Modern action with old school charm.

Rating: 8/10 (30 November 2015)

In today's world, action movies are chock full of bad acting, worse dialogue, and overused computer effects. Now don't get me wrong, this film has its fair share of cringe-worthy lines and some computerized embellishment, but what it brings from the long gone days of action is substance within the high octane thrills.
I came into this film knowing very little about the history of Mad Max and where this film fits into the timeline. But the opening scene paints enough of a picture of the dystopian world it is set in that you don't feel lost on the journey. The blinding orange of the desert makes you almost feel the dry air and blazing sun and the roar of the engines is so intense you can almost smell the exhaust. This film is a sensory immersion from start to finish.
The best part about the film is how deliberate each action sequence is. Too often do I see random explosions and destruction that just seem to be thrown together for the wow factor. But like a carefully choreographed dance, Miller's action sequences and fight scenes grab you and hold you all the way through. It reminds me of Fight scenes and action sequences from Indian Jones and the epic battles from Peter Jackson's Tolkien adaptations. You can look back and recall specific moments from these sequences that make you say "Now that was cool." Each high impact scene holds its own yet flow perfectly together, while still making you wonder how did they plan this out? The intentionality and thoughtfulness put into the choreography of actors, effects, and sets with the almost perfectly framed shots and fact that primarily practical effects were used make for an truly awesome visual spectacle.
Taking traditional action archetypes of the rebellious hero, the deformed madman dictator villain, the traitor, and the lone-gun, Fury Road fills all of the expectations you would have going into a film like this while at the same time breathes new life into them. Furiosa becomes the unexpected hero of the film and Charlize Theron's performance brings female action leads to a whole new level. Like Matrix's Trinity without the male character obsession. Immortan Joe has some of the most original villain design I have seen since Darth Vader himself, and like Vader his costume and overall design beg for his backstory to be told. Max on the other hand remains a very static tormented character throughout with really no overall effect on the plot.
If you are a fan of spectacles and fresh action this is the film for you. I hope this film leads to a new trend in the genre that doesn't have to do with superheroes, and inspires studios to give visionary directors the budget to pull off visual masterpieces like this more, and stray away from the stale summer blockbusters we have become so accustomed to see.