The last triangle for a film with 'Road' in the name ended up with a single-digit score, but I'm sure this one will turn out better, right?
The last triangle for a film with 'Road' in the name ended up with a single-digit score, but I'm sure this one will turn out better, right?
My History / Mad or just disinterested?
I saw the second and third Mad Max films on tv ages ago. They were fun enough to sit through (though I'll rarely stop watching a film I've started), but I wouldn't call myself a fan. Fury Road being announced was a surprise (because of how long it had been since the third one), but little more. At least for me.
Sure, the trailer looked cool, but lots of things look cool in the trailers, and I skipped it in theatres.
I picked it up for a movie night a few weeks after its home release, expecting a solid few hours of explosions and 80s sensibilities.
I definitely got one of those.
I picked it up for a movie night a few weeks after its home release, expecting a solid few hours of explosions and 80s sensibilities.
I definitely got one of those.
Plot summary / You don't have to be mad to work here, but it helps.
The world went to shit. First came the Oil Wars, then the Water Wars and a nuclear apocalypse.
An Australian policeman loses everything and takes to wandering the wastelands, in part to run from what he's lost and in part to atone for the guilt he feels for not being able to stop it.
This is Max (Rockatansky, which isn't important or even mentioned for Fury Road but it's hilarious so there you go), he's not really mad about anything, just cautious and not really a people person anymore. Unfortunately that doesn't stop him from being ambushed by War Boys and taken to the citadel of Immortan Joe, where they find out he has blood type O and they keep him around as a universal donor.
That doesn't mean sitting around at the citadel medical wing waiting to be of use though, before long he is strapped to the front of a car of Nux, a wounded War Boy in need of his blood, and driven into a big chase sequence (and impressive sandstorm). The chase is to catch up to Imperator Furiosa, who ran off with Immortan Joe's harem of slave-wives.
Despite Max being the title character and protagonist of the series so far this is very much Furiosa's story. We don't know much about her past, but she's hellbent on freeing Joe's wives and taking them to "The Green Place" where she grew up.
As the chase escalates Max and Nux find themselves on Furiosa's truck and eventually in an uneasy truce as they try to make their escape.
Corner 1: Adventure 7.5/10 / "I am the man who grabs the sun, riding to Valhalla!"
- π Is a chase sequence adventurous? It is! And this is 84% chase sequence!
- π ...that shouldn't leave a lot of time for character development in the quieter scenes, but this makes it work.
- π The wasteland is a featureless place. It mixes it up between rocky deserts, regular deserts and a bit of creepy swamp, but there are no wondrous sights to be found here.
- π The final plan is smart (on both levels), but not adventurous.
- π Is a chase sequence adventurous? It is! And this is 84% chase sequence!
- π ...that shouldn't leave a lot of time for character development in the quieter scenes, but this makes it work.
- π The wasteland is a featureless place. It mixes it up between rocky deserts, regular deserts and a bit of creepy swamp, but there are no wondrous sights to be found here.
- π The final plan is smart (on both levels), but not adventurous.
Corner 2: Smart 7.5/10 / "If you can't stand up, you can't do war."
- π‘ The final plan might not be adventurous, but it sure is smart! It's the only move that makes sense for the characters, and probably one of the last things viewers might expect.
- π‘ There is a shining confidence in the way this film is put together. From the high-octane action sequences to the understated, quieter moments. Almost everything is left to speak for itself.
- π€ By comparison the subtext is almost too on te nose. I guess it's a bit out of place to ask for subtlety in a world where people are used as hood ornaments multiple times.
- π‘ And I do wholeheartedly agree with the subtext, and was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected feminist turn.
- π€ In the end the things done (save for the final decision) aren't particularly smart. People run away, people are chased, people fight.
- π‘ The final plan might not be adventurous, but it sure is smart! It's the only move that makes sense for the characters, and probably one of the last things viewers might expect.
- π‘ There is a shining confidence in the way this film is put together. From the high-octane action sequences to the understated, quieter moments. Almost everything is left to speak for itself.
- π€ By comparison the subtext is almost too on te nose. I guess it's a bit out of place to ask for subtlety in a world where people are used as hood ornaments multiple times.
- π‘ And I do wholeheartedly agree with the subtext, and was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected feminist turn.
- π€ In the end the things done (save for the final decision) aren't particularly smart. People run away, people are chased, people fight.
Corner 3: Heart 8.5/10 / "witness me."
There's no trace of a love story in this unforgiving world, but that doesn't mean this film can't shine in this category. The Heart category is about how a piece of media makes me feel, and Fury Road hands out feelings in spades.
- π Max and Furiosa learn to respect each other and don't fall in love. Max regains his humanity, Furiosa her future, and that's enough to tell a fulfilling story.
- π There's one scene, shortly after Max and Furiosa meet, where they aren't sure yet if they can trust each other, but they still have to fend off an attack on the truck. Without saying a word they work together seamlessly, forging a truce and a trust just by cooperating. (For reference, it's right after the pass where they fight off the motorcycles. Almost exactly an hour in).
- π An incredible fusion of old-school action film making and modern sensibilities and values that is both condemning and celebratory at the same time. All future "shallow action blockbusters" suddenly have a lot to live up to.
- π The characters are all cool, suited to the film and thoroughly well acted. But do I really like any of them? ...not really.
Yeah, back to a normal triangle review.
These are some great scores too...
This film has been popping in and out of my (mostly theoretical) top 10 films since I've seen it. With a triangle like that I should probably just consider it a mainstay.
There's no trace of a love story in this unforgiving world, but that doesn't mean this film can't shine in this category. The Heart category is about how a piece of media makes me feel, and Fury Road hands out feelings in spades.
- π Max and Furiosa learn to respect each other and don't fall in love. Max regains his humanity, Furiosa her future, and that's enough to tell a fulfilling story.
- π There's one scene, shortly after Max and Furiosa meet, where they aren't sure yet if they can trust each other, but they still have to fend off an attack on the truck. Without saying a word they work together seamlessly, forging a truce and a trust just by cooperating. (For reference, it's right after the pass where they fight off the motorcycles. Almost exactly an hour in).
- π An incredible fusion of old-school action film making and modern sensibilities and values that is both condemning and celebratory at the same time. All future "shallow action blockbusters" suddenly have a lot to live up to.
- π The characters are all cool, suited to the film and thoroughly well acted. But do I really like any of them? ...not really.
Yeah, back to a normal triangle review.
These are some great scores too...
These are some great scores too...
79.57
Oh wow, higher than Star Wars even... that doesn't sound quite right. I'll have to see about splitting that one up into individual films eventually, maybe even revisiting its original score (EDIT: I started doing the splitting here).
Not for the next one though. The next one will be just a regular straightforward review... except I have no idea yet how high its scores will land.
Not for the next one though. The next one will be just a regular straightforward review... except I have no idea yet how high its scores will land.
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