There are a few harsh realities to rewatchingMad Max: Fury Road, even though the movie remains a post-apocalyptic masterpiece.The 2015 sequel was directed, co-produced, and co-written by George Miller, who wrote the original movie with Byron Kennedy. Although Australian producer Byron Kennedy passed away in 1983 after working on just twoMad Maxmovies, Miller continued to leadtheMad Maxmovie franchise. In hindsight, some elements ofMad Max: Fury Roadcould have been improved, while other elements may sadly never be recreated.
Miller’s return to theMad Maxuniverse in 2015 led to one of the best action movies of all time.Mad Max: Fury Roadoccupies a mysterious place intheMad Maxtimeline, for one. It appears to be set a long time after the lastMad Maxmovie, but Max hasn’t aged. The strange timeframe of the movie indicated a fresh approach on behalf of its makers, who were refusing to be held back by constraints as mundane as linear timing and logic.Fury Roadwas sort of a rebootthat included moments of moviemaking magic and some more questionable elements.
Mad Max: Fury Roadis one of the most stressful action movies to watch. This is a part of its strategy, but it doesn’t necessarily make it harder to stomach.The movie starts with some nauseating shotsof Tom Hardy’s Max trying to escape Immortan Joe, and the pace doesn’t let up from there on. This fast-paced action is enjoyable but is made more aggressive by certain filmmaking tactics.
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The movie removed frames from its scenes to create a sense of anxiety in line with what was being experienced by Max. This resulted in a disturbing nightmare of an opening, which was sometimes replicated throughout the movie. Thisjarring, stilted camera work was combined with the movie’s loud and aggressive soundtrackto build a growing unease. This smart production sometimes felt a little too effective.
Mad Max: Fury Roadhas a moral compass but doesn’t always seem to acknowledge the full extent of the impact of its violence. Action movies, in general, aren’t known for taking every death seriously. And,Mad Max:Fury Roadactually shines when it takes itself less seriously. Its silliness is one of the best things about it. Yet, there is a chance thatFury Roadcould have used a touch more consideration of its many deaths.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdomeis rated PG-13, uniquely in the franchise, with every otherMad Maxmovie rated R.
One ofthe harshest realities ofMad Maxmay be the gratuitous violence. This is what makes the franchiseMad Max, but it can sometimes slip into territory that renders it less emotionally believable. The movies were never supposed to be physically believable, but their heart relies on a fundamental ability to relate to the protagonists. Perhapsslightly more acknowledgment of its many tragedies would have benefitedMad Max: Fury Road.
Nux Was Incredible But Occasionally Confusing
Nicholas Hoult’s Nux had slightly inconsistent character development throughoutMad Max: Fury Road. Nux is unquestionably one of Hoult’s best characters ever, and he was one of the best parts ofFury Road, perhaps second only to Tom Hardy’s Max. However,it wasn’t always easy to understand why Nux was oscillating so wildlybetween loyalty to Immortan Joe and rejection of his ways.
All 5 Of Immortan Joe’s Wives In Mad Max: Fury Road & What Happened To Them
The wives in Mad Max: Fury Road have starkly different personalities which lead them to different fates as they navigate the Wasteland with Furiosa.
Nux looked like Immortan Joe’s biggest fan until he could no longer please him. In giving up the ghost of being Immortan Joe’s favorite, Nux decided to switch sides and help Max and Furiosa. Nux had glorious development, with his arc ending tragically and perfectly. However,the movie could have made it slightly more clear what was going onin Nux’s head and why he switched sides.
The Movie’s Unique Palette Was Sometimes Jarring
Mad Max: Fury Roadhad a very garish color palette, which helped the movie, but sometimes made it harder to watch. Like the movie’s screaming soundtrack and cut frames, itshigh saturation gave it the feeling of being overwhelming. This suited the movie perfectly, as it was built to be over the top. However, it meant that the movie wasn’t quite the perfect fit for every social situation or every person.
TheChrome Editiongave viewers the option to skip the original’s high-octane palette.
The high saturation ofMad Max: Fury Roadmade it deliberately comic-bookin style, which reflected theMad Maxcomics. This made sense but could be difficult on the eyes. Seemingly acknowledging this,Mad Max: Fury Roadreleased a black-and-white versioncalledMad Max: Fury Road Black & Chrome Edition. TheChrome Editiongave viewers the option to skip the original’s high-octane palette.
