An absolute masterpiece, Mad Max Fury Road goes above and beyond expectations to deliver the most satisfying action movie so far this year.

After being captured by a group of wasteland zealots called the Warboys, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) finds himself strapped to the hood of a pursuit vehicle and being used as a blood bag for a Warboy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult) as he goes after Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) who has betrayed the clan by snatching the leader, Immortan Joe’s (Hugh Keays-Byrne) harem of breeder wives in order to deliver them to safety. Max gets loose and joins the fray in an epic chase across the desert.

Distilling the movie down to this basic set up makes it sound like there is nothing going on than just a big chase scene and at bottom that is exactly what happens here but the depth and nuance that series writer/director George Miller manages to cram in while not ever making it feel bogged down is nothing short of incredible. The detail involve is pretty amazing as each character has something unique or idiosyncratic about them that speaks to deeper back story. This is very important as there aren’t a lot of long moments of exposition and everything happens on the fly but the movie never feels thin or underdeveloped.

The style of storytelling reminds me of the excellent and under appreciated Dredd in which we see the character in one particular situation without a lot of expansion on either end of that situation. It allows for a much more focused narrative in which the action can flow naturally and intensely while still offering enough depth to flesh out the experience. Deep and sprawling stories are nice but when done correctly this style can provide an excellent thrill ride perfectly fit for the blockbuster season.

Of course, good story and flow would mean nothing at all if the actual action fell short but this is where Fury Road really shines. One might think that a solid two hours of vehicle chases and violence would be mind numbing but not here. The creativity and intensity never lets up and the film manages to continue ramping up the longer it goes on. The choreography both in and out of the vehicles is incredible and the staging and performance is perfect.

A large part of what makes all this work is that the vast majority of the stunts and effects are practical. As good as CGI can be be when done correctly nothing beats practical effects and seeing things that are really happening will always look better. Aside from looking better, people doing amazing things is always more impressive to see than pretending in front of a green screen. The stunts here look terrific and it is kind of crazy the stuff that they pull off here.

The visual aesthetic, which is a hallmark of the series, is spot on here as well. The creativity in the vehicle and costume designs is very impressive and maintains the over all feel and look of the series while elevating beyond what we’ve seen before. This is a world that feels lived in and follows logical aesthetic lines of what has been established while still being batshit crazy. The over the top extremes work as an extension of the extreme setting, situation and climate.

The performances are solid all across the board with everyone completely committing to just how nuts this all is. Tom Hardy takes over for Mel Gibson with confidence and the quirks and mannerisms Hardy gives the character a distinct feel and he conveys just how crazy Max can be very clearly without a lot of dialogue to explain it. Charlize Theron likewise offers a strong performance with confidence and determination. Her Furiosa is a character who is capable and formidable but with enough compassion to make her compelling. She is a lot like Max but where he is primarily out for himself Furiosa is looking for redemption by helping others.

Nicholas Hoult is fantastic here as a true believer who wants nothing more than to please Immortan Joe and go to the afterlife with honor. He is more complex and relateable than he first appears and he was one of my favorite characters in the film. Hugh Keayes-Byrne plays Immortan Joe broadly but gives him an edge that keeps him from being a scenery chomping, mustache twirling villain. Instead we have a villain who is evil, self serving and driven. He is the perfect villain to hate and enjoy all at the same time. Nathan Jones, a 6’11” bodybuilder delivers one of my other favorite performances as Rictus Erectus. Aside from having an awesome name, there is an earnestness to the character that feels perfect for the material and stands in contrast to the man being a goddamn monster.

Much has been made about the ‘feminist agenda’ such that lunatic asshole faction the Men’s Rights Movement has called for a boycott. I think it is pretty amazing that they would do such a thing in a movie featuring such over the top ‘manly’ action in the first place but in the second if you think that making such a bold statement as ‘people aren’t property’ is some how a threat to your manhood or feelings of adequacy then you are a piece