Mad Max: Fury Road

BuilderPlumber

Barely There wrote: »

Finally got to see it at the weekend.
Holy Moly that was fun.

What a visceral experience. During the first hour one barely had time to breath, much less question the plot/dialogue.

Loved it - but can see why others might not - the OH certainly didn't think much of it.
Some of the shots were jaw-droppingly good.

It is excellent and by far the best action film so far this year. It was the film I never thought would happen as it was put off so many times from the late 1980s up until the mid 2000s. It will appeal to fans of action films, chase films, shootouts, westerns, post apocalypse films and science fiction films alike as it combines all of these.

Heckler

Am a big Mad Max fan. 1 and 2 are up there in my favourites. Even enjoyed thunderdome.

Sorry folks. This was Mad Max in name only. Hardy (and I really like Hardy) and Theron could have been played by pretty much anyone such was the dialogue and interaction.

The action scenes were fantastically done but after a while just got boring. There was none of the barbarity of the first two. I didn't care about Hardys Max. I did about Gibsons. He had a leg brace, a dog called Dog whose food he ate and a cool car that didn't get wrecked in the first 5 minutes. The bad guys were a lot more individual and chilling too I thought.

It was ok. Probably never watch it again having seen 1 and 2 numerous times.

.ak

Bit of a marmite one alright... But I think it's safe to say more people loved it than hated it.

I would be in the loved it camp. If I'm being honest I thought it was better cinema than the first one. It was a graphic novel in moving silver screen format. Beautiful bit of cinema.

I find it hilarious reading the first posts of the thread! 2009, and some die hards were not happy!

pixelburp

I see a few banned / closed accounts on the first page or so, I kinda curious to know what those folks eventually thought of the final film, having been vociferous at the start of the discussions

.ak

pixelburp wrote: »

I see a few banned / closed accounts on the first page or so, I kinda curious to know what those folks eventually thought of the final film, having been vociferous at the start of the discussions

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Maybe they're rolling in their metaphorical boards.ie graves.

Fysh

.ak wrote: »

Bit of a marmite one alright... But I think it's safe to say more people loved it than hated it.

I would be in the loved it camp. If I'm being honest I thought it was better cinema than the first one. It was a graphic novel in moving silver screen format. Beautiful bit of cinema.

I find it hilarious reading the first posts of the thread! 2009, and some die hards were not happy!

One of the credited writers is Brendan McCarthy, an illustrator and comics artist who did the storyboards. Apparently Miller worked with him to develop the story visually rather than writing it first and then working out the visuals, and was so impressed with his work that he insisted MCarthy get a writing credit.

Heckler

.ak wrote: »

Bit of a marmite one alright... But I think it's safe to say more people loved it than hated it.

I would be in the loved it camp. If I'm being honest I thought it was better cinema than the first one. It was a graphic novel in moving silver screen format. Beautiful bit of cinema.

I find it hilarious reading the first posts of the thread! 2009, and some die hards were not happy!

If Fury Road was a graphic novel it would be cell after cell of cars turning over and exploding. Haven't watched the original in quite a while but from what I remember his family ruination was done a whole lot better than some child morphing into a deaths head. Mel Gisbons Max had heart. This one didn't. The costumes were better (in the original). The acting was better. The whole thing was just felt more authentic. I know there was a few scenes sped up and such but they were working with the limitations they had at the time.

Just google image mel gibson mad max and tom hardy mad max and see who looks better. It ain't Hardy.

e_e

Heckler wrote: »

Mel Gisbons Max had heart. This one didn't. The costumes were better (in the original). The acting was better.

Really? A lot of the time had a whiff of actors in hockey pads doing panto, especially with the villains. I enjoyed them all to varying degrees but it was on a hollower exploitation film level whereas Fury Road feels like the genuine fulfillment of a lifelong vision.

Especially disagree about the actors and heart though. Can't think of moments in the first three movies as rousing and inspiring as

Nux's transformation, the women being reunited after years away and that beautiful little acknowledgement Max and Furiosa have at the end as she is rising over everyone.

To say it's just cars exploding and rolling around on a graphic novel page is to disregard so many of the great subtle character beats and subtext too.

Heckler

e_e wrote: »

Really? A lot of the time had a whiff of actors in hockey pads doing panto, especially with the villains. I enjoyed them all to varying degrees but it was on a hollower exploitation film level whereas Fury Road feels like the genuine fulfillment of a lifelong vision.

