So insane, so good, so intense - SO worth the hype.

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2015)

Disclaimer: the reason this is an 8 and not a full 10 is purely because I found some nitpicky things with the world building, and also because it was a bit too intense and non-stop for me. Please don't kill me for this.
I have seen the first Mad Max and the majority of the second. Didn't see the third, but the first two were amazing as part of an amazing series worth a 30 year wait for this latest insane installment. Seriously, the action in this movie - both fight scenes and car chases - is some of the best I've ever seen, if not THE best. Action scenes shot the way they should be; with proper choreography, shot in a way that creates intense moments where the hero is invariably struggling and being victorious - just like a real situation. Max has always been a hero that deals with injuries and set-backs in ways that would actually happen and its great to see of that happening here.
Speaking of Max, we have a new actor in the lead role, partly because Mel Gibson is now almost unhirable, but mostly because he is now too old. Replacing him however is someone perfect for it: Tom Hardy. If you read my Child 44 review, you'll know that whilst I hated the movie, I commended Hardy for rising above the s**t script to give a performance that was pretty much brilliant inspite of everything. In Mad Max though, he gets less lines to work with, but his body language says all: gruff, tough, angry, not a hero willing to care or show any humanity towards others and being at his best in dangerous situations. The most character development is shown by Nux, played by Nicholas Hoult, who starts off as an anti-villain but later becomes a sympathetic, lonely, broken man who helps the heroes after he builds a relationship with one of the brides.
One character who is receiving HUGE buzz is Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron. Bold, tough, determined in her mission to rescue to brides from the movie's terrifying villain Immortal Joe in a non-stop drive to the "green land", Theron plays a character who is not a typical "I'm affected by a terrible path" type of heroine and brings a matter of fact toughness purpose to the role that make this the best work she's done since Monster.
In terms of the story, it is pretty much what you read above: the main plot is Furiosa helping the wives of Immortal Joe escape from his people the War Boys who have captured and enslaved Max at the start of the film, and Max tries to get revenge whilst ending up helping Furiosa. The few breaks inbetween the intense action are great as they set-up the others breaking down the barrier between them and Max and getting him involved in their mission. It's hard to talk about the breaks because, honestly, there aren't that many and most development actually comes through the fight scenes, which is amazing to even say.
My only words for you - SEE THIS MOVIE! It deserves your full attention, and if you don't, you'll regret it!