{"id":3557,"date":"2015-05-19T16:54:39","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T16:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=3557"},"modified":"2015-05-19T16:57:36","modified_gmt":"2015-05-19T16:57:36","slug":"mad-max-fury-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/action\/mad-max-fury-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Mad Max: Fury Road ****"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"mad-max\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For sheer spectacle\u2019s sake, a trip to the rebooted Mad Max<\/em> for 2015 that\u2019s Fury Road<\/em> is worth the ticket price alone \u2013 even in 2D (which this press screening was). Although there are great planes of desert landscape, writer-director George Miller \u2018confines\u2019 us in an even more sinister world than before then attacks our senses on all fronts. As its name suggests, Fury Road<\/em> like an angry virtual reality experience, a never-ending chase scene with no respite or \u2018safe ground\u2019 in sight, all post-apocalyptic terror, but even more frightening as there appears to be no destination in sight.<\/p>\n

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\nRebel Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy reprising Mel Gibson\u2019s iconic role) is caught by the sickly War Boys of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and used by one, Nux (Nicholas Hoult), as his personal, portable blood bank. The War Boys\u2019 world is one where petrol and water are vital currency. When one of their own, tanker driver Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) absconds with Joe\u2019s wives \u2013 one of which is pregnant and expected to bear a healthy baby (played by Rosie Huntington Whiteley), the War Boys go after Furiosa and her load. Furiosa\u2019s goal is reaching her former childhood home across the desert landscape, her route to survival, with lush greenery \u2013 and hope of civilisation.<\/p>\n

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\nFury Road<\/em> uber-hypes all that is common to the other Mad Max<\/em> films tenfold, from intense, thundering chase sequences and pure insanity (metallic face-painting moments) to a sense of paranoia and despair. Watching the War Boys in action is like watching Duracell bunnies in overdrive, a near exhausting but utterly fascinating choreography as they plough forward to catch their targets. This is all propelled by a heavy-metal presence on screen of a guitar player\/flame-thrower and drummers as they go into battle. This power is a complete contradiction to the War Boys general malaise, all sickly white and tumour-ridden but still as tough as steel.<\/p>\n

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\nIn contrast, Theron as shaven-headed Furiosa \u2013 a determined, warrior\/Terminator-like Alpha female similar to Ripley in Aliens<\/em> \u2013 seems the healthiest of the bunch, as do the four ethereal wives that pose against the desert landscape, looking like a supermodel centrefold for Vogue beachwear. Theron steals the show, and there is some vague resemblance of character arcs as we go on their perilous journey with them.<\/p>\n

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\nA gruff Hardy channels, physically and mentally, his Bronson and Bane characteristics into Max \u2013 especially the latter in the metal mask, grunting and sneering and using his bulk to depict his mood and needs. His Max isn\u2019t as insane in the devilish sense as Gibson\u2019s was, and he seems more solid and cumbersome. He also has a \u2018transformation\u2019 in spirit – complete with a tender but clumsy moment, though it\u2019s hard to say whether this is character building or a moment of weakness.<\/p>\n

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\nHoult\u2019s character Nux is also intriguing, like some present-day, impressionable, young jihadi wanting to reach paradise in Valhalla. The striking similarities to current events, including the fight over amenities like fuel is a chilling reminder to us all \u2013 if you can get past the head-thumping soundtrack and circus-styled action for a moment (there IS downtime, so breathe). There is so much going on, perhaps too much to process that any criticism lies in needing knowledge of the previous Mad Max<\/em> saga and their existence to begin to piece together snippets of what kind of \u2018human\u2019 society remains on Joe\u2019s rocky pad post Apocalypse.<\/p>\n

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\nAll in all, Mad Max: Fury Road<\/em> is complete rush of the senses and has some of the most exhausting action pieces in a very long time, combined with some mind-blowing design and cinematography to keep you transfixed \u2013 or pinned \u2013 in your seat. Note: it\u2019s not necessary to pay the 3D ticket price either. Fury Road<\/em> is based on the original concept as the previous films \u2013 maybe decades later – but just uses more present-day cinematic trickery to put you firmly in the escaping driving seat. As a result, Mad Max the character becomes almost a sideshow to the film\u2019s juggernaut momentum. If that\u2019s still acceptable for fans, Fury Road<\/em> will thrill the living daylights out of you.<\/p>\n

4\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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