Especially disagree about the actors and heart though. Can't think of moments in the first three movies as rousing and inspiring as

Nux's transformation, the women being reunited after years away and that beautiful little acknowledgement Max and Furiosa have at the end as she is rising over everyone.

To say it's just cars exploding and rolling around on a graphic novel page is to disregard so many of the great subtle character beats and subtext too.

Fair enough. Each to their own. I know I'll watch MM 1 2and 3 again but probably never bother with Fury Road. Just found it a bit boring. As a kinetic vehicle action movie I watched a 20 year old Speed after it and found it more enjoyable. MM 1 2 and 3 have endured over the years. I don't think fury road will.

Looper007

Heckler wrote: »

Fair enough. Each to their own. I know I'll watch MM 1 2and 3 again but probably never bother with Fury Road. Just found it a bit boring. As a kinetic vehicle action movie I watched a 20 year old Speed after it and found it more enjoyable. MM 1 2 and 3 have endured over the years. I don't think fury road will.

I'm sorry but Fury road is anything but boring, I think its a case that cause Mel's not in the lead then its not MM for you. I still stand by its the best film in the Franchise.

Heckler

Looper007 wrote: »

I'm sorry but Fury road is anything but boring, I think its a case that cause Mel's not in the lead then its not MM for you. I still stand by its the best film in the Franchise.

Ah shur if we all agreed on everything t'would be a boring world ! Its not a bad movie by any stretch and I'm glad people liked it, probably loads of youngsters who have never seen MM 12&3 might look them up. Just didn't float my boat as high as I was hoping.

BuilderPlumber

Looper007 wrote: »

I'm sorry but Fury road is anything but boring, I think its a case that cause Mel's not in the lead then its not MM for you. I still stand by its the best film in the Franchise.

Boring is not a word I would use for Fury Road. It is by far the best film so far this year.

Some I feel tend to compare all the others to MM2. MM2 is an excellent film but all the other 3 are too. The first film set in the last pre-apocalypse days, is very interesting and gives us a background to Max. It tends to be underrated and those coming at it after seeing the second and third ones are in for a shock as it is has a much more normal looking world. It is a completely different film to the three sequels but this is the first incarnation of Max and the world he lives in. Beyond Thunderdome is very underrated and it got Max to do other things than driving: we get to see his fighting skills and the like. Other aspects of the apocalypse are explored inclusive of people born after the fall of the old world or who were too young to remember it.

The second film is certainly the most violent and is the one that set the bar. The change from the normal looking world with crime out of control and fuel shortages of the first film was ditched in favour of a complete world breakdown. The first film also was violent but these first 2 films showed that side of a world in chaos either side of the apocalypse. Another violent rape scene in the third or fourth would not really serve any purpose. The world shown here had settled into a new order and a new code of law and order existed in Bartertown, the lost tribe and the Citadel. These were post apocalypse but civilised as time had passed and the survivors discovered they had to abide by a higher code. Tina Turner's character saw the value of civilisation and was basically a good person trying to do what she thinks is right. She said she would do anything to protect civilisation and that explains why in the end her better judgement allowed her to forget about retaking Master and also why she spared Max's life.

Fury Road's situation seemed similar. A new civilisation had taken hold but now the leadership was considered to be elitist and looking after themselves while many lived in poverty below. Furiosa and Nux see this eventually and Max as always is around to help the good guys win the day. The message here is we have self serving post apocalypse political classes.

pixelburp

I think any movie like Fury Road will eventually suffer a little backlash at this stage; seems natural enough. It has garnered near-mythic levels of praise from both critics and those who caught it in the cinema - it's inevitable some people are going to be disappointed, hype can be a terrible double-edged sword after all.

ps3lover

I saw an interview with the director where he said they had edited together a pg13 rated cut but it tested really badly so they decided to go with the R rated cut.

Mr Freeze

Having watched all Mad Max films again recently I loved Mad Max 2, thought it was great and didn't remember seeing it all as a kid. Beyond Thunderdome, I watched that over and over as a kid and I didn't realise how bad it was until I watched it again 20 years later.

Anyways, I had to watch them again before watching Fury Road, which I thought was absolutely brilliant, I can't say a bad thing about it. I thought it might have been hyped too much, but the praise it got was not misplaced (imho).

Can't wait to watch it again.

