“Mad Max – Fury Road” Film Review

Mad Max : Fury Road is one hell of a ride. The film is very simple, it’s a straight forward Action film. Despite this there is sufficient character development and depth to the film to make you care about these characters. The Story starts of with our Protagonist Max (Tom Hardy) running away from a band of scavengers in a chase sequence that is epic right from the start. They capture him and hold him captive in the Citadel, a canyon city in which the great unwashed masses await commands (and rations of water) from the all-powerful and all-hideous Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), a ghoulish sicko with a skeleton face mask and his own personal harem of supermodel-gorgeous “breeders.

They use Max as a human blood bag hooked up to an IV to provide fuel to Nux (Nicholas Hoult), one of the hundreds of young “War Boys” feverishly devoted to the cult of Immortan Joe. They’re half-mad warrior-fools who believe Immortan Joe is a god and think his approval will grant them entrance into Valhalla (Norse version of Heaven). Max eventually gets free due to the dim-witted War Boy Nux messing up and taking him out on the road. He forms a partnership-of-necessity with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron, Who looks great as a female action star), who has gone rogue with her precious cargo: thousands of gallons of “Guzoline,” and Immortan Joe’s harem of beauties, one of whom is pregnant with his child. Here is where the story really begins as this unlikely group try to escape from Immortan Joe and his War boys. What follows is a crazy action packed ride from start to finish with breaks in the middle so Max and Furiosa can learn just a little bit about one another, and we can catch our breath.

In an action movie world dominated by cartoonishly over-the-top CGI effects and rapid-fire quick cuts, it’s exhilarating to see so many set pieces and battle sequences filmed in unbroken tracking shots, some breathtaking wide angle views and visceral, gritty close-ups. The varied designs and visuals of all the characters felt so unique . Right from the Immortan Joe with his skull mask & War Boy Nux completely pale makeup to the supermodel brides dressed in sheer linen looking like they just stepped out of a vogue calendar shoot. It’s so ridiculous that it’s great :D.

The war rigs are hybrids of muscle cars, tanks, drag racers and land-speed rocket ships. Enemy soldiers on motorcycles fly through the air like futuristic X-Gamers. Warriors sway back and forth on long poles, swooping in for the kill. Immortan Joe’s fleet includes minions literally banging on gigantic drums, and a thrash metal guitarist strapped to the front of a truck,  just because. It’s all perfectly, wonderfully, fantastically crazy and brilliant at the same time.

If you haven’t seen the film I highly recommend all Action film lovers to definitely watch it and in theaters if you really want to enjoy it. It is a visual treat and has the perfect mix of metal, punk and raw action.

I Give it a