Writer/Director: George Miller
Co-writers: Brendan McCarthy and Nick Lathouris
Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult
‘Madly Entertaining’
Is it just me or is George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” not nearly as great as everyone is making it out to be? Currently sitting at a sky-high rating of 98% on the popular website Rotten Tomatoes, and already hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all-time, critics and audiences alike have been won over by this film. Talk about creating a conversation, because this big-budget action blockbuster has captured the attention of not just teenage fanboys but also senior citizens longing to be bought back to the time when they first saw the original. It has taken director George Miller 15 years to bring this latest installment to the big screen. The question, however, is was the wait worth it?
To some degree, yes. Kicking off Summer 2015 with an adrenaline rush to the senses, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is an intense, action-packed and highly exciting film that offers everything one could possibly ask for from a Summer Blockbuster. Literally everything. From fast-paced, heart-pounding action sequences to a world created with imagination and a significant investment of time, there’s no denying the thrills that this action-blockbuster offers. Like sitting in the front row of a Rock Concert, with the screeching noise of electric guitars and noisy cheers of fans gone absolutely crazy, it grabs your attention from the first minute and doesn’t let go. What it lacks, however, is a clear sense of story and characters. Amid the breathtaking action set-pieces, the mere thought of a story gets lost in the shuffle. The result is a film that’s worth watching for its style but leaves much to be desired when it comes to substance.
That’s not to say, however, that 15 years of filming went to waste. Of course, not. On the contrary, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is one of the most exciting movies of the year. Fans of the Action genre are in for a treat, and so is everyone else, as long as they don’t expect to be engaged by a story. Set in an apocalyptic world where all hope is lost, the plot follows the adventures of Max (Tom Hardy) and Furiosa (Charlize Theron). Both rebellious warriors in the search for redemption, their goal is to bring down the established order and find happiness in a world ruined by mass destruction.
So ensues one nail-bitingly intense car-chase after another where the stakes reach dangerously high peaks. So much so, that you can hear your the sound of your heart pumping in genuine excitement. In creating this mood, atmosphere and imaginative world, director George Miller is an expert at the top of his game. Returning to the Mad Max franchise after a hiatus of 30 years, the 70 year-old director makes a stunning comeback to the big screen with “Mad Max: Fury Road”. At a first glance, it may be hard to believe that a director who is way past his prime could make a film of such gigantic scale. However, regardless of his age, Miller has poured his heart and soul into this project.
If there’s anything that this director knows how to do extremely well, it’s entertain an audience through action-sequences. Like the composer of a music orchestra, George Miller doesn’t just create action he takes the meaning of the word ‘action’ to another level. Meticulously staged with an eye for detail, the action set-pieces are some of the most impressive to ever grace the silver screen. The amount of effort, and investment of time, put into the action sequences is simply astonishing. Perhaps most surprising, however, is that they are vastly different from the action seen in recent blockbusters (ex. the “Transformers” franchise). Instead of only being a collage of explosions, the action is used to enhance the storytelling.
Without a talented cast of actors, however, the action may have been meaningless. Thankfully, though, this is not the case with “Mad Max: Fury Road”. It features committed performances all around, particularly from it’s leading stars who carry the film a magnetic presence.
Although the advertisements for this movie have shined the spotlight on Tom Hardy as the leading star, the film ultimately belongs to Charlize Theron. As a fearless woman searching for hope in the darkest of worlds, Theron delivers a powerful performance that resonates on an emotional level. Known for going through great lengths to play characters, the actress undergoes an impressive transformation to take on the role of Furiosa. With a shaved head and muscular physique, she shows a great commitment and dedication to her craft that few actresses today have. Most importantly, however, this is a performance that proves that there can be strong female characters in action movies. It also shows that, if given the opportunity, actresses can make a huge impact in action movies instead of being sidelined as ‘the damsel in distress’.
Tom Hardy is very well-cast, but slightly shortchanged in the role of Mad Max. Physically imposing and intimidating, Hardy uses his facial expressions to make an impression. However, due to minimal dialogue and a lack of character development, he isn’t given much to do other than look angry on the outside. Max is revealed to be a tortured character with a haunting past, but beyond this we find out very little about him at all. It’s always a joy to see Tom Hardy onscreen, yet one can’t help but get the feeling that he could’ve been given so much more to do.
Sadly, this ends up being one of the main faults of “Mad Max: Fury Road”. By giving undivided attention to the action sequences, it seems as if director George Miller almost forgets about character development. Apart from Furiosa, who gets an emotional backstory, the rest of the characters lack personality. It’s not that their motivations aren’t clear, but that we’re almost given no reason to care about them at all! If you don’t care about what will happen to a character when their life is in grave danger, it takes away from the emotional impact of an action film. For any action movie to work, you have to be able to root for the characters. In this regard, George Miller’s blockbuster comes up short.
If you’re able to look past these problems, however, in the end this is a rollercoaster ride that’s well worth your time. Perfectly paced at 2 hours with no dull moments to spare, and featuring an electric soundtrack that amplifies the tension, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is simply too exciting of a movie-going experience to miss.
See it for the style, as long as you’re willing to forgive the lack of substance.
3.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 
You must be logged in to post a comment.