'Mad Max: Fury Road' is still metal AF

Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy team in 2015’s “Max Max: Fury Road.” (Warner Bros/MovieStillsDB.com)

Ultimate Movie Year finds the best films from weekends past to build an all-star lineup of cinema.

"Mad Max: Fury Road"
Released May 15, 2015
Directed by George Miller

The fourth Mad Max film begins quickly. The protagonist is immediately captured by a group of male zealots called the War Boys. When one of the group's top lieutenants goes rogue in an escape attempt, the captured Max is strapped to the hood of a machine designed for violence and destruction to give chase, alongside dozens of other heavily armored vehicles racing across a desert wasteland in pursuit. This is just the first 20 minutes.

If anybody watching was wondering what kind of movie they were watching, one moment clears it all up. The drum beats of the War Boys are heard and then seen. Several pale men are pounding their barrels on the back of one of the vehicles, and then the camera pans to the front, where a masked guitarist, clad in all red in front of giant speakers, continues to shred. A flamethrower erupts out of the guitar.

These riders bring their own soundtrack.

At this moment, strap yourself in, because this movie's getting metal AF.

The story of “Fury Road,” or “Out here, everything hurts”

In a land of house-style superheroes and cynical computer-animated family films, "Mad Mad: Fury Road" was dropped in the middle like a nuclear bomb. While "Fury Road" is a sequel, audiences haven't seen a new film from the series in 30 years, and director George Miller unleashed decades of ideas and visuals onto the screen to give fans a pure, engaging vision of another world. It was powerful and shocking, as we seemed to forget that a big-budget Hollywood sequel still had the power to captivate and surprise us, instead of just settling for more of the same.

In "Fury Road," the War Boys are after Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a battle-worn woman who is attempting to free five young girls enslaved by the leader of the Boys, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Joe only sees the women as vessels to produce offspring, some of which are alongside him in pursuit of Furiosa. Meanwhile, Max is being used as a source of blood by one of the weaker Boys, Nux (Nicholas Hoult). Max is more interested in freeing himself from this chaos, but the memories of his past keep Max moving toward Furiosa and these young women.

The plot of "Mad Max: Fury Road" is simple, and the dialogue minimalist. It resurrects an offbeat 80s cult franchise, about a barren post-apocalyptic world where gas and water is gold, and leather-clad pirates mount armored, aggressive cars. But while fans warmly embraced the returns of their other movie heroes like Harrison Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the original Mad Max actor, Mel Gibson, had fallen out of favor after a series of personal acts of drunk driving and verbal abuse. But the true visionary behind Max never lost faith.

Troubled history, or “I live, I die, I live again!”

Back when he was starting his career in film and directing, Miller announced his arrival with the original "Mad Max," a 1979 stylish action picture filmed in Australia about a cop in the near future who loses everything he loves throughout the story. What really turned heads was the sequel, 1982's "The Road Warrior," which saw Miller and Gibson fully embrace the alternate future hinted at in the first movie. A third movie, "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome," was released in 1985. Following the trilogy, Miller diversified his filmography, working on projects like 1988's "The Witches of Eastwick," 1998's "Babe: Pig in the City," and 2006's "Happy Feet," but always managed to preserve his unique vision, even in the family films. 

In the mid-90s, Miller came upon an idea for a fourth Mad Max film that basically amounted to a feature-length car chase, which would take advantage of one of the most distinct and recognizable attributes of the franchise. However, the film production was delayed several times before it got started, pushing "Fury Road" back years and even decades. Finally, filming began in 2012, with Tom Hardy stepping into the role of Max.

But as compelling as Hardy was, the real hero of the movie was Theron, adding yet another critical chapter to her remarkable career with her role as the powerful yet haunted Furiosa. She is the driving force of the movie, with Max serving as a capable passenger. Furiosa's struggle for peace and freedom from the life she was forced into is told primarily through the performance of Theron with a look, glance, and one primal scream. Suddenly, this series about a brutish, disturbed man had cast its flag to free oppressed women.

The other highlight of "Fury Road" is, well, everything that we see. The years of pre-production were rewarded, as the design and aesthetics of the countless riders and vehicles combined to create a frightening but immersive world of the stark future. Miller's commitment to film as much of the movie as he could with practical effects also meant that almost all of the chases, action, and demolitions that occur over the course really happened. It gives the audience the feeling of being viscerally present in the physicality of the action, but the "Fury Road" team also pushed the boundaries of creating high-level stunts captured in cinema. Mind you, the entire movie is one long action-filled chase, so we are continually being brought through the screen into the chaos that's being depicted. We can't help but marvel at the magical craft of "Fury Road," if we had a moment to catch our breath. 

"We were doing big stunts every day, and unless we were really on top of our game, somebody could get really hurt, and badly," Miller said in the "Going Mad" behind-the-scenes documentary. "That wasn't just for patches of time; this was every day because this is a very intense action movie. The film invades every waking moment and your dreams."

The reaction, or “You shall ride eternal, shiny and chrome”

"Fury Road" is an incredible movie, but it's also an experience that speaks to the advantage of seeing it in a theater with a large screen and a top-of-the-line sound system. Miller intended "Fury Road" to be watched in one sitting (as do most filmmakers for their work), and not only does the purchase of a ticket and sitting in a theater make that all but certain, but the maximum carnage unleashed requires the best presentation.

