Review of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) by Eric D — 05 Apr 2018

Back in 2015, most people were excited about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While the idea of a new mainline entry in the Star Wars series was a bit exciting to me, it could not compare to the excitement I had to see a new entry in the Mad Max series - the first since 1985's underrated Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (Nor could Star Wars compare to my excitement for Jurassic World).

It had been 30 years, Max Rockatansky was played by a new actor, and we were off on a new trajectory despite the fine story arc laid out by the original trilogy. There were apprehensions and there were expectations, and by God, somehow this film managed to live up to those expectations.

It not only stays true to the original trilogy, but it also modernizes itself for a new age, is strikingly progressive, and it is also the best action film I've seen this decade. As much fun as the Force Awakens was, Mad Max: Fury Road is how you bring a franchise back to life with roaring, glorious intensity.

The action is superb, relying mostly on practical effects over CGI. The acting is superb, particularly with Tom Hardy taking on the legendary Max Rockatansky role and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa.

Not only does the film have thrilling action sequences, but the story is also surprisingly well written and intelligent, as well as having genuine moments of emotion as you become invested in their lives despite knowing little about their origins.

It's a beautiful, breath-taking, thrill-a-minute, emotionally-charged, and overflowing with energy. If you're a true fan of action films, you owe yourself to watch Mad Max: Fury Road. It's not only the best action film of the decade, but one of the best films, period.

This is how you reboot a franchise. It's a glorious masterpiece.