Despite receiving generally favorable reviews, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome only made $36 million against a $10 million budget. While George Miller had an idea for a fourth installment as early as 1987, the series went on indefinite hiatus. Over the following decades, Miller made family films such as the Babe movies and Happy Feet 1 & 2. During this time, production on Mad Max 4 went through development hell, switching between Fox and Warner Bros. While Mel Gibson expressed interest, he acknowledged his age was a factor, so Miller hired Tom Hardy to star. After several delays, principal photography started in 2012 in and around Namibia and Cape Town, wrapping that December. Due to the numerous practical effects and pick-up shots, the budget ballooned to around $154.6–185.2 million. After 30 years of delays and setbacks, Mad Max Fury Road roared into theaters in May 2015.
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Synopsis
After being attacked by marauders, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is taken prisoner to a stronghold called The Citadel. The Citadel is ruled by the ruthless Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), who rules the wasteland with his ever-faithful War Boys. Max becomes a blood bag for a War Boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult), who aspires to ride alongside Joe. Joe sends out his lieutenant, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), to drive The War Rig and make a supply run. Little does Immortan know that Furiosa secretly has his five wives hidden inside The War Rig’s tanker. Enraged, Immortan sends his army to give chase, and Max and Nux inadvertently team up with Furiosa. Throughout the journey, Max battles with the madness lingering within while stepping up to help Furiosa and the wives escape. Will our heroes escape and find sanctuary, or are they gonna die historic on the fury road?
Review
Sequels that come out years after the previous installment, or legacy sequels as I call them, are rarely good. For every Doctor Sleep and Top Gun: Maverick, there’s also Son of the Mask and Space Jam: A New Legacy. Thankfully, Mad Max: Fury Road falls into the former category and arguably trumps Mad Max 2 as the series’ best. In my Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome review, I mentioned that the bigger budget was a significant hindrance. As much as the sets, costumes, and stunts were more polished, the filmmakers lost the grit of the earlier installments. Thankfully, George Miller managed to create a gigantic, bombastic action film that retained its predecessors’ rough and rugged nature. Sure, it may not have the low-budget grittiness of the original, but the essence of that 1979 movie remains. Essentially, this film is the first sequel turned way up past 11.
While Mel Gibson is missed as the character that made him famous, Tom Hardy is a welcome replacement. He brings the same solemn, broken quality to the character Gibson gave while adding a hint of rage underneath. You get the sense that this man is so broken and far gone that he could snap at any moment. Charlize Theron is excellent as the warrior woman Furiosa, giving the character a commanding presence while showing some vulnerability. Unlike characters like Rey or Captain Marvel, Furiosa is a strong female character who isn’t 100% invincible. It helps that she and Hardy are given equal amounts of screen time and play off each other well. Also, while his casting is a nice callback to the original, Hugh Keays-Byrne is fantastic as the ruthless Immortan Joe. Even the secondary characters, from Nicholas Hoult’s Nux to the five wives, are memorable.
In a time where almost every action movie overuses CGI, Miller and company manage to stage some elaborate sequences practically. Everything from the vehicles and stunts to the pyrotechnics and even the Doof Warrior’s guitar is authentic and fully functional. Sure, there’s some CGI here and there, but it’s used to enhance the practical effects rather than be a crutch. From a technical level, everything is perfect, from the sound design and score to the production and vehicle designs. Also, while the film is one big chase, the story is surprisingly rich, and the world feels fleshed out. Plus, the film clocks in at only two hours, which is quite a shock for a modern blockbuster. Some of the action and editing can get overwhelming, but that’s more of a nitpick than a legitimate complaint. Overall, Mad Max: Fury Road is what other action movies should aspire to be.
Buy Mad Max: Fury Road from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4e92pCX.
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