Review of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) by Dcedmonds — 17 May 2015

"Mad Max: Fury Road" 10 Scale Rating: 9.0 (Fantastic) ...

The Good: Quite possibly one of the greatest action films of the last 20 years, if not of all time. The film retains the gritty tone of the original films, but with updated effects and choreography that is mind-blowing. "Pulse-pounding" and "edge of your seat action" are terms that get thrown around a lot in reviews of films like this one, but they are completely appropriate here. Almost the entirety of the movie is spent on one "war rig", but there is a certain level of twisted beauty in the simplicity of it all. The vehicles are fascinating beasts of twisted metal and gasoline. The characters are hopeless, yet determined. The world itself is barren, hot, and unforgiving. This all sets the tone perfectly as you watch the protagonists struggle through it all in a series of brilliantly designed chases, brutal battles, and bloody deaths. Hardy was well cast as the titular Mad Max, grunting and fighting while uttering few words. Nicholas Hoult is unrecognizable as Nux, one of Immortan Joe's (the main villain of the film) "War Boys". When he's on-screen, he definitely stands out and Hoult is becoming quite the character actor. The real star of the film, however, was Charlize Theron. If anyone ever wondered if she could pull off an action film, wonder no longer. She not only pulls it off, but excels. Entertaining from start to finish, Mad Max: Fury Road is already in the running for best film of 2015.

The Bad: Not that it matters TOO much, but the plot is not only paper thin, but mostly non-existent. It's a small detail, but prevents the film from being absolutely perfect. Aside from that, some of "the Wives", who are a plot device that helps drive the film, were somewhat annoying and uninteresting.