I’m not
sure if it has anything to do with the uncanny valley but the epic scope of Lawrence of Arabia (1962, David Lean, UK)
versus Revenge of the Sith (2005, George
Lucas, USA) is apparent to anyone whose viewed both. CGI is helpful and can be a great asset to a
filmmaker. Fury Road has over 2,000 visual effects shots[i].
That being said it’s not how much CGI you use but how you use it. It’s the motion
in the ocean not the size of the boat. Often Miller’s use of CGI is used to
color correct shots, add clouds to the clear Namibian sky, and dessert rocks
turned a much richer hue.
After
screening Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) themes
George Miller was hinting at in Mad Max
Beyond Thunder Dome (George Miller, AUS, 1985) became much clearer. The Triple Goddess helps redeem Max when he
is at his most feral, his humanity holding on by a shred and our titular hero
can only manage guttural sounds in lieu of language. Tom Hardy plays the
titular character in this latest Mad Max incarnation. Max fights to protect the
maiden or in this case maidens. He is aided and rescued by the mother and in this
case the mother is the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron crushes this
role), and lastly he is aided by the crone. In Miller’s post apocalyptic
wasteland the crone is a bunch of motorcycle driving, seed toting, rifle
shooting bad ass grandmas.
At one point Max washes blood off his hands using the contents of a tanker full of mother’s milk.The themes in Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) are often not subtle but don’t seem heavy handed in a movie that has little to no exposition. In an era when movies find it necessary to have a pseudoscience explanation for our super heroes and science fiction it’s refreshing to have a movie not crow bar in needless exposition. Much like Sergio Leone Miller uses action and his actor’s body language and facial expressions to convey story instead of relying on dialogue. In Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) there’s no time to waste with monologues as the drums of war beat in the distance and a war party race towards you and among them is flame throwing guitar player strapped to a flat bed full of speakers racing down the dessert with dozens of other maniacs painted white. Oh did I forget to mention the maniacs in white body paint drive hot rods that have gentlemen with explosive spears ridding atop them.
At one point Max washes blood off his hands using the contents of a tanker full of mother’s milk.The themes in Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) are often not subtle but don’t seem heavy handed in a movie that has little to no exposition. In an era when movies find it necessary to have a pseudoscience explanation for our super heroes and science fiction it’s refreshing to have a movie not crow bar in needless exposition. Much like Sergio Leone Miller uses action and his actor’s body language and facial expressions to convey story instead of relying on dialogue. In Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) there’s no time to waste with monologues as the drums of war beat in the distance and a war party race towards you and among them is flame throwing guitar player strapped to a flat bed full of speakers racing down the dessert with dozens of other maniacs painted white. Oh did I forget to mention the maniacs in white body paint drive hot rods that have gentlemen with explosive spears ridding atop them.
I’ve
heard the notion bandied around that George Lucas is treated unfairly by adult
fans who didn’t like the prequels. That the movies were not bad they were just
now adults and not the target audience as they were in 1977. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, AUS, 2015) takes that thesis and
crumples it up and tosses it in the rubbish bin. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (George Miller, AUS, 1981) & the
Star Wars trilogy live in the same sweet spot in my pre-adolescent heart. In
fact they are probably neighbors and enjoying going over each other’s homes for
summer BBQs or drinks around the holidays. Coincidently they live down the
street from Raiders of Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, USA, 1981). If my review hasn’t been clear up till now stop reading this
and go see this movie NOW!
By Jake Cohen
By Jake Cohen
5 out of 5 Martin Riggs(s). RECOMMEND 
