The action movie genre’s former glory with classics such as The Dark Knight, T2, and The Matrix has vanished, filled to the brim instead with cheap remakes and sequels nobody wanted or asked for. The last couple movies I’ve seen have left me disappointed and bitter, angry that millions of dollars were spent to create a work so mediocre it will be forgotten the next day. Consistent problems include unrealistic and nonsensical plots, action sequences with zero suspense and laughable effects, and shallow characters with no relatability. Tragically, the entire world is not composed of aloof motorcycle/race car drivers with traumatic backstories and a chip on their shoulder. With high ratings and even higher expectations, I entered the theater oblivious to the insanity awaiting. I’m not sure what exactly I expected, but Mad Max: Fury Road brought back the flames of action films with a scorching success.
*I will not be including spoilers in these reviews. If you would like a more in-depth discussion, we will be adding a spoiler discussion at the end of this week’s podcast.*
Mad Max: Fury Road follows Max Rockatansky, a troubled man whose past memories of loss haunt him throughout the film. He joins up with Imperator Furiosa, portrayed by Charlize Theron, on a journey of epic proportions, navigating the vast deserts outside the looming Citadel. Dystopian and post-apocalyptic movies are the current fad, capitalizing on the successes of blockbusters like The Hunger Games and rehashing trope plots with different characters. Mad Max redefines the genre entirely, reaching levels of maturity and intricacies action filmmakers could only dream of. With a landscape reminiscent of John Carter and Jabba the Hutt’s sandy fortress in Return of the Jedi, the beautifully reprised desert scenery fills the huge shoes of its predecessors. Without discussing specifics, the entire movie evokes a sense of bizarre realism. Instead of the now-commonplace ridiculous stunts where the entire audience rolls their eyes or laughs in amusement, each scene was crafted with intention and purpose.
While Tom Hardy delivered a fantastically subdued rendition of the action icon, Theron’s Furiosa was the clear standout of this movie. The fantastic actress combines both a nurturing and caring maternal figure to the “wives” of the film’s antagonist and a paraplegic badass whose skills clearly supersede her male counterpart. However, Hardy deserves added praise for his harmonious portrayal of Max, one whose imposing personality avoids dominating his fellow costars. This room to develop secondary characters allowed many other respected actors to shine throughout the two-hour run time. Nicholas Hoult’s fascinating look into the lives of the Citadel’s citizens breathes a genuine humanity into the chaos swirling through this movie. And who can forget the imposing Immortan Joe, whose godlike presence over his subjects hides the frailty and weakness integral to his character? Each appearance made a positive and lasting impact on the overall film, abnormally void of the awkward celebrity cameos in most genres.
Not only was this movie interesting and engaging, but it also carried a very surprising emotion with it: beauty. It’s so rare to call an action movie beautiful that I am still shocked writing it. The Citadel and its surroundings have been crafted with tantalizing details, each frame a visual feast crawling with hyper-realism. While sparse on dialogue, the minimalism of speech aided a larger cause, the characters’ internal motivations so powerful they drove the film without words. Much like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar, each line was delivered like a sparing morsel, used more as an accent to the action than an integral plot element. This style of filmmaking escapes from long monologues of exposition simply for plot development, a crime spanning across multiple genres. 3D is a requirement for this film; the added effect immersing the audience into this desolate world without the heavy-handedness of its sibling movies. But do pass on the popcorn, for this movie will have you too nauseous with anticipation to stomach anything.
One of this film’s strongest traits is its independence from the previous movies. Although subtle homages and Easter eggs pay tribute tastefully, this film can be enjoyed by anyone with a taste for adventure. The film is a wild ride, no pun intended, filled with suspense and danger at each turn of the plot. By allowing the film to stand relatively independent from its predecessors, Fury Road ushers in a new generation of moviegoers to the franchise quite masterfully. As expected, Pitch Perfect 2 swept Mad Max in box office numbers, a gap of tens of millions taking due credit away from director George Miller’s masterpiece. The factor which limited sales was the timeless battle between gritty action films and lighthearted family ones. However, while the movie contains brutal violence and hard to watch scenes, these elements overall only elevate the film. We’ve seen time and time again with Quentin Tarantino that surprisingly authentic characters can develop through these scenes of ultraviolence. And yes, I did just compare this movie to the works of one of my favorite directors, because Fury Road one hundred percent deserves that degree of praise.
Last week, after walking out of Avengers: Age of Ultron, I described the film as “the best of this year, which isn’t necessarily a compliment.” 2015 has been overshadowed by heavy hitters such as Whiplash, Grand Budapest Hotel, and Nightcrawler of last year, the sheer quantity of brilliantly executed movies making these initial films an embarrassing mistake. The only other title to make measurable strides and draw interest other than Avengers was Kingsman, a film so polarizing audiences either praised it or spat in its face. All of the pitfalls which lead me to dislike Kingsman in the first place were redeemed expertly in this movie, almost as if George Miller granted my personal action film wish list. This movie earns a solid A+ and unquestionably deserves watching. If you find yourself disgusting by the vulgarity of action films, try the movie out anyways, because Mad Max transcends the genre and sets an unbelievably high standard for the rest of the year. Mad Max: Fury Road was the clear best action film of this decade, and will certainly be hailed as an icon for centuries to come.
