scenes are still just a scratch in the surface of the greater context of the film. You never truly get to know these characters, but that's not really the point.
Fury Road is pure spectacle. The characters really just exist to serve as vehicles for the action, no pun intended. From the set pieces to the set dressing, everything about the presentation of the film is predicted on the idea of trying to look as absolutely cool as possible. A car chase through a sandstorm full of massive tornadoes? Sure, why not? A fire-shooting guitar played by a guy on top of a car covered in amps? Absolutely! Every single moment of this film exists just to make it as incredibly fun to watch as possible, and while it would be super easy for the movie to come across as trying too hard, it never does; they absolutely nail it, and as a result, watching it is just a constant joy. The editing is quick and stylish; the cinematography and landscape gorgeous; the action frantic and exciting; the music forceful and heart-pounding. Fury Road is just pure, unfiltered entertainment. Beyond that, though, the film does a phenomenal job at establishing a world where all these crazy, off-the-wall concepts are not only conceivable, but 100 percent believable.
world where all these crazy, off-the-wall concepts are not only conceivable, but 100 percent believable. The movie is a prime example of the filmmaking notion of “show, don’t tell.” Nothing about the world is outright told to you, but the way it is presented to the audience does more than any dialogue ever could. Every bit of every shot tells you about the apocalypse and how it came to be the way it is. Little glimpses of the greater world are peppered throughout, giving insight into the wasteland and showing how absolutely brutal it has become. And while Furiosa and Max drive the story along, characters like Immortan Joe and the War Boy Nux, maniacally played by the wonderful Nicholas Hoult, show the true insanity of the apocalypse and the genius of George Miller’s mind.
Mad Max: Fury Road is a feat of filmmaking. Two hours of almost non-stop car chases with minimal dialogue has no right to be this interesting; by all accounts, it should not work, but it absolutely does, and it exceeds on nearly every level. Not only is it consistently engaging and insanely fun throughout, but it manages to create a captivating world on top of that, dripping to the core in bizarre, fantastic lore. It draws upon the previous films just enough, taking what made them great and unique, and then turns it up to eleven, creating a brand new experience. Mad Max fans will find everything they loved about those movies present here, while those with no prior knowledge of the series will have absolutely no problem jumping right in. And jump in you should; this is an experience that no movie lover should miss–one that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Even if the character development was a bit thin, that’s what sequels are for, and I will eagerly be awaiting whatever next foray into the apocalypse that George Miller cooks up next, with the same bated breath that I found myself with through every last minute of Fury Road.