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Mad Max: Fury Road - Academy Awards 2016 Best Picture Nominee (BIGGEST OSCAR SNUB EVER!!)


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I saw it on Monday. Great film, even if it isn't quite as visionary as the trailers would suggest. It's slightly more "ordinary". But man --- some of those setpieces!

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Seems like only Americans get the choice between 2D and 3D wherever we like to go. I see you guys complaining about it a lot.

The theater I saw Avengers 2 in ONLY had 2D!

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Many films get both but sometimes they introduce 2D version a week after release or something like that.

Film is about to start in 10 minutes, by the way. :)

Karol

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It's a great feeling to walk out of a theater with the sense that the movie I just saw is something people will still be watching and enjoying years from now on a Saturday afternoon. I'm weirdly confident in that for a first viewing that ended 30 minutes ago. This thing's gonna hold up.

I don't really know how to define "visionary", I suppose this probably isn't that as it's all structured in a fairly conventional way, yet at the same time, it's so bonkers, surprising, colorful, and so its own thing within those action movie traditions that it doesn't strike me as derivative of anything in particular. Hard to describe, it just totally has that elusive X factor for me. A movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and is exactly that, completely itself and perfectly executed. I was thoroughly entertained quite literally from beginning to end and my attention never wavered once....I always forget how rare that actually is until it's achieved for real. So satisfying!

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I don't really know how to define "visionary", I suppose this probably isn't that as it's all structured in a fairly conventional way, yet at the same time, it's so bonkers, surprising, colorful, and so its own thing within those action movie traditions that it doesn't strike me as derivative of anything in particular. Hard to describe, it just totally has that elusive X factor for me. A movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and is exactly that, completely itself and perfectly executed. I was thoroughly entertained quite literally from beginning to end and my attention never wavered once....I always forget how rare that actually is until it's achieved for real. So satisfying!

Eloquently put, and I agree completely!

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Mad Max: Fury Road

Made 30 years after the last one, in a totally different part of the world (Namibia rather then Australia) and has a different actor playing the title role, yet somehow it feels totally like it's a proper part of the franchise. And yet it doesnt feel like an 80's throw back. This is a modern film.

Like the previous three its paints it's world with broad strokes. A post apocalyptic nightmare that still had some semblance if civilization in Mad Max, bit slowly descended into hell as the world became divided in tribes of man, preying on each other too survive.

From Toecutter, to Lord Humongous to Auntie Entity to Immortan Joe, who rules his patch of the world like a tyrannical God. Claiming ownership over all who live in his region. Which causes several of his wives to try and escape, aided by Emperator Furiosa played by Charlise Theron.

Mad Max gets involved by accident, as usual as he is caught by a gang of war boys and used as a blood donor one one of them.

The film starts out as a very long chase sequence, where very little is explained and like Max, we are thrown into the mix with only a little bit of context as to whats going on.

This demands the viewer to pay some attention as characterizations are fats and loose, but slowly the film gets a grasp on who it's characters are, and why they are on the run.

Like the previous three films Fury Road doesn't depend on three dimensional character development, but rather of broad and effective, and often very short scenes where we get to know the players a bit. The actors are vital in this to help establish a bond. So we know who to hate and who to cheer for.

Tom Hardy takes over the role of Max from Mel Gibson, who could never have done this film. Because he is now too old to be able to perform the very psychical demands this film poses on the character. And because his credibility as a leading star have been forever tainted by his alcoholism and anti-semitic comments.

Tom Hardy felt right for the role from the get go,a nd he fills it in perfectly. Taking some aspects from Gibsons Max, but never straying into imitation. Hardy uses an Aussie accent, but it;'s low and grumbly. More akin to Russel Crow's the Gibsons.

His Max also seems less bitter and angry, and more broken and mad. Hardy plays him slightly more eccentric, even fragile maybe. His natural charisma really helps a film that have only a few moments of meaningful dialogue. Tom Hardy plays exactly the Max this film needs.

He isnt the best character though. Charlize Theron, who is not only one of the most beautiful and striking woman in the world shows here that she's possibly the most bad ass. Forget Scarlett as Black Widow. Theron's Furiosa kicks ass in a way that very few female characters ever have on screen. The best action role since Weaver's Ripley or Hamilton's Sarah Conner in T2.

Largely stripped of her glamor, with a crew cut, an amputated arm and motor grease on her forehead Theron probably looks more impressive then ever. She also provides the emotional angle of the film as her character tries to rescue a few girls, only to find out that the sanctuary has gone. After the long chase, there are a patch where the film does spend some time on its characters, leading to the deeply impressive shot of Furiosa screaming in the desert winds.

