Mad Max: Fury Road

I know it's only halfway through May, but I'm going to go out on a limb, and say we won't find better action sequences this summer (and possibly this year) than the ones on display in Mad Max: Fury Road.  This is not just a successful reboot/sequel of a franchise that's been dormant for 30 years, it's the very definition of high octane summer entertainment, mixed with some of the most stylish direction I've seen in a blockbuster in a while.  For those of you who were wowed by the implausible and downright ridiculous CG-aided car stunts in Furious 7, this is the real deal, and you have no idea what you're in for.

Here, at long last, is a non-stop action movie that doesn't come across like a hyperactive video game, or an extended technical demo.  In returning to the characters and world that he created with the original Mad Max film back in 1979, co-writer and director George Miller gives us a vast world that seems real and lived in.  It's full of imagination, wonder, interesting characters, and action sequences that put pretty much everything that compares to it to shame.  The movie is essentially a nearly two hour long chase (with a 15 minute sequence in the middle where the characters stop and rest), but what keeps the movie fresh is that Miller has filled his movie with enough visual wonder and stunts we haven't seen before to fill two summer blockbusters.  And unlike your typical Michael Bay film, there is weight, consequence and a sense of drama to the characters involved with the action.  This movie is a true cinematic miracle - It's the fourth entry of a film series, and yet it feels as vibrant and alive as the first film in many action franchises.

Even though the movie almost throws us right into the middle of the action as soon as the studio logos fade out, it's easy enough to pick up on the story and the world, even if you are not familiar with the earlier entries.  The world has become a vast, barren desert where water and gasoline are two of the most precious resources, the second because everybody drives around in souped up vehicles that are unlike anything you've seen, and each are a marvel of design.  One is equipped with a massive sound system on top of the car itself, complete with a man playing the guitar strapped overhead.  One low riding car has various spikes coming out of it, making it look almost like a mobile porcupine.  Each vehicle that makes up the chase scenes in this film are individually designed, and part of the fun is marveling at the individual details, which could lead to repeat viewings.

Tom Hardy steps into the role of Max Rockatansky this time around - A lonely drifter in the post-apocalyptic world who is haunted by the memories of his past, particularly the death of his wife and daughter.  This time, Max gets involved in a struggle against an evil warlord (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who rules a small community of people with an iron fist.  One of the warlord's followers, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) has betrayed him, and escaped with his five wives who he uses for breeding purposes, to keep his colony prosperous.  Furiosa's hope is to guide the five wives across the vast desert to the home she grew up in, a land that is still green and filled with life.  Aided by Max and another one of the warlord's former soldiers, Nux (Nicholas Hoult), Furiosa must stay one step ahead of a vast array of pursuing forces who are aligned with the colony they are fleeing from.

Mad Max: Fury Road feels gritty and raw, because the movie was done with practical effects, instead of CG animation.  This gives the film a sense of realism you just do not get in most big budget movies.  Even more stunning, even though the movie is rapidly shot and edited, every image is crystal clear.  There's not a single instance where the audience finds themselves trying to keep up with the action, and wondering what they're looking at.  This is a downright beautiful film, filled with some of the best stunt driving and stunt work I have ever seen, and a sense that the action is taking place in a world that is lived in and fleshed out.  These characters, while not exactly deep, are fascinating and more than capable of driving the story.  Tom Hardy effortlessly steps into the role of Max, a role previously occupied by Mel Gibson.  The thing is, not once while watching it was I comparing Hardy to Gibson, or even thinking about the older movies.  This is the rare reboot that stands well enough on its own that you're not even thinking about the past entries while watching it.

In terms of the performances, the two standouts are Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult.  Theron creates one of the strongest female leads in an action film since...Well, quite possibly ever.  She comes across as strong without being objectified, and is also sympathetic without lessening the hardened edge of her character.  It's a great character, and Theron gives a female action performance for the ages here.  As for Nicholas Hoult, he is covered in albino-like make up for most of the movie, and constantly seems to be close to flying off the edge.  And yet, he too finds a sympathetic and human part to his character, making his performance surprisingly nuanced.  While no one will argue that this is an "acting" movie (the stunts and special effects are definitely the stars here), we still get some strong performances, and characters that we can actually get behind.

I don't know quite possibly how to stress just what a rush of adrenalin Mad Max: Fury Road is.  It's the kind of action movie where you just forget about everything around you, and are completely absorbed.  It's thrilling, visually amazing, and exciting as hell.  All this from a series that hasn't seen an entry in 30 years.  It's not as if George Miller had lost interest in the franchise.  He had wanted to make this movie for years, but various circumstances have stood in his way.  Now that he's had the chance to make it, he has brought us something so visceral and enormous in its scope, you just have to wonder what the other upcoming blockbusters are going to do to compete.  Am I gushing?  Of course.  But it's hard not to after witnessing a film this much fun and powerful.

Not only is Mad Max the first great summer movie of 2015, it's also the first great movie of the year, as well.

See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!

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