Mad Max: Fury Road-2015

Director George Miller

Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron

Scott’s Review #287

Reviewed November 20, 2015

Grade: C-

Having almost nothing to do with the original (and far superior) 1979 version of Mad Max, the 2015 Mad Max, subtitled Fury Road (presumably for the endless car chases across the desert), looks great from a visual perspective.

Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are charismatic; the story is nonexistent, and the film grows tedious after the initial admiration I felt for the camera work and the dreamlike vision.

Initially, and admittedly, I was quite impressed with the film- a dreamlike, glossy look makes it a fantasy that one can escape into.

However, after some time, I grew tired of the visuals, seeing it as a video game, and I noticed the lack of story, which stood out.

Sure, the thinly laid plot involved a rebel, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), escaping the War Boys, where he’s been kept as a blood donor against his will, joined by Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and a group of young, beautiful women escaping a life of breeding.

The group joins forces to evade Immortan Joe, who chases them through the barren desert as they try to reach safety in the beautiful “Green Place”, a land of prosperity Furiosa remembers from childhood.

But this synopsis mirrors countless other action or adventure tales that have come and gone without leaving a mark.

Again, compared to the original, I expected more from Mad Max: Fury Road and didn’t get it.

The story fails because there is no rooting value. Since the film is a fantasy, per se, I didn’t invest much in the characters getting to the “Green Place.”

The sweltering heat of the post-apocalyptic desert gives the film a roasting, tense look, and the action is almost non-stop.

Cartoon-like characters come and go, writhing on tops of cars or simply looking sinister with sneers and evil smirks, adding little to the story. Who are they? What is their purpose other than to look menacing?

I did admire Furiosa’s character. With a buzz-cut and a bad-ass swagger, the character is no-nonsense and in control throughout the film.

Certainly an inspirational female character, she adds zest to the film, which, on the surface, seems male-dominated. A woman who can inspire and impress today is reason enough to mention.

Inexplicably, reviews for Mad Max: Fury Road were positive, and I don’t get that. My overall perspective disagrees with these findings. I don’t mean to imply that the film is “run of the mill” overall. It’s not.

There are fits and starts of creativity: the film’s glossy look is admittedly a treat and a spectacle, but, alas, without a compelling story, that only goes so far before it begins to wear thin as a production.

Little chemistry or dialogue exists between Hardy and Theron. Both are top-notch talents in their own right. Rather, grunts and facial expressions run rampant between the pair.

If the film was going for any sexual connection between the two, especially given the hot, steamy desert atmosphere, it fell flat, as I noticed none.

To admire visually, the latest Mad Max (2015) may be worth a glimmer, but as a film that delivers the full package, it’s not worth its salt.

Oscar Nominations: 6 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-George Miller, Best Sound Editing (won), Best Sound Mixing (won), Best Production Design (won), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won), Best Costume Design (won), Best Film Editing (won), Best Visual Effects