Grampa Miller shows how it's done

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2015)

I guess I'm the living proof Fury Road is an action masterpiece, as I never particularly cared for the post-apocalyptic setting and I'm usually bored by car chases, and yet this movie blew me away.
Set-pieces are varied and exciting, pacing is phenomenal. Hardy, Hoult and especially Theron are excellent. In fact, Charlize's Furiosa is arguably the main character and one of the greatest action heroines in years, whereas Hardy's Max is more like a Man With No Name archetype who gets involved in a pre-existing conflict and rolls along with it.
Storytelling is brilliantly sparse and economical: in a cinematic age heavy with exposition and talking heads, writer/director Miller keeps everything focused, leaving minor details to the viewer's imagination. The War Boys spray some silver stuff in their mouths before attacking... what is it? We can guess it's some kind of drug used as part of their kamikaze ritual, but the movie (smartly) doesn't stop to explain. A secondary villain is named The People Eater... why? Another blockbuster would have dished out his backstory, but here we can only imagine it, as it's not relevant to the plot. The same goes for The Bullett Farmer, for the mysterious stilt walkers inhabiting the swamp, an so on.
Even in terms of themes, the movie has much to say about environment and gender politics, but seamlessly weaves it into plot and characterization.
And that's why Fury Road MOVES like no other action film in years.
9/10