamlined in its approach to storytelling, essentially making it an extended car chase when viewed as a whole.
Tom Hardy has really made name for himself these past few years and he continues this trend by taking up the role of Max Rockatansky. Hardy is fully committed to being an action star and, though he gets very little dialogue in the film, he does the job well. Although Max is the name in the title, this is really Furiosa's story, played magnificently by Charlize Theron. The film requires the most from her and she certainly delivers. She is both the narrative and emotional core of the story, as she is both the cause of the conflict and the source of emotion. Nicholas Hoult also impresses as the War Boy known as Nux. He brings a certain insanity yet clarity to the character. We understand his motivations and he arguably undergoes the most change as a character. At first, he is just like all of the other War Boys. But, without giving much away, he gradually changed over the course of the film.
By far, one of the best things about Mad Max: Fury Road is the insane amount of action it offers. This movie is really just one large action set piece, that being a long car chase. The action is spectacular due to its dynamism, camerawork, and practicality. Though just about every action scene takes place during a car chase, it never gets repetitive. In the first one, Max is tied to the front of a vehicle as Furiosa tries to get away with Immortan Joe's wives and ends with a colossal storm. Another one has War Boys on top of long flexible poles picking people up or using the poles as a method to jump onto other vehicles. It's things like this that keep the action fresh and makes the action dynamic. The poles for instance add another level to the scene; there are things going on above the vehicles. The cinematography perfectly complements the action. Never resorting to bad "shaky-cam," the cinematography is filled with plenty of wide, beautiful shots and most of the action is in focus, which can be rare nowadays. Finally, the use of practical effects and really great stunt work makes the action believable. Though a few digital effects were used to add things to the background, the explosions and stunts on screen are genuine. Mad Max: Fury Road elevates the action genre to new heights. Because of all these factors, the action is intense, energetic, and will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat, gripping the arm rest tightly as you worry for the safety of the characters you have come to love.
One very surprising factor of this film is the emotion it brings. I did not expect a movie titled Mad Max: Fury Road to bring a dramatic story to the table. And it is not shoe horned into the movie, it really does work. The pathos surrounds Furiosa and her motivations and ultimate goal. I don't want to give anything away, but I love when she suffers her breakdown because it is done in one glorious shot that sums up everything perfectly. You care for her character and understand the pain that she goes through. That is not to say that Max doesn't have an emotional story, as he does. However, it is told through flashing images that haunt him. These images are of people that he was unable to save. However, this is not really spoken of in the film so as not to detract from Furiosa's story. But the images of these people are enough to tell us Max's story and do so effectively.
Junkie XL did the music for this flick and it is extremely fitting. The score is bombastic, loud, and energetic. It fits the style of the movie and really shines during the action scenes. The music slowly builds as the armies gain on the War Rig. It begins to get loud when the action begins. As the action gets more intense, so does the music, until it becomes as explosive as the vehicles exploding on screen.
Miller proves that his directing has not lost its touch. This movie is beautifully shot and expertly handled. The long camera pans allow the scale of the Wasteland to settle in with the audience and the slight tinting gives the movie a polished feel to it. The use of eye trace is unbelievably good. The camera never allows the audience to become lost in the chaos with clever use of camera work and framing. Mad Max: Fury Road also has a sort of classic vibe to it. For instance, the film uses cuts to black to signify transitions between acts, which is a very nice touch. The use of practical effects and stunt work harkens back to 80's action flicks, in a good way. Miller also understood that there needed to be breaks between the action set pieces. For instance, after the first one, we see Max half buried in the sand as he very slowly rises. Small scenes like this go a long way in terms of pacing.
What separates this film from simply being a modern action gem and instead being an action classic is its use of visuals. Mad Max: Fury Road does not have much dialogue when compared to most movies. There are extended sequences with barely a line spoken. The story is told through visual imagery, the foundation of film. From the beginning, we understand everything about the villain because of how he prepares to meet his people. We understand the situation simply by looking at the scenery and the people that inhabit it. While there is dialogue in the film, it isn't used much to tell the story, but more to enhance the characters, which is brilliantly done. In fact, I am convinced that if all dialogue were taken out of this movie, it would not change one bit, save for the fact that we would be lacking the oh-so quotable lines it provides. The story and characters are defined by the visuals. This is a silent movie at its core, simply embellished with quirky yet slick dialogue. And speaking of the dialogue, there are many quotable lines, too many to count, such as:
"Oh what a day...what a lovely day!"
"I live, I die. I live again!"
"Witness me."
"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die historic on the fury road."
"I am the scales of justice, conductor of the choir of death!"
...and tons more.
