Mad Max: Fury Road - Review
When Fury Road came out, I was extremely eager to check it out in theaters. The problem being is that having been such a large amount of time since the release of the original films, nobody of my age range had any idea what to expect. After missing the theater release it came to Oscar season. Having been one of very few sequel style films to receive a best picture nomination made it even more intriguing for me. The problem was that I continued to keep passing it by for other less interesting options. I don't necessarily know what initially drew me away from this film, but I regret it to this very day. Fury Road is a film that stands out among it's compatriots even to this day and stands as a tent pole for film making as a whole.
What needs to be discussed straight away is the following: the look of Fury Road. George Miller works fantastically with John Seale to create a production design unrivaled by other films of this area. The desert world of Mad Max while maybe not the most exciting, allows for story-telling and visuals that just couldn't happen elsewhere. Everything about this film is unique even up to the fire flying out of the guitars of men supporting Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), to the very cars they drive. It's outstanding the detail that comes out of this film and I have no question why it was nominated and awarded so many Academy Awards. I have never spent so much time when watching a movie to go back and re-watch scenes for their visual appeal, not their story beats. It's simply magnificent.
What elevates this film even more than just the visuals is the characters that inhabit the world of Fury Road. Max (Tom Hardy) may not be the most well-spoken character ever, but there's a darkness and pain behind his eyes that not even words are needed to express. Tom Hardy has been one of the most consistent actors in recent times and he showed it here. The other character though, that some would argue has an even larger role than Max is that of Furiosa (Charlize Theron). The moral compass for most of the film, there's something about her portrayal that allows you to be more in touch with the story. These two characters play so well off each other I can't help but hope we see more of their chemistry in future films.
When looking at the film, it truly is a continuous sequence following one very central idea: survive. The film is always moving and really is on one rail. That benefits the film so much as it allows it to streamline the general story and create one narrative arc that is just fantastic. Following Furiosa's betrayal of Joe, and the ever continuing chase from the Citadel allows for Max to be integrated easily into a story he could have not even been involved in. Max and Furiosa while maybe at odds with one another for a majority of the story realize they have a common enemy in Joe. The quiet arrangement they make creates a unique bond that doesn't necessarily mean friendship, but you can see how they are impacted by each other's support and it helped me enjoy the film on a new level.
Having never seen a previous Mad Max film, I can't compare it to those films as a better or worse. Standing on it's own though Fury Road is one of the best films I've seen in recent memory. While I may be behind on seeing it, I can still watch it and understand it's impact on cinematography. Seeing it's influence on films from 2016/2017 is great, as you get an even better idea of how film impacts one another. Anyone who simply enjoys action would love Mad Max. But those who enjoy film and it's nuance beyond casual viewing will get even more out of this masterwork.