BuilderPlumber

Mr Freeze wrote: »

Having watched all Mad Max films again recently I loved Mad Max 2, thought it was great and didn't remember seeing it all as a kid. Beyond Thunderdome, I watched that over and over as a kid and I didn't realise how bad it was until I watched it again 20 years later.

Anyways, I had to watch them again before watching Fury Road, which I thought was absolutely brilliant, I can't say a bad thing about it. I thought it might have been hyped too much, but the praise it got was not misplaced (imho).

Can't wait to watch it again.

Mad Max 2 is the film that set the bar for post apocalypse action movies. The first film's set on the eve of nuclear world war as we know from the second and it is clear from the film itself things are deteriorating. In a way, this film had more in common with Robocop and Batman than the Mad Max sequels.

The world in the second film depicts the violence and chaos that follows the breakdown of government. We do not see the towns like those we see in the first movie, but it is assumed they are full of violence and are warzones with gangs fighting each other. But the gangs are going further and further out into the country it seems too and that's what we see in the second film.

The third film is very good and tends to be underrated. It is clear that the gangs have settled down and have joined a new society. Ironbar clearly is like a leftover from the Humungus outfit. This is the first time in the series we are specifically told the war was nuclear as well I think. I think this film showed the desertification of the world in great detail and the world is much more hostile than in the second film.

However, the fourth film investigated other issues not covered in films 2 or 3. The poor health and the poverty of some people is obvious and clearly Immortan Joe has a lot of things wrong with him. As well as the long documented oil wars of the series, there is also a mention of water wars as well.

It is actually quite rare to see a revisit to an old set of films come out and be excellent. Fury Road is one of very few to achieve that. Comparing other sequels that emerged years after the originals like the recent Indiana Jones, Fury Road not only captured the feel of the originals but had something new to add as well.

pixelburp

Thunderdome didn't start out as a Mad Max film; apparently Miller was gunning for something of an apocalyptic Peter Pan tale, and eventually Max was grafted into the storyline.

Honestly though, having rewatched it recently, Thunderdome is a hoot and doesn't deserve the reputation it has. I think people see Tina Turner's presence and just mentally shut off. Oh sure, it doesn't have the same motorised mayhem that defined the first two films, but it's still a cracking adventure flick that maintains the clever, subversive ideas of the post-apocalyptic society from the previous films.

It's definitely the most 'fun' of the three films too, the most mystical as well in many ways; I love how the old world bleeds into new myths and legends present in these new societies; the aforementioned Lost Boys knock-off being a great example of this.

BuilderPlumber

pixelburp wrote: »

Thunderdome didn't start out as a Mad Max film; apparently Miller was gunning for something of an apocalyptic Peter Pan tale, and eventually Max was grafted into the storyline.

Honestly though, having rewatched it recently, Thunderdome is a hoot and doesn't deserve the reputation it has. I think people see Tina Turner's presence and just mentally shut off. Oh sure, it doesn't have the same motorised mayhem that defined the first two films, but it's still a cracking adventure flick that maintains the clever, subversive ideas of the post-apocalyptic society from the previous films.

It's definitely the most 'fun' of the three films too, the most mystical as well in many ways; I love how the old world bleeds into new myths and legends present in these new societies; the aforementioned Lost Boys knock-off being a great example of this.

I agree. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was the first Mad Max film in watched and was the escape I needed from an endless diet of buddy cop films, Rambo and Vietnam films. Tina Turner did very well in it. There is a lovely mystery quality about it and it is very well made.

I heard too that Miller was intending to make a post apocalypse Peter Pan type film as well as another Mad Max. Clearly, he had got as far as Max entering Bartertown and fighting in Thunderdome and then banished. He probably also had the idea of a lost tribe dreaming of a return to a home place they vaguely remember and of someone helping them along. So, he probably said that both could be joined and this is what happened.

I think alternative types of action scenes were contemplated for Thunderdome too. Max's fighting skills were showcased a few times and the scene where Max shoots at the guy coming at him with the swinging blades is a nod to Indiana Jones films.

After watching Beyond Thunderdome, I went back to the video shop to get the others and then they had the first one and I watched this and loved it too. I noticed the difference of the 2 and then finally got my hands on Mad Max 2 and loved this as well and this explained the contrasting words of the first and third films. And Fury Road was very enjoyable this year proving there is a lot more to be told in this series.

bucketybuck

pixelburp wrote: »

Honestly though, having rewatched it recently, Thunderdome is a hoot and doesn't deserve the reputation it has. I think people see Tina Turner's presence and just mentally shut off.

