Mad Max: Fury Road - Review

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Mad Max: Fury Road is quite simply the best film of 2015 so far, and one of the best action films I’ve seen in years. After being dormant for over 30 years, Fury Road marks a long-awaited return to the iconic post-apocalyptic Mad Max series of the 1970s and 80s and re-establishes the series as one of the best there is. No film I’ve seen in cinemas in years has enraptured me so thoroughly and had me in such amazement from the start. Director, George Miller combines so many elements – action, acting, cinematography, effects and even the story - effortlessly and creates a cinematic experience that simply has to be seen. This all may seem like hyperbole, but it truly is this good.

Miller manages to put every CGI-action blockbuster that currently populate the box office to shame, by staging as many of his intense action sequences practically as possible, only adding CGI to enhance shots and to create sequences that are impossible to achieve in real life – for example, the incredible and beautiful sand storm scene. This combined with his sharp direction and the flawless editing by Margaret Sixel makes every action scene as electrifying and audacious as the last, climaxing in the nail-biting final 20-minute car chase where the two sides collide with each other explosively.

Despite the obvious focus on action, Fury Road thrives in the story department as well. Miller and his co-writers, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris have generated a refreshingly simple plot and a vast world populated by well-defined characters. This time, a traumatized Max (Tom Hardy) finds himself caught in the middle of an ongoing chase while aiding Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and the oppressed five wives in escaping as they are chased by the leader of the only-known civilisation, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who wants his wives back to create children to maintain his rule.

The screenplay constantly subverts expectations, firstly through the fact that most of the character’s backstories and the film’s universe are revealed to the audience solely through implication, relieving the film of the endless clunky exposition seen recently in many action blockbusters. Most significantly, the film arguably makes Furiosa the film’s protagonist, as her actions drive forward most of the film’s story and Charlize Theron completely owns the film and creates an excellent action heroine whose gender is both irrelevant and essential to her motivations and actions as she fights ferociously but in order to liberate the five wives from the oppressive and disgusting treatment they received under Immortan Joe.

This is not to say that Max has been sidelined in the film – as many have suggested – as we see the tortured and almost inhuman Max at the beginning learn to trust and work with others again, somewhat restoring the humanity he once had. Tom Hardy is excellent as the brooding loner, filling the role in a different manner to Mel Gibson’s more charismatic portrayal, while maintaining the intensity of the original character. Nicholas Hoult is similarly superb as war boy, Nux as is Hugh Keays-Byrne as the main antagonist, Immortan Joe, who creates a truly loathsome character to root against.

Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that is not only relentlessly exciting and thrilling in its action, but is also a genuine visual feat – seriously it is one of the most beautiful-looking films I’ve ever seen - and much deeper and subversive in its story and characters than what could be expected. George Miller has created a new benchmark for the 21^st century action blockbuster and it does not look like this can be beat anytime soon. 

★★★★★

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