In the post apocalyptic wastelands you are either the hunted or the hunter.
Everyone is just a little mad and all trying to survive in this desert landscape where water is a drug, gasoline is currency and humans that are unlucky enough are farmed for body parts.
The fourth instalment in the 'Mad Max' series – and the first film of the franchise in 30 years – 'Fury Road' stars Tom Hardy as Max and Charlize Theron as Furiosa. Quite a few familiar Australian actors crop up in the movie in major parts including Megan Gale and John Howard.
Set in the year 2060 in a world that has suffered the downfall of civilisation Max is out there trying to survive on his own the best way he can when he is ambushed, kidnapped and tortured by the War Boys part of a tyrannical society led by the evil King Immortan Joe.When Furisoa escapes with several women from the wasteland, collectively known as The Five Wives, Max is taken along for the ride rather unwittingly as a blood bank. So begins a rather bad day for Max as he is strapped to the front end of a vehicle that is in hot pursuit of the escapees.
Half the desert is after Furiosa and her precious cargo out-run everyone in an attempt to cross the desert in search of The Green Place – the place that she was stolen from and a possible refuge for the wives. They must get across the desert and Max is the only one that can help them with his vast knowledge of the wasteland and his penchant for revenge on his former kidnappers. Throw in ex War Boy Nux (Nicholas Holt) a suicidal maniac helping them and there is one heck of a chase across the desert.The movie is a thrill-a-minute, edge-of-you seat, action-packed extravaganza. If you blink you’ll miss it and the viewer really is taken on a ride that is as visually spectacular as it is rapid. There isn’t that much put into character development, just the one rule, that every one is a little mad. Sometimes as the viewer the motivations for what is going on is a little blurred but the movie is so full of action that you really don’t get a chance to dwell on things like that. There is also not a lot of dialogue especially from Max who tends to just grunt unless he has to. All of these things can be ignored as there are so many other contributing factors that make this movie a success.
It is a lot of fun, the cinematography is excellent and the action sequences are spectacular. Things are blown up left and right, and the stunts are jaw dropping. While the storyline is quite fast-paced and there is a lot going on, it takes a few moments after the credits roll to really grasp what has just taken place. It’s a movie that is guaranteed to have you holding your breath and secretly hoping the good guys win. There has been a lot of hype in the lead up to the film with it opening at the Cannes Film Festival this week and it lives up to that, even if it did take three decades to hit our screens.
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'Mad Max: Fury Road' is in cinemas now.
