A grungy masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (14 May 2015)

It has been nearly 24 hours since I saw Fury Road, and I'm still trying to recover. It is the sort of film you forget to breathe through, much like Gravity or Captain Phillips, but for an altogether different reason. Unrelenting from beginning to end, this post-apocalyptic saga is virtually one, long, explosive chase sequence, albeit one which seemingly has new ideas on tap. The action (i.e. the whole film) is utterly bonkers, conceptually and in execution. That writer-director George Miller and his team concocted such ferocious set pieces is impressive enough, but being able to pull it off with extraordinarily daring stunt work – augmented by gritty CGI – is simply awe-inspiring.
Visually it is vivid and spectacular; the searing desert landscape offering a dirt-filled grime so tangible your throat will dry up within seconds, whilst the vehicles are creative and wonderfully preposterous. The heart-pounding score by Junkie XL, in which he blends orchestral and heavy metal music, accompanies Miller's on screen splendour to create a visceral experience for both the eyes and the ears. The vehicular carnage may be the drawcard, but the committed cast elevate the overall product. Tom Hardy is savage as Max, Charlize Theron is compelling as Imperator Furiosa and Nicholas Hoult is gonzo as Nux, whilst a plethora of recognisable Aussies show up in deranged cameos.
There's an intensity here you just don't find in majority of the big-budgeted blockbusters; an inventiveness in all elements that drives this movie from great to mesmerizing. Miller hasn't played in the Mad Max world since the dreadful Beyond Thunderdome back in 1985, but by God he has redeemed himself, and then some. Fury Road is a rollicking ride that carves out a piece of cinematic history all for itself. In short: it is a grungy masterpiece.