6Tom Hardy’s Max Deserved His Own Sequel
Tom Hardy Max Deserved Way More Screen Time
Mad Max took 4 movies to finally live up to his nameand then got swept under the carpet. Mel Gibson’s Mad Max was wonderful but nowhere near as unhinged as Tom Hardy. In many ways,Max really came into his own inMad Max: Fury Road. That is why it is such a harsh reality that Hardy’s Max didn’t get a sequel. The franchise followedFury Roadup withFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga.
2024’sFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagawas a great addition to the franchise led by a new version of Furiosa played by Anya Taylor-Joy. This was fun and welcome, but it was still a shame that Hardy didn’t get to lead theMad Maxmovie afterFury Road.TomHardy was the best thing aboutFury Roadand he deserved his own sequel.
The Movies Could Have More Nuance
Mad Max: Fury Roadhas much more depth than many action movies but not as much nuance as some. While the movie’s strength was its style, its substance could lag behind. The violence ofMad Max: Fury Roadwas beautifully stylized and nicely offset by strongly portrayed themes. Friendship was put to the test in a brutal setting. However,there were long stints of action, and not all of them seemed fully necessary.
The action was, overall, exceptional. Fiercely original sequences put the movie’s post-apocalyptic setting to great use, with War Boys fighting Max and Furiosa across a burning desert. This could, perhaps, have been slightly reduced and refined. This would have made way for slightly more plot development and dialogue.The script of the movie was a huge highlight, so more of this wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
4Tom Hardy May Make A Better Max Than Mel Gibson
Tom Hardy Makes Former Movies Look Lacking
Antiheroes are Tom Hardy’s specialty, which may have ended up making him an even better Max than Mel Gibson. This harsh reality actually paintedMad Max: Fury Roadin a good light while reflecting less well on its predecessors. The first fewMad Maxmovies were pioneering, butHardy made the role all his ownand brought it the pure, unfettered rage that it had always needed.
Mel Gibson launched the franchise as Max Rockatansky in 1979’sMad Maxand gave George Miller and Byron Kennedy’s vision a face. Gibson’s memorable turn was hugely influential and paved the way for Tom Hardy. But TomHardy’s 2015 movie may have been the bestMad Maxmovie yet made, making the originals look worse by comparison.
Mad Max: Fury Roadwas simple, yet effective, and could be seen to lack certain elements. The movie was funny in a way, which actually only went to prove how much funnier it could have been if the script had focused on this. Nonetheless, the movie’s dark tone made it stronger. In this vein,the movie could have acknowledged the full terror of its implicationsmore.
Mad Max’s Next Movie Can’t Confirm The Best Fury Road Theory Unless Tom Hardy Returns
One Mad Max: Fury Road theory would completely redefine Tom Hardy’s take on Max Rockatansky, but the franchise will probably never confirm it.
The movie, for instance, could have leaned into its tentative explorations of fate and politics.Mad Max: Fury Roadwas right to not hit viewers over the head with obtuse dialogue, but there was an underlying depth that could have been brought out more. To reach the heights of action flicks likeThe MatrixorKill Bill,perhaps only slightly more dialogue was neededto explore character motivations.
There Were A Few Too Many Explosions Interrupting The Action In Fury Road
The explosions that occurred throughoutMad Max: Fury Roadwere a key ingredient but did go slightly too far. The action sequences of the movie needed the explosions to create the drama that they did. However,some scenes got confusingas explosions continued, distorting the clarity of events. Among the well-timed explosions were some pyrotechnics that could have been toned down.
The extended action scenes and explosions were mostly engaging, but every once in a while, it was possible to lose focus. With so much going on in each scene,the explosions sometimes got repetitiveand played against the pacing of the action. This was a small complaint, in the grand scheme of things, but showed that even the best action movies could sometimes use some paring down for optimum effect.
The harshest reality ofMad Max: Fury Roadis that it may never get the sequel that it so sorely deserves.Furiosa: A Mad Max Sagahad disappointing box office returnsthat did not compensate for its huge expense. This endangered theFury Roadsequel that George Miller had been contemplating. There is always the chance that this movie will transpire, one day, but it sounds unlikely, for now.
Speaking withForbes, Tom Hardy addressedtheMad Max: The Wastelandmovie, which was meant to come afterFury Road. Hardy bluntly commented ‘I don’t think that’s happening," upsetting manyMad Maxfans. Hardy’sMad Maxmovie may be the best of the whole franchise.Mad Max: Fury Roadwasn’t perfect but its biggest problem, by far, is not getting a follow-up.
Mad Max: Fury Road
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Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic film set in a desolate desert landscape where society has collapsed. Released in 2015, the story follows two rebels, Max Rockatansky and Imperator Furiosa, as they attempt to survive and bring balance to a world torn by chaos and strife.
