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“Mad Max: Fury Road” shouldn’t be a good movie.
A reboot of an action film series, geared around Mel Gibson in the late ‘70s, that had production delays, re-shoots and arguments between cast members should not produce as a final product one of the best pure-adrenaline movies of the last few years.
Yet, it does.
Since directing “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” in 1985, director George Miller has not been involved with an action movie until this year. In fact, the only films he had under his belt since 1998 were the sequel to “Babe,” “Happy Feet” and “Happy Feet Two.”
Thankfully, Miller has returned to the genre he once was heralded in and created one of the best action films of the 21st century.
The film opens with a wide-shot of a dystopian future desert wasteland, which is fitting as a precursor for the next two hours because as important as the characters, plot and action are, it is the cinematography that steals the show.
The best way to describe the landscape Miller sets the film in is hauntingly beautiful. Filmed in the Namib Desert in Southern Africa, every shot is more stunning than the last and the vastness of the setting links flawlessly with the plot of the story.
The basic plot of the story is Charlize Theron’s character, Imperator Furiosa, trying to rescue women who were essentially slaves to cult leader Immortan Joe, played by Hugh Keays-Byrne. Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Nicholas Hault as Nux end up joining Furiosa on her quest.
The world Miller is able to build alongside the main storyline adds to this staightforward plot. Every character seems to have hidden agendas and is not just one-dimensional. Max’s deceased daughter, for example, haunts him. Although he never says so outright, her loss fuels many of his decisions throughout the film.
All of this aside, it is the action which makes “Mad Max: Fury Road” such a fun ride.
One trend that has irked me as of late has been the use of shaky-cam. During fight scenes, there seems to be an inclination for directors to wobble the camera in order to represent the action taking place on screen. This is almost always nauseating and takes away from the action, as the audience can’t really see what’s going on.
This movie takes the more difficult approach as it keeps a steady camera, forcing the action on-screen to be well directed and organized. Miller has stated that 90 percent of the stunts in the movie are practical, which adds to its impressiveness.
For two hours, the film creates action sequences that have never been done before. It never repeats itself and somehow builds to the crescendo that is the awe-striking finale.
Perhaps the best thing I can say about this movie is it’s fun. “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a non-stop action film which also carries a semblance of a plot, which is something that can’t be said for basically every other action movie of the past decade.
If none of what I have said has swayed you to see this film, all you need to know is that there is a blind flame-throwing guitarist who rides on the front of a car during a sandstorm.
Probably should have just started with that.
