Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Review

"My world is fire and blood" - Max.

I'll admit, I didn't watch any of the previous Mad Max films before viewing Mad Max: Fury Road. I wanted a genuine impression from a new entry in a series that doesn't require watching the older films. Though director George Miller returns to the series, most of the cast has changed, almost as if Fury Road is more a reboot than a sequel. There were three deciding factors that swayed me to giving the film a watch: lead actors Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, positive reviews from critics, and the decision to champion practical effects over CGI. But how did those factors stack up after viewing the film?

Let's start with the lead actors. We have Tom Hardy as the titular Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa. Both give strong performances, with Hardy's mysteriousness and Theron's strong will making for a dynamic pairing. Hardy has been at the top of his game for years now, and Fury Road looks like another giant step in establishing him as the go-to star for action cinema. But it's not just Hardy's physicality that places him in such esteem. His performance as a man simply looking to survive all the crazy situations thrown at him is at times captivating, and others chilling. Max's goal of survival is emphasised not just by his fighting, but by his dealing with death. Towards the end of one of the many chase scenes, a character in Max's company is ran over. With the other character's in a state of panic and disbelief, Furiosa asks Max if the situation is as bad as they fear. Max simply replies: "she went under the wheels". Furiosa, with her protective nature over the other members of the team, provides the emotional counterpart to Max. Furiosa, however, is also just as strong-willed as Max, with her not afraid to fight him when he first appears to pose a threat to her and her friends. I found both the actor's performances and character dynamics very enjoyable, with a satisfactory development of their personalities as the film progresses.

Critic's reviews of Fury Road were overwhelmingly positive, something that feels like a rarity for a modern, mainstream action film. Much of the focus was on the action itself, but not a great deal was written about the plot. For me, this is the film's weak point. Max and Furiosa encounter one another while Furiosa is escaping with a small group of women from the tyrannical rule of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) in a post-apocalyptic Australia. Don't get me wrong, having such a simple plot of Max and co. on the run from Joe and his cronies provides lots of scope for the action, but there is very little rest-bite in the film's 2 hour runtime. Furiosa's aim of transporting the women to "the green place" isn't explained clearly, and so when Furiosa feels as if she's failed in her goal, it isn't as moving as it should be. The romance between one of the company and Nux (Nicholas Hoult), a stowaway and originally Max's captor, feels forced and isn't given much attention for us to care about their collective fate by the end of the film. 

But yeah, let's talk about the action, seeing as its such a massive plus for the film. If you ever needed proof that practical effects out-do CGI, this film is it. I'm not someone who despises all use of CGI (Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park have incredible effects that add to the story and character), but I feel if something can be done practically, then it should be done that way. It always looks better, and knowing that the majority of Fury Road's chase sequences were done for real, makes them all the more enthralling. In an era when action films overuse CGI, I highly commend Fury Road for its approach. The final chase, where all the characters get their moment, makes for a satisfying climax after all the other action in the film.

The praise Mad Max: Fury Road has received is justified. It offers an old-school approach to the action, as well as well written characters and pacing. The thin plot is the only thing that drags the film down, but with that said, there is still never a boring moment. For fans of action cinema, this one is a must. Hopefully it sets a trend in how Hollywood approaches this genre from now one. "What a film. What a lovely film!"

Pros:
+ Practical effects and incredible action.
+ Intriguing character development of the two leads.
+ Tom Hardy's star will continue to rise thanks to his cool performance as Max.

Cons:
- "Green place" plot is barely explained. A pity, as it seems to have a large impact on Furiosa, but we know so little about it that her emotional moment feels flat.