Mad Max: Fury Road
2015 review number 70:
Mad Max: Fury Road: (Action): 78 out of 100: There's no doubt about it. George Miller, the director and co-writer, has made a visual spectacle. What it lacks in dialogue and characterisation, is made up in spectacular action sequences which defy belief. It can be described as a two hour chase movie but what a thrilling chase it is! I must admit I wasn't totally blown away with it like most critics have been, but the action scenes kept me engaged even though the plot, script and character development were a bit on the light side.
This could be pretty much categorised as a reboot of the three Mad Max films from 1979-1985. In this installment just like the other films, water, food and oil are scarce. It's an apocalyptic story where survivors are based at the Citadel, a fortress controlled by a tyrant who goes by the name of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne who also appeared in the original Mad Max). Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads a group of rebels on a daring escape through the Wasteland and teams up with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a loner who seeks justice after the loss of his wife and child. They are pursued relentlessly across the desert by the apocalyptic gangs.
This is probably more Charlize Theron's movie than Tom Hardy's. Her role allows her to be a serious kick-butt action heroine in the mould of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor from the first two 'Terminator' movies and Sigourney Weaver's Ripley character from the 'Alien' franchise. Max is a man of few words so Hardy has to do most of his acting through his facial expressions which he accomplishes.
The high-octane energy more than makes up for the lack of dialogue. Your visual senses will be bombarded with stunts, fights and car chases galore. Credit must also go to cinematographer John Seale for creating a landscape so appealing to the eyes. He must be an early contender for Best Cinematography at next year's Academy Awards. There is some CGI but what makes this a genuine action movie is that most of the scenes are real. Hardcore action fans will appreciate the action shot on location. And what a location it is with the outdoor scenes being filmed in Namibia. The production design also provides a gritty look and accurately represents an apocalyptic world. Although there is some frantic editing, it's justified by a movie of this nature where everyone is on edge.
To make an action movie more thrilling, you need an exemplary music score and this is provided by Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL. From the pounding, pulsating beats of the drums to the lush, symphonic melodies of the orchestra, this score will get you in the mood to fully appreciate the stunts that are also backed by extraordinary sound effects that reverberate in the cinema.
"Mad Max: Fury Road" needs to be seen at a cinema as the visual feast will be lost on the small screen. This is a big budget movie with not a cent being wasted. George Miller has done a commendable job of updating his Mad Max for the 21st century.
Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult
(120 minutes)
Parental advice: Violence and nudity
Additional scene during or after credits: No
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjBb4SZ0F6Q (Movie trailer)
(Reviewed on Tuesday 19th May, 2015)
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