Director: George Miller

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Running Time: 120 mins

Rating: 15

Release Date: 14th May, 2015

From the mastermind behind the original 1979 MAD MAX movie, George Miller, comes a quasi-reboot, spiritual sequel in the form of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. With Tom Hardy stepping into the shoes of MAD MAX alumni Mel Gibson, Miller brings audiences back into the mad world of a post-apocalyptic Earth. With humanity broken, water in scarce supply and gasoline ferociously protected; a stark desert rules supreme with petrifying Warlord, Immortan Joe, ruling many of the remaining inhabitants in a psychotic bid to repopulate the Earth with perfect children.

Within the scorching desert lives Max, one man haunted by his past, with survival the only thing allowing him to cling onto some form of reality. While wondering the desert and munching on some mutilated reptiles, Max is captured by the Warlord’s broken children and finds himself used as a human blood bank. Through sheer bad luck, the stoic Max soon gets caught up with a group of desperate, but strong women, kept as the Wives of Immortan Joe, lead by the wondrous Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron; as they attempt to flee their capture.

With the narrative being so effectively simple, it was essential for the visuals to truly carry the film; something that feels utterly natural to Miller’s style of filmmaking. Miller so skilfully manages to merge elements of pure mechanical, industrial carnage with a wholly majestic, organic nature. The harsh metal of Furiosa’s War Truck and various other cars and vehicles marries so beautifully with the deathly golden sand and stark environment, so much so that it engulfs its audience in a narrative that goes so far beyond its initial action-adventure expectations.

The female performances, interactions and relationships within the narrative are nothing short of revolutionary. At first glance, one would be forgiven for sneering at the scantily clad Wives (Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Abby Lee, Riley Keough, Courtney Eaton) with their wide-eyed terror, but what Miller manages to develop is five multi-layered, complex individual characters that find their courage so quickly. They each evolve and adapt to their terrifying situation, proving that they’re captives no more. Charlize Theron as Furiosa is an entity in herself, with her performance eclipsing the cast’s already stellar efforts. Her strength and power is completely intoxicating, with her unique ability to be utterly ferocious yet ideally vulnerable. 

Tom Hardy embodies the classic charm and humour of the original Mad Max, while injecting his own stamp of charisma and mystique. His subtle use of facial expression is the perfect example of expressive simplicity, a skill that helps to portray Max’s fragile mind and erratic mental state. Hardy has little dialogue as Max, yet another reason Hardy’s performance style is so ideal for the role. Still; it’s easy to understand why fans of the original cult classic may be slightly disappointed in this trait, despite it working so well for the character. 

Nicholas Hoult as Nux provides a great glimpse into the inner workings of this hostile clan of animalistic subhumans, showing the cruelty that’s rooted deep in the frightening excuse for a society. It is within this society and its mutilated inhabitants that audience’s can bask in the spectacular creativity from the makeup and costume team. So much effort is blatantly apparent within each character, steering away from the possibility of cheesy to grossly plausible and visually grotesque; something that brilliantly engulfs audiences into this post-apocalyptic world.

The editing and sound within FURY ROAD act in an almost hypnotic way, pulling audiences into a trance-like state that corrupts their minds, much like Max and his mad world. Many scenes are sped up ever so slightly, effecting audience’s own sense of reality; tricking eager eyes into double guessing what they may or may not have seen. The music works equally as well, blurring the levels on diagetic and non-diagetic music, aiding to the mania of the dangerous desert. 

Whether the new MAD MAX WILL live up to the high expectations of the original’s loyal fans is completely subjective, but looking at FURY ROAD as its own material; it’s deliciously close to flawless. Each department and performance is pumped with fire and gasoline, igniting the imaginations and enjoyment of its lucky viewers.  

Verdict

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