This past February, while I was waiting to see "American Sniper," I witnessed the trailer for "Mad Max: Fury Road." My first impression was that it looked like a complete mess, and why in the world did someone as talented as Charlize Theron want to take part in this? I spent the next few months criticizing the film and wondering why anyone in their right mind would want to go see it. Multiple posts from friends on Facebook declared it as their most anticipated film of the summer, and it ended up on the lists of critics and entertainment magazines with this same topic. I thought I had missed something. My buddy felt the same way about this trailer, so at least I was not alone.
During the week it was released, perfect 10/10 and four/four star reviews popped up all over the internet, hailing it as a cinematic masterpiece. I thought, "You have to be kidding," but at the same time, I found myself intrigued. I am the kind of person who sees all types of movies, but I especially find it necessary to see films that generate a ton of hype just so I can make my own judgement. The hype for "Mad Max: Fury Road" could not be more correct. I bite my tongue hard enough for it to bleed. Not only is "Mad Max: Fury Road" an outstanding film, but it officially wears the crown of best film of 2015, a crown that will be on tight for the majority of the year. It is hard to imagine any film being better than this as the year proceeds.
In post-apocalyptic Australia, Max (Tom Hardy, uttering no more than 10-15 words throughout the entire film) treks through the desert haunted by the memories of his dead wife and child. He is captured by the War Boys and taken back to the Citadel, ruled by the vicious Immortan Joe. The guy is insane, making people fight for water. He sends his commander Imperator Furiosa (the brilliant Charlize Theron) to retrieve gasoline from Gas Town, but it turns out she has a different agenda. Max goes along for the ride, but I wish to not reveal anything else about the plot from this point forward. You will just have to see what unfolds.
While the film has "Mad Max" in the title and stems from the original films with Mel Gibson, this film truly belongs to Charlize Theron and her character, Imperator Furiosa. When Charlize Theron first appeared in films, it seemed that she was just another pretty face who was a decent actress at best. Then came "Monster." In that film, she was nearly unrecognizable and gave an unforgettable performance that won her a much-deserved Oscar. Her performance in that film is one of my favorite performances of all-time. Since that film, she has continued to dazzle us with her talent in roles such as "North Country," "Snow White and the Huntsman," and "Hancock," just to name a few. She OWNS "Mad Max:Fury Road." She is such a badass in this movie, you just want to jump up and cheer her on with every move she makes. I hope she gets an Oscar nomination for this.
Tom Hardy is suitable as the title character, but he doesn't really have much to say, and all of the action he partakes in just centers around Theron's character. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. As the villainous and appropriately freakish looking Immortan Joe, Hugh Keays-Byrne (who also appeared in the original "Mad Max" film) is one baddie you would be sorry to mess with. He is scary and unsettling, and you could not find a better malefactor. I think I will make this my Halloween costume this year outside of my soon-to-be-3-year-old's birthday party.
The action in "Fury Road" is so intense, you need to catch your breath once each individual action sequence ends. By the time you have finished catching your breath, the incredible action begins again. There is literally one character who just plays hard rock on the guitar amidst the violence and explosions. It's awesome. If there isn't action, the movie is just gorgeous to look at. The cinematography is sensational, and the gritty look of the film is unmatched. I find it comparable to films made by my favorite filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.
If you only see one movie in 2015, make it "Mad Max: Fury Road." The movie is nearly flawless. I cannot say one bad thing about it. I hope it can pull a "District 9" and garner a best picture nomination at this year's Oscars. I cannot believe there was ever a time where I did not want to see this film. I will pretend that never happened.
During the week it was released, perfect 10/10 and four/four star reviews popped up all over the internet, hailing it as a cinematic masterpiece. I thought, "You have to be kidding," but at the same time, I found myself intrigued. I am the kind of person who sees all types of movies, but I especially find it necessary to see films that generate a ton of hype just so I can make my own judgement. The hype for "Mad Max: Fury Road" could not be more correct. I bite my tongue hard enough for it to bleed. Not only is "Mad Max: Fury Road" an outstanding film, but it officially wears the crown of best film of 2015, a crown that will be on tight for the majority of the year. It is hard to imagine any film being better than this as the year proceeds.
In post-apocalyptic Australia, Max (Tom Hardy, uttering no more than 10-15 words throughout the entire film) treks through the desert haunted by the memories of his dead wife and child. He is captured by the War Boys and taken back to the Citadel, ruled by the vicious Immortan Joe. The guy is insane, making people fight for water. He sends his commander Imperator Furiosa (the brilliant Charlize Theron) to retrieve gasoline from Gas Town, but it turns out she has a different agenda. Max goes along for the ride, but I wish to not reveal anything else about the plot from this point forward. You will just have to see what unfolds.
While the film has "Mad Max" in the title and stems from the original films with Mel Gibson, this film truly belongs to Charlize Theron and her character, Imperator Furiosa. When Charlize Theron first appeared in films, it seemed that she was just another pretty face who was a decent actress at best. Then came "Monster." In that film, she was nearly unrecognizable and gave an unforgettable performance that won her a much-deserved Oscar. Her performance in that film is one of my favorite performances of all-time. Since that film, she has continued to dazzle us with her talent in roles such as "North Country," "Snow White and the Huntsman," and "Hancock," just to name a few. She OWNS "Mad Max:Fury Road." She is such a badass in this movie, you just want to jump up and cheer her on with every move she makes. I hope she gets an Oscar nomination for this.
Tom Hardy is suitable as the title character, but he doesn't really have much to say, and all of the action he partakes in just centers around Theron's character. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. As the villainous and appropriately freakish looking Immortan Joe, Hugh Keays-Byrne (who also appeared in the original "Mad Max" film) is one baddie you would be sorry to mess with. He is scary and unsettling, and you could not find a better malefactor. I think I will make this my Halloween costume this year outside of my soon-to-be-3-year-old's birthday party.
The action in "Fury Road" is so intense, you need to catch your breath once each individual action sequence ends. By the time you have finished catching your breath, the incredible action begins again. There is literally one character who just plays hard rock on the guitar amidst the violence and explosions. It's awesome. If there isn't action, the movie is just gorgeous to look at. The cinematography is sensational, and the gritty look of the film is unmatched. I find it comparable to films made by my favorite filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.
If you only see one movie in 2015, make it "Mad Max: Fury Road." The movie is nearly flawless. I cannot say one bad thing about it. I hope it can pull a "District 9" and garner a best picture nomination at this year's Oscars. I cannot believe there was ever a time where I did not want to see this film. I will pretend that never happened.