Nicholas Hoult actually brings some humor and poignancy to the role of a Warboy, dying of some disease and wanting to go out with a bang in the eyes of his God.

But ultimately this is an action film, and makes no apologies about it.

The only true way to describe the film is with the word visceral. In it's own way Miller's action rivals that of James Cameron it's it's total conviction. It's impossible, preposterous, yet for some reason it never lacks weight or substance.

I will watch it again for its action. So many breathtaking shots.

I'm sure the film uses plenty of CGI, it must have taken hundreds of man hours just to remove all the safety wires. But it all looks so authentic.

These days CGI can look 100% flawless in films, yet somehow very often it doesnt carry the same weight. Miller made 3 movies where he blew up a bunch of cars using proper old fashion stunt techniques, and this one feels absolutely like that. There are things going on that are just as impossible as the Hulk battled Iron Man in a Hulk buster suit. But because they looked like they were shot for real;, rather then created on a computer, I believed them.

As pure action movies go, this is in a league of its own.

The 3D wasnt always very effective IMO. It worked well in the long distance shots, but less so in the brutal and relentlessness close quarter action.

Still this is a good looking film. The teal and orange isn't as pronounced as in the posters, though as some points its definitely there. But again. it all feels like a real environment. Dirty, dusty, downtrodden.

Tom Holkenborgs score is good, More then just pounding drums and guitars, which are actually a form of source music rather then underscore in several parts of the film. Some soaring string elegies, and solid orchestral action music, plus some classical music homages. A very different animal to the works of Brian May, and Jarre, but totally fitting in its own way.

I had high hopes for this film and it didn't disappoint.

Btw, interesting that Fury Road ends in exactly the same way as The Dark Knight Rises. a new hero on a platform, risen to a new destiny....

**** out of ****

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You didn't mention the guitar guy! The highlight of the film!

There are things going on that are just as impossible as the Hulk battled Iron Man in a Hulk buster suit. But because they looked like they were shot for real;, rather then created on a computer, I believed them.

Agreed!

This film really feels like an ode to technical effects!

The teal and orange isn't as pronounced as in the posters

Indeed. I thought about that after watching the film and realizedit was nowhere near as pronounced as it was in the trailers and posters. The color grading never bothered me in the slightest.

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Did anyone else not miss Gibson?

I think some kind of secret non-intrusive cameo could have been a fun thing, like make him up for a day as one of the henchman or something, but I agree that he really wasn't necessary for this and he couldn't have played Max again.

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Did anyone else not miss Gibson?

I think some kind of secret non-intrusive cameo could have been a fun thing, like make him up for a day as one of the henchman or something, but I agree that he really wasn't necessary for this and he couldn't have played Max again.

I was surprised to learn today that the guy playing Immortan Joe is actually the same actor that played Toecutter in the first one. Pretty neat!

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This isnt a reboot right?

I think it's meant to be a reboot.

I kinda wished we got a bit more details regarding his visions

I was actually glad we didn't. Keep that for the sequels!

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The visions were bad, probably studio-mandated sentimental spoils of a character that should remain a myth. To burden him with painful flashbacks about the ones he lost just seems....ill-advised. It's the same with William Goldman's original big hunter for GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (i read about it in tandem with Intrada's new release): everyone agreed that he should remain a mysterious, mythical figure, only when Michael Douglas took over the role he wanted all kinds of backstory to give him more 'depth'. And look how that turned out.

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Or, in other words, Max has discovered his bleeding heart in FURY ROAD. It is presented in such throwaway fashion i guess Miller ran with it because it wouldn't harm the other 99% of the movie proper.

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Since the whole film basically deals with women outpowering men (and finally taking over a men's fortress to build a, hopefully, better future) i find the notion even more wrong that Max, a man if there ever was one, needs such an obvious reason to help the women. The state the world is in in this universe is probably caused by men in large part and Max would acknowledge that. It's no biggie because Miller doesn't milk it but it stood out like a sore tooth to me.

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Some might complain that the film isn't really much more then that.

But what modern 100+ million blockbuster has action like this? In my mind I will have to go all the way back to Casino Royale.

Maybe the second part of Avatar, though thats all CGI of course.

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I'd say the closest thing is Raid 2. But that's martial arts film, so something slightly less. But the two stand toe-to-toe when it comes to action.

Karol

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In the end, he was the good guy, and Max didn't realize he was helping the baddies seize power. I'm sure the sequel will deal with Max coming to his senses and trying to take down Furiosa.

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