Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road

Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz

Directed by George Miller

Synopsis:
Max (Tom Hardy) is alone on the road, having lost his family and trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where gas is in short supply, and people are suffering from different diseases.  He is captured by Immortan Joe's (Hugh Keays-Byrne) men and is used to transfer his blood to sickly Nux (Nicholas Hoult).

While going on a supply trade, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) revolts, going on the run with Immortan Joe's wives, and he launches a full-scale assault.  Nux uses Max as a hood ornament as he still needs his blood, and in the chase Max manages to escape and joins Imperator, who wishes to bring the innocent wives to the Green Place, where she was born before she was taken, all the while being tailed by Immortan Joe's men.

Review:
Thirty years after Beyond Thunderdome, 70 year old director George Miller returns to what made him famous, as he directs the next installment in the Mad Max series.  This time, instead of Mel Gibson, Max is played by Tom Hardy, best known for his role as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises."  Hardy adds a new breath of life to the series, and was a brilliant replacement for a film such as this.

Charlize Theron shines in this film, as she does in pretty much everything she does.  Her no-nonsense approach to going up against her enemies heralds the greatest femme fatales, such as Ripley and Buffy Summers.

While the film hints at a feminist theme (funny that it's going up against "Pitch Perfect 2" and having it listed a as a manly film, when the majority of the lead roles are women), there's really no hidden agenda or deeper theme than just plain survival.  You strip away the stunning chases and intense action sequences, and you really got nothing left, but that's alright.

When it comes to filming style, "Fury Road" harkens back to the olden days before CGI was the main go-to, and instead it relies on good old fashioned effects, incredible makeup and costumes, and stunning scenery.  Filmed entirely in the Namibia desert, Miller gives an unflinching look at what the world might look like, and in a way that's entirely not done in other apocalyptic films.  Instead of greyed images and toned-down colors, he makes the scene explode in brilliant, vibrant colors as well as explode in...well...explosions.

The main thrust of the film is the desire to escape from a villainous dictator, and it does so in one super long chase that includes several cars, lots of fire, a guy playing guitar with fire coming out of it, explosions, motorbikes, and even an army of total butt-kicking senior citizen females who could teach today's women a thing or two.   Seriously, the old ladies in the film are the unsung stars, as they shoot with pinpoint accuracy, effortlessly traverse the vast desert, and offer no-nonsense advice.  They were truly amazing.

Summary:
Looking for a story?  Won't find it here.  Looking for two hours of amazing effects, intense action and shocking moments?  This is the film for you.

My Rating: A-