When "Mad Max: Fury Road" was finally released, it was met with near-universal acclaim from audiences and critics. "Fury Road" exceeds its mission on every level, and raises the expectations of what cinema can do at its best. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Miller, and won six for its production achievements. 

"It's a world gone wrong, yet one that's assumed a kind of horrible beauty as humanity's impulse to survive and desire to create and innovate have become twisted toward barbaric ends," wrote Keith Philips for The Dissolve. "It's also a place troubled by some of the same fundamental philosophical questions about who we are, where we're going, and how we're supposed to live together. But here, they're played out at breakneck speeds, along savage stretches of unforgiving desert, in a flood of fire, a hail of bullets, and accompanied by a deafening roar."

In the end, Max disappears back into the wasteland, even after a new world is re-created. Miller's commitment to seeing this film through conception to release, with all of the obstacles that were placed in his way, suggests he might be a bit mad himself. Yet "Fury Road" exists, where death comes in metal, rubber, and fire, and stands as a glorious masterpiece and tribute to action, violence, and brutality. The characters challenge Fury Road in search of something better, and for ultimate movie fans, George Miller has delivered.

The Weekend: If mid-May movies had a theme, it's action and adventure, as several recognizable films were released, some of the best the genre has ever produced.

First up is one of the greats, the best hero movie Hollywood had produced at the time of its release, "The Adventures of Robin Hood." The 1938 hit was the most expensive movie that Warner Brothers had produced when it was filmed, and the first high-profile Technicolor picture from the studio. What you need to see is the dashing, charming hero (played by Errol Flynn) and his merry men swashbuckling their way through the armies of Prince John. In many ways, "Robin Hood" was ahead of the curve for summer movies, now dominated by costumed heroes battling the forces of evil.

Decades later, another sword-wielding hero would debut, and ultimately become an influential star in the industry. Arnold Schwarzenegger was primarily known as a bodybuilder and d-list movie actor when he took on Conan's role, the sword-and-sorcery pulp hero created in the books of Robert E. Howard, and more recently, popularized in a Marvel Comics series. "Conan the Barbarian" was released in 1982 and helped make Schwarzenegger a superstar, paving the way for a Conan sequel, the Terminator franchise, and several other hit action movies.

While Tom Cruise's first big success was 1983's "Risky Business," the release of "Top Gun" at this moment in 1986 was the definitive sign that he was here to stay. Tony Scott directed this action drama about hotshot Naval fighter pilots, with Cruise in the lead as Maverick. There isn't a lot of subtly about "Top Gun," but the frenetic scenes of the fighter jets screeching through the skies is thrilling enough for the movie to become one of the most memorable hits of the 80s.

The weekend also featured several other action movies that may not rise to the level of modern classics but were successes all the same. Mel Gibson had a string of high-profile hits with 1990's "Bird on a Wire," 1992's "Lethal Weapon 3," and 1994's "Maverick." Bruce Willis returned for a third try in 1995, "Die Hard with a Vengeance," which is probably the best of the sequels, but still a few steps behind the original. For my money, the entertaining action flick you should check out is 1989's "Road House," featuring Patrick Swayze as a small town bouncer. Fun and surprisingly thoughtful, it pays to remember that Swayze made everything he was in better. The most recent star-driven action movie was 2019's "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum," which saw Keanu Reeves return as the master hitman on the run from … well, everybody. We remain big fans of Mr. Wick.

Once the century turned to the 2000s, most of the high concept movies released were born from existing franchises. For more than two decades, all of the Star Wars movies were released on Memorial Day weekend, officially signaling the kickoff to the summer blockbuster season. However, "Attack of the Clones" broke the pattern in 2002 when it was released a week earlier than usual. That strategy continued with 2005's "Revenge of the Sith," and while these prequels still meant fans could see Star Wars in theaters in late May, the Memorial Day opening was no longer a given (Don't worry, we've got your back on this next week). In addition to the prequels, other franchise releases include "The Matrix Reloaded" in 2003, "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 2013, "Godzilla" in 2014, "Alien: Covenant" in 2017, and "Deadpool 2" in 2018.

Not all movies have big budgets and world-ending stakes. The weekend also marks the debut of three smaller films by auteur filmmakers earning praise and respect for their unique styles. John Carney wrote and directed 2007's "Once," a romantic movie about a pair of star-crossed musicians coming together to elevate their art (and themselves). Rian Johnson's sophomore effort, 2009's "The Brothers Bloom," star Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as con artist brothers targeting the quirky Rachel Weisz in this offbeat comedy. Finally, Noah Baumbach co-wrote and directed 2013's "Francis Ha," but it's the star and co-writer, Greta Gerwig, who broke out with her performance in the indy comedy, and would go on to become a respected director in her own right.

Other notable films include "Gigi" from 1958; "Smokey and the Bandit" in 1977; "Fame" in 1980; "Ishtar" in 1987; "What About Bob?" in 1991; "Flipper" in 1996; "Bulworth" in 1998; two entries in the popular Dreamworks franchise "Shrek" in 2001 and "Shrek the Third" in 2007; two from the Dan Brown mystery adventure series, "The Da Vinci Code" in 2006 and "Angels and Demons" in 2009; and "Midnight in Paris" in 2011.

Next Week: "Star Wars"

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