This is that sought-after toy just waiting under the Christmas tree

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2015)

I've gotta say, with dystopian futures having become so commonplace, it's really cool that a 35-year-old franchise can come along and make it all feel fresh. "Mad Max: Fury Road" deserves that honor, and a sweeter breath of fresh air you can not ask. A return to lean R-rated action where practical effects rule the day, its veins coursing with high-octane gasoline and attitude to spare (hell, balls might be more apt to describe it). It unloads the thrills but sneaks in the human sadness unsuspected.
Really, this is just the kind of big-budget Summer action movie I've been asking for. Noisy and propulsive, but not as a mere formality. It's manic, wildly imaginative and . . .
Simply put, this is one hell of a ride.
9/10