Mad Max: Fury Road

Rating: Null/10 (31 May 2015)

The 30 year gap from Beyond Thunderdome to Fury Road has resulted in one of the best action movies in recent memory.
Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is a survivor in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ruled by whoever has the guns, the "guzzaline" (gasoline) and - most importantly - the water. Due to bad luck, Max finds himself mixed up in a high speed conflict between Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and Furiosa (Charlize Theron). Furiosa and Max will need to temper their distrust of others, if they are to escape Immortan Joe with their lives.
The film rounds its characters very subtly. Violent flashbacks provide a glimpse of Max' past. He is certainly not the main character, but don't be fooled. Hardy's road warrior is an excellent vehicle for bringing the audience into the story.
The ruthless Immortan Joe is characterized mostly by his costume, makeup and his actions. He covers his deformed body with a faux- muscle suit; he denies water to the needy so as to keep them wanting. Not a very deep character, but one who works as a very clear villain in a movie where the main characters are a bit more ambiguous.
Theron's character is the only one whose fleshing out eventually becomes a bit clunky and expository. Not to say that she is not a great character. The calm way she carries herself, her fighting prowess and her single minded dedication to the protection of others goes a long way to prove that she can be counted among the ranks of great female main characters like Black Mamba (Kill Bill), Sara Connor (The Terminator) and even Ellen Ripley (Alien).
Okay. Let us not forget that this is an action movie. The action is brilliant, and by brilliant I mean VULGAR. The audience is treated to stunts, explosions, occurrences and visuals that would fall flat i many other movies. They work in Fury Road, because they are so obviously and naturally a part of the world they inhabit. To me, a body being thrown under a big-rig makes sense in a world where human lives are not appreciated. This goes along very well with the fact, that the stunts, the makeup and the special effects are mostly practical (i.e. real).
I will give this film a 9/10 rating, not because I think it is among the greatest pieces of art ever committed to the big screen, but because it is so refreshing. It might be part of an established franchise, but thankfully it seems the creators were mostly concerned with achieving a clear-cut vision, rather than pandering to the widest possible audience.
Give this film a chance. You might not agree with the high ratings it has already received, you might wish it would share more secrets, you might think that it is too over the top, but I promise you: This is real high octane action.