When making this film, George Miller had the idea of making it a huge road war. On that note, I would say he succeeded. Mad Max: Fury Road boasts some of the best action to grace the silver screen and might just be the best action movie of the century. It has wonderful characters and absolutely gorgeous scenery (the sand storm at the beginning being a particular standout). Miller's direction is masterful and the action hits hard, leaving you exhausted when leaving the theatre. What I found interesting was that Max was hardly ever the focus of the movie. He was more the observer of Furiosa's story, which works really well. Though I have gushed over this movie, I must say that it is not for everyone. This picture is completely mad, it's insane. There is one vehicle with many huge amplifiers on it and a War Boy playing a guitar that shoots fire at the end of it. If you are on board with that idea, then you will love this movie. Mad Max: Fury Road has mastered the visual medium, which is one of the highest compliments I can give a movie. It tells its story through its visuals and only uses dialogue when it deems necessary, which is what a film should do. And the dialogue we are given is used to enhance the story while also providing us with lines we will be quoting for years to come. I cannot recommend Mad Max: Fury Road enough. It is easily the best film of the year, so far. "Oh what a film...what a lovely film!"
Grade: A+
One very surprising factor of this film is the emotion it brings. I did not expect a movie titled Mad Max: Fury Road to bring a dramatic story to the table. And it is not shoe horned into the movie, it really does work. The pathos surrounds Furiosa and her motivations and ultimate goal. I don't want to give anything away, but I love when she suffers her breakdown because it is done in one glorious shot that sums up everything perfectly. You care for her character and understand the pain that she goes through. That is not to say that Max doesn't have an emotional story, as he does. However, it is told through flashing images that haunt him. These images are of people that he was unable to save. However, this is not really spoken of in the film so as not to detract from Furiosa's story. But the images of these people are enough to tell us Max's story and do so effectively.
Junkie XL did the music for this flick and it is extremely fitting. The score is bombastic, loud, and energetic. It fits the style of the movie and really shines during the action scenes. The music slowly builds as the armies gain on the War Rig. It begins to get loud when the action begins. As the action gets more intense, so does the music, until it becomes as explosive as the vehicles exploding on screen.
Miller proves that his directing has not lost its touch. This movie is beautifully shot and expertly handled. The long camera pans allow the scale of the Wasteland to settle in with the audience and the slight tinting gives the movie a polished feel to it. The use of eye trace is unbelievably good. The camera never allows the audience to become lost in the chaos with clever use of camera work and framing. Mad Max: Fury Road also has a sort of classic vibe to it. For instance, the film uses cuts to black to signify transitions between acts, which is a very nice touch. The use of practical effects and stunt work harkens back to 80's action flicks, in a good way. Miller also understood that there needed to be breaks between the action set pieces. For instance, after the first one, we see Max half buried in the sand as he very slowly rises. Small scenes like this go a long way in terms of pacing.
What separates this film from simply being a modern action gem and instead being an action classic is its use of visuals. Mad Max: Fury Road does not have much dialogue when compared to most movies. There are extended sequences with barely a line spoken. The story is told through visual imagery, the foundation of film. From the beginning, we understand everything about the villain because of how he prepares to meet his people. We understand the situation simply by looking at the scenery and the people that inhabit it. While there is dialogue in the film, it isn't used much to tell the story, but more to enhance the characters, which is brilliantly done. In fact, I am convinced that if all dialogue were taken out of this movie, it would not change one bit, save for the fact that we would be lacking the oh-so quotable lines it provides. The story and characters are defined by the visuals. This is a silent movie at its core, simply embellished with quirky yet slick dialogue. And speaking of the dialogue, there are many quotable lines, too many to count, such as:
"Oh what a day...what a lovely day!"
"I live, I die. I live again!"
"Witness me."
"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die historic on the fury road."
"I am the scales of justice, conductor of the choir of death!"
...and tons more.
When making this film, George Miller had the idea of making it a huge road war. On that note, I would say he succeeded. Mad Max: Fury Road boasts some of the best action to grace the silver screen and might just be the best action movie of the century. It has wonderful characters and absolutely gorgeous scenery (the sand storm at the beginning being a particular standout). Miller's direction is masterful and the action hits hard, leaving you exhausted when leaving the theatre. What I found interesting was that Max was hardly ever the focus of the movie. He was more the observer of Furiosa's story, which works really well. Though I have gushed over this movie, I must say that it is not for everyone. This picture is completely mad, it's insane. There is one vehicle with many huge amplifiers on it and a War Boy playing a guitar that shoots fire at the end of it. If you are on board with that idea, then you will love this movie. Mad Max: Fury Road has mastered the visual medium, which is one of the highest compliments I can give a movie. It tells its story through its visuals and only uses dialogue when it deems necessary, which is what a film should do. And the dialogue we are given is used to enhance the story while also providing us with lines we will be quoting for years to come. I cannot recommend Mad Max: Fury Road enough. It is easily the best film of the year, so far. "Oh what a film...what a lovely film!"
Grade: A+
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