In Rob Reiner’s 1984 mockumentary “This is Spinal Tap,” a member of the eponymous, fictitious rock band explains that, unlike most speaker systems, which go from one to 10, theirs goes to 11. “Mad Max: Fury Road” starts at 11 — and ramps up the intensity until there’s not a drop of adrenaline left in the movie theater.
George Miller’s Cold War-era, post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” trilogy was a groundbreaking step in the action genre at the time of its release. The latest installment in the rogue road warrior saga uninhibitedly fulfills Miller’s vision, while setting the standard for all action movies to come.
The catalyst for the first “Mad Max” movie was the threat of global nuclear conflict in the midst of the Cold War. While “Fury Road” hints at nuclear war as a factor in bringing about the lawless desert society, the original anarchist premise has evolved to fit today’s global issues.
The state of chaos in the film’s post-apocalyptic society resulted from wars over dwindling global oil supplies. When the oil all but vanished, conflict shifted to an even more vital resource — water. This relentless, blood-soaked conflict left the population fractured and ruled by barbaric warlords whose control over the few remaining resources amounts to control over the impoverished masses.
Miller has meticulously crafted a lush universe filled with culture, customs and mythology which is shown more than told. This brilliantly unspoken nature to the chaotic society gives the characters a depth and familiarity that rationally qualifies their actions.
One such group of characters is the War Boys, antagonist King Immortan Joe’s (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne) battle fodder and defenders of his fortress, The Citadel. These ghoulish warriors are far from your typical dispensable action movie grunt, worshiping both Joe and the power of the V8 engine, clasping their hands in prayer with their eight fingers resembling the engine’s eight cylinders. Their steadfast conviction to a sort of Norse-steampunk hybrid mythology makes for a fascinating mob of hooting and hollering soldiers.
The War Boys’ primary opponent is none other than Mad Max himself (Tom Hardy). The quiet Max, haunted by his troubled past, provides countless action-packed moments equally jaw dropping and grin inducing. Still, while Hardy’s Max is the title character, the real star of the movie is Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa. The tough-as-nails, frightening yet compassionate right hand of The Citadel embodies feminine independence and strength in a society otherwise strictly adhering to patriarchal gender roles.
These characters interact in an immersive world of immeasurable detail and nonstop action sequences. These sequences that make up the majority of the movie’s two-hour running time are crafted almost entirely with practical effects and scarce use of CGI, putting the Marvel Universe to shame. The action has a purpose — it is vibrant, easy to follow and absolutely necessary to the story. For this reason and many others, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is one of the best action movies of all time — and easily the best of the 2010s.
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