Mad Max: Fury Road

I see a lot of negative reviews for this movie popping up. People complaining that there is a lack of story and character development, and too much action.... too much action? Really? Have these people never seen a Mad Max movie before? How is that a bad thing in a Mad Max movie? Fury Road feels like an 80's action movie, with a preposterously large budget, and it is GLORIOUS. This movie was an epic ride. So many awesome set pieces, incredible car designs, twisted and bizarre costumes and characters, and a lot of really strong warrior women as well.

I've also heard it said that this movie contains a lot of feminism. Strong female characters that kick butt, is not feminism people! There's no anti-men message here. Just a cast which is dominated by more women than men. And about time for a change! Charlize Theron is my new favorite actress after this (it used to be Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton). She really takes the spotlight, and that is about the only criticism I can think of with this movie. It's not so much about Mad Max, but about road warriors in general, and specifically Theron's character. I didn't think Tom Hardy was quite as good as Mad Max as Mel Gibson was, but he wasn't terrible. He just didn't lend enough presence to his character in this movie. Which may be a hard thing to do when the movie does not focus on Max.

Special mention should also be given to all the side characters. The villains are enjoyably menacing, especially Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe, John Howard as the People Eater, Richard Carter as the Bullet Farmer, and I also loved Melissa Jaffer as the leader of a gang of elderly motor ladies.

Go see this movie if you like Mad Max!

I was left speechless when this finished. It can be hard to describe indeed.... but I'll go for it... Sheer madness that isn't sullied by bad acting or laughable lines. A blockbuster that is gritty and doesn't have a sense of humour that could be equated to a fluffy kitten. No 'lets all hug' sentimental BS. This is seriously a movie I thought I'd never see: a CGI-filled blockbuster that I flat out loved. The stunts are so much fun, the FX so great, it is the first movie I have seen where I have thoroughly enjoyed all this type of stuff - probably because the cinematography for once doesn't suffer cos of it. It is all incredibly shot. The action is so brutal and appropriately high-octane. I thought to myself more than once, 'I think I am loving this more than Terminator 2' but other than that, there wasn't time to think. It kicked off fast and barely stopped, and the lulls were amplified by the insanity preceding them. Plus it is a dark film, which made it even better. I many people do an Aussie accent even close to well, was Hardy actually trying for that? Either way, he didn't talk much so it didn't really matter. This is more Theron's movie than Hardy's, he doesn't say much and does next to nothing for the first third or so. Theron's Furiosa is more of the hero is the story, if there were to be a hero in such a grisly and dark world. I don't even like this type of movie but the execution is everything. I'm gonna go see this again, soon. 4.5/5

George Miller returns to live-action filmmaking with one of the greatest action films ever put to screen. 'Mad Max: Fury Road' is ridiculous in all the right ways.

For those who have seen the original films and loved them, you'll fall in love all over again with this film. Tom Hardy takes the reigns this time around as Max - a man of few words who has been hardened by the world in which he lives. Along with him is Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa - a woman who seeks redemption by helping five young '"wives" escape from the film's antagonist.

Leading up to the film's release, many speculated if this would be just another action film that lacks a solid narrative and motive, but I am happy to say that this is simply not the case. Yes, the film does fill 80% of its run-time with action sequences, but it never gets in the way of the humanity between these characters that Miller has brought to life. There are some emotional moments. Specifically, with Theron's character. Is the story something we haven't seen before? Not at all. But in a film loaded with action, it's nice to see a solid narrative.

Now, how about those action sequences? Incredible - exhilarating - jaw-dropping. George Miller has put together some of the greatest, most memorable action set-pieces ever. One thing that sets the action in this film apart from a good majority of mediocre action films today is that every action the character's make have an affect on them. For good and for bad. The action is not pointless. It's motivated. And it's glorious to behold thanks to the use of practical effects, incredible stunt work and stunning cinematography.

'Mad Max: Fury Road' has set a new standard for action films. It's arguably the greatest action film of the 21st century. It's that good. George Miller has brought back what we loved about 80's action films while also brining new ideas to the table. It's the best time I've had in a theater in a long time, and I couldn't help but laugh in appreciation of the ridiculousness that was unfolding before my eyes. The film left me feeling giddy, with a big smile on my face.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is the finest piece of pure action spectacle that I've watched since THE RAID 2 and JOHN WICK. It feels like the MAD MAX film that George Miller always wanted to make, and in many ways it's a virtual remake of MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR, except with a grossly inflated budget and CGI effects used to enhance rather than dominate. Now, I love THE ROAD WARRIOR and always will, but MAD MAX: FURY ROAD truly is an action film for our times.

I know that some will hate it; the story here is action and action alone and there's little else to get in the way. It's one long chase film and the amazing thing is how they manage to sustain the momentum for a good two hours. Exemplary cinematography and quite wonderful direction is what makes this work. With bad direction it would have been a real chore to sit through, but instead we get tons of suspense, great fight scenes, and incredible spectacle. This is the kind of film you watch to see stuff that's never been done before.

Tom Hardy feels like an obvious fit for the role and brings some working class style charisma to the part. As many have commented, Max is often a supporting player in his own film, but Charlize Theron as the real lead is excellent too, so that's not important. Even Nicholas Hoult in support is fantastic. I loved the way that the bad guy is played by Hugh Keays-Byrne, who was the villain in the first MAD MAX all those years ago. Overall, though, this is a film not about the people, but the Namibian desert landscapes, the modded vehicles, the speed, the violence, the overall thrill of the chase. And it's pretty much my idea of a perfect film.

Rewatching this before Furiosa felt like a cornucopia of action, eye candy and quite simply, madness. It's a film that has a simple plot and premise but is heavy on pretty much everything else from dedicated actors sinking into the madly written lines and plot, gorgeous cinematography, an excellent audio score and the excellent use of practical effects. Seriously it uses such a blend of practical effects within special effects that compliment each other so well you start to believe they're actually in these crazy chase sequences including a ridiculous one through a live sand storm that was wicked to watch unfold. My only complaints would be it could have used a little more complex plot and Max himself could have been in the movie more as a protagonist instead of feeling like a supporting character in a movie with his name in the title. Other than that it's a wild ride from start to finish with almost near non stop action to keep you invested until the climactic, while partially abrupt, finish.