Visually stunning, action-packed yet lacking

Rating: 7/10 (11 May 2015)

I was lucky enough to catch an advanced screening of this movie. After watching the trailer, I was really excited to see this movie and it did live up to my expectations to a certain extent. Max (Tom Hardy) is a cop on the run in a post-apocalyptic world which is now a barren wasteland. He is captured by Captain Immortan Joe and his gang for his blood. There, they seek to turn him into one of their own by branding him. Immortan is an evil lord in charge of the only water and oil supply. He uses his reserves as a means of power over other humans and he has a large gang (War Boys) to keep everyone in check. Furiosa (Charlize Theron) is working for Immortan but then decides to make a run for it with a few other women (fertile women are in a short supply as well) to a greener land. She makes the escape in a truck filled with 3000 gallons of guzzling (water or oil) to make a deal with a small pack of motorcycle riders in the desert. As she is chased by Immortan's gang, she unwittingly takes Max who then offers her help to escape the gang. The rest of the movie is then set of the various chase scenes and the attempts of Furiosa, Max and the girls to escape to the green land. The cinematography and the visual imagery is certainly stunning, worth experiencing on an IMAX screen. The chase scenes and the landscape (especially a few scenes in moonlight) were absolutely amazing. The various concoctions of war vehicles is amazing as well. There were a few elements of humor as well paired with some really weird things (women's milk supply, the various outfits and characters including a guy playing a fire breathing electric guitar throughout the chase scenes). The music definitely adds to the atmosphere as well, not to mention the various stunts. The action really gets crazy towards the end. On the other hand, there were some things I found lacking. Character development is certainly missing and there's definitely nothing significant there to make a connection with the various characters. The dialogue is ordinary and cliché. The ending is predictable and certain things don't make sense (like how a gang with tons of ammo and better equipped vehicles) is unable to stop Furiosa and Max. One thing is certain, it was different and entertaining, hence a 7/10