It isn't Tina Turner that puts people off, she was excellent, it was the kids. The film comes to a screeching halt to show us some peter pan rubbish and never recovers from that.

Up until the kids the film is absolutely iconic.

BuilderPlumber

bucketybuck wrote: »

It isn't Tina Turner that puts people off, she was excellent, it was the kids. The film comes to a screeching halt to show us some peter pan rubbish and never recovers from that.

Up until the kids the film is absolutely iconic.

I loved the audition fight and the Thunderdome fight is one of my 3 favourite action scenes from first 3 Mad Max films along with the the end chase of Mad Max 2 and the revenge killings of the gang in Mad Max 1.

I think the children in it were important to show the message of a new generation born and raised in the new world who had vague recollections of the old world. Children always were part of Max's world as we have seen with Sprog, the Feral Kid, etc. before. Each film I think had a separate overall theme:

Mad Max 1 was about the last days of the world as we know it and crime out of control and fuel scarce.
Mad Max 2 was about gangs taking over after the collapse and had the feel of a classic Western like Shane or The Magnificent 7 where a myserious stranger comes to the aid of the community beseiged by the bad guys.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome dealt with the emergence of new civilisations, religious beliefes and law systems and a message of hope for a better future.
Mad Max Fury Road dealt with elitism, the strong denying the weak, revolt and revolution within a post apocalypse civilisation.

bucketybuck

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I think the children in it were important to show the message of a new generation born and raised in the new world who had vague recollections of the old world. Children always were part of Max's world as we have seen with Sprog, the Feral Kid, etc. before. Each film I think had a separate overall theme:

Its a bit of a reach to think that just because there were kid characters in the other films that they were all that important to the other films, but regardless of that, just because the children in MM3 were important to a message does not mean that they didn't bring the film to a screeching halt. If they were important, they were an example of letting that message take precedence over making a good film.

BuilderPlumber

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its a bit of a reach to think that just because there were kid characters in the other films that they were all that important to the other films, but regardless of that, just because the children in MM3 were important to a message does not mean that they didn't bring the film to a screeching halt. If they were important, they were an example of letting that message take precedence over making a good film.

I think that the film can be seen as a 3 part series. The first deals with Max pursuing his stolen goods and getting caught up in an internal feud in Bartertown and culminating in his fight with Blaster and banishment out of Bartertown after Max refuses to kill Blaster. Then, the next episode deals with Max and the children who think he is a half remembered pilot they view as a god. Max sorta convinces them he is not this person and then the third part returns us to Bartertown for the final fight and chase scenes.

I personally enjoyed it and perhaps it has the most interesting storyline of the 4 films. But films are subjective and for most, Mad Max 2 will always be the benchmark by which the others are viewed. But in reality, each of the original 3 films are all very different to each other and explore different themes. Fury Road may well be most like MM2 but again it does bring in a lot of new ideas.

Overall, I see the series as a set of four strong films all with something to offer. And most importantly, I see room for many more that should be equally as enjoyable. Other film series, most notably the likes of Rocky, Rambo, Police Academy and Mel Gibson's other famous 1980s franchise Lethal Weapon, all seemed to run their course and many of the sequels seemed pointless.

Looper007

Mr Freeze wrote: »

Having watched all Mad Max films again recently I loved Mad Max 2, thought it was great and didn't remember seeing it all as a kid. Beyond Thunderdome, I watched that over and over as a kid and I didn't realise how bad it was until I watched it again 20 years later.

Anyways, I had to watch them again before watching Fury Road, which I thought was absolutely brilliant, I can't say a bad thing about it. I thought it might have been hyped too much, but the praise it got was not misplaced (imho).

Can't wait to watch it again.

Road Warrior and Fury Road are two of the best action films of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. Brilliantly shot and the stunt work is just out of this world, the guys and girls deserve a Oscar for stunt work alone. I love the nasty gritty feel of the first film, its really the only film Max is front and centre (that's why I never understood why people complain about Theron been front and centre in Fury Road, when Max hasn't been outright lead since the first film). I do like Thunderdome but it just lacked the bite of the other films but its nowhere as bad as many would make you think.


