Mad Max: Fury Road: A Review … !

5th October, 2015.

Now, it has to be said, I like a film or two, now and again.

Who doesn’t?

After all, I think part of what makes us all human is a desire to tell — and listen to — stories.

All the way back from when — as cavemen/women/persons — we sat around a fire, telling each other of gods and monsters.

All the way to now: when an account with Netflix, Sky or iTunes has replaced the communal fire.

And gods, monsters, myths and legends have been replaced with other things.

Personally … ?

Personally, I’m the same: I like a tale or two.

As, I suspect, do you.

We like stories.

TV.   Books.   Hell, poetic epics!

Oh … and as I think I’m trying to say … movies.

I’ve been looking forward to one for a while, now.

The fourth member of the Mad Max franchise.

The George Miller directed, 2015, film that is … 

Mad Max: Fury Road.

And, yes: I think ‘Nice’ may be under-selling it … 

~≈fi≈~

Set in the same universe as previous members of the franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road re-introduces us to Max Rockatansky*: widower, former cop, and survivor in a post-nuclear meltdown Australia.

At the start of the film?

Max is captured by War Boys: members of a cult led by the villainous Immortan Joe†, who heads one of the few parts of the world with a functioning water supply.

Max is captured, and used a live, transportable, blood donor.   For a War Boy called Nux‡.

As Nux, along with the rest of Joe’s army chase Imperator Furiosa^: a Lieutenant of Joe’s who’s attempting to flee.

It’s only when Furiosa temporary evades capture she stops for a respite, we realise she’s escaped with five of Joe’s slave concubines.

And found that Max, and a badly injured Nux, have caught up with them.

She only realises the pair will come in handy … ?

After a while … 

~≈fi≈~

Now … 

Nice?

Yes, that’s certainly underselling Mad Max: Fury Road.

I realise many will criticise big-budget blockbusters as simple money-making exercises.

Which, to an extent, is a valid point to make about ANY such film: Hollywood is, after all, a business and exists to make a profit.

However?   I can certainly agree that Mad Max: Fury Road is there to make a profit for its producers.

And, in this case?

I think this film does so by being very good.   Mad Max: Fury Road tells us its story visually: showing us its characters thoughts and feeling with minimal dialogue, but extensive use of looks, expression, and glances to camera.

On top of that … ?

It takes visual spectacle — the car chases that are the hallmark, in part, of the franchise — to new highs.   AND features one hell of a strong character, in the shape of Furiosa^.

Personally?

If you don’t see Mad Max: Fury Road, you’ll be missing a very good film …

Mad Max: Fury Road
★★★★

*        Played, this time around, by Tom Hardy.

†        Hugh Keays-Byrne: who made his first appearance in the franchise, in the original Mad Max: he’s Toecutter.   (I watched this one thinking, ‘Oh, yeah … HIM!’)

‡        Nicholas Hoult.

^        Oscar winner, Charlize Theron.   Critics have raved about both Theron’s performance as Furiosa.   I don’t blame them.   Mad Max: Fury Road is not about Max: it’s about Furiosa.   Max only has his name over the proverbial door, as he is, effectively, the narrator: he’s telling us Furiosa’s story.   Frankly?   I don’t know if Ms Theron will get a second Oscar gong for this film.   I couldn’t tell you, one way or the other: I’m NO film expert.   But, between the script, Miller’s direction, and her performance?   I think Ms Theron’s created one of THE characters.   That deserves recognition.