Infinitely Rewatchable Action

Rating: 9/10 (4 April 2020)

After my third viewing of Mad Max: Fury Road, I decided that it's only fair that I give it a written review. I don't often watch a movie multiple times like that. And when I do, I am often disappointed at how the emotions or the spectacles lose their edge a little bit. But with this movie, I still got goosebumps watching those precarious, mad action sequences in the beautiful barren desert landscape.
Every single aspect in Mad Mad: Fury Road is screwed in so tight that the tension never drops from scene 1. The story is simple but compelling with lots of high stakes. The characters are also simple but the nuanced acting, especially from Charlize Theron's Furiosa, keep them from being standard cookie cutter action heroes. These action scenes seem to have been written with each characters' personalities in mind, and that's why they are so memorable.
For example Furiosa is the ingenious one who comes up with plans and coordinates things. I can't imagine Max doing the set pieces that she does. He's the one who fights in close range with raw power, and the scenes for him are truly meant only for him. In this way, the action scenes can illustrate character and advance the narrative, instead of just being cool filler in between plot points. That's how a non-stop guzzoline fueled rampaging with metal music can be sustainable for 2 hours.
This movie might be one of those rare ones that are just infinitely rewatchable. It's like a visual roller coaster. I can come back to it year after year and still expect it to be thrilling and fun. No other spectacle can match the physicality of the actual stunts with actual cars.