I like to see a Hardy MAX trilogy with George Miller, but with Miller now in his 70's they need to get a move on. Wastelands has a tough job beating Fury Road.

Looper007

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I think that the film can be seen as a 3 part series. The first deals with Max pursuing his stolen goods and getting caught up in an internal feud in Bartertown and culminating in his fight with Blaster and banishment out of Bartertown after Max refuses to kill Blaster. Then, the next episode deals with Max and the children who think he is a half remembered pilot they view as a god. Max sorta convinces them he is not this person and then the third part returns us to Bartertown for the final fight and chase scenes.

I personally enjoyed it and perhaps it has the most interesting storyline of the 4 films. But films are subjective and for most, Mad Max 2 will always be the benchmark by which the others are viewed. But in reality, each of the original 3 films are all very different to each other and explore different themes. Fury Road may well be most like MM2 but again it does bring in a lot of new ideas.

Overall, I see the series as a set of four strong films all with something to offer. And most importantly, I see room for many more that should be equally as enjoyable. Other film series, most notably the likes of Rocky, Rambo, Police Academy and Mel Gibson's other famous 1980s franchise Lethal Weapon, all seemed to run their course and many of the sequels seemed pointless.

I though part 2 was a great sequel, a more nasty and downbeat film. Weapon 3 I liked a lot and is underrated. Part 4 was a disappointment but like The Crystal Skull I wipe it from my mind. The worse thing they did was take the sting out of Gibson's character and bring in Joe Pesci.

BuilderPlumber

Looper007 wrote: »

I though part 2 was a great sequel, a more nasty and downbeat film. Weapon 3 I liked a lot and is underrated. Part 4 was a disappointment but like The Crystal Skull I wipe it from my mind. The worse thing they did was take the sting out of Gibson's character and bring in Joe Pesci.

I agree with this. Lethal Weapon 2 is an excellent film and I loved the way they made what happened Riggs' wife not an accident which meant this was a great revenge film. In the first film, Riggs was suicidal after losing his wife and it was great - but the second film was really excellent. The third is actually good bar Pesci's comedy character. But the 4th was where things went very wrong like Indiana Jones Crystal Skull as you say.

I hope Mad Max stays as is. The 4 films have all been very solid and there is still a lot to be told. But sometimes films become paradies of their former selves and try to add in too much comedy. Other films like Police Academy did not need all those sequels as they were all the same more or less.

BuilderPlumber

Looper007 wrote: »

Road Warrior and Fury Road are two of the best action films of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. Brilliantly shot and the stunt work is just out of this world, the guys and girls deserve a Oscar for stunt work alone. I love the nasty gritty feel of the first film, its really the only film Max is front and centre (that's why I never understood why people complain about Theron been front and centre in Fury Road, when Max hasn't been outright lead since the first film). I do like Thunderdome but it just lacked the bite of the other films but its nowhere as bad as many would make you think.


I like to see a Hardy MAX trilogy with George Miller, but with Miller now in his 70's they need to get a move on. Wastelands has a tough job beating Fury Road.

That is true and interestingly enough, Max is least front and centre in the first film. It is the only film where Max is not the first character we see. A lot of the first film does have a lot of scenes where Max is not present, for example the Toecutter's gang plundering the town and chasing the car/smashing it up and seemingly raping both the man and woman. Also, there are a lot of scenes dedicated to the Goose's storyline. In Road Warrior, Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road, Max features in most scenes but he does have a lot of help often and Furiosa is a cool ally and they made a great team.

I hope we have a trilogy of Max films with Hardy and even a prequel exploring the world of the first film in more detail would be cool too. I hope Wasteland is as good as Fury Road and all going well, it should if the heart and soul is put into it.

cowboyBuilder

Just saw this the other night on the big screen, really really liked it , such intense action sequences and I´m not normally into action films.

I can imagine if one is into action it must be the greatest film ever

cowboyBuilder

e_e wrote: »

http://screenrant.com/mad-max-fury-road-bluray-black-white-silent-version/

Black & White version on the way!

checking Amazon, it doesn't mention it in special features .. I'd like to get this..

Mickeroo

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

checking Amazon, it doesn't mention it in special features .. I'd like to get this..

I don't think it's coming out anymore, or they're holding it back so they can trick people into buying the movie twice (unfortunately likely).

Thargor

I cant think of anything more pointless than a B&W version of this tbh, or a B&W version of any film that was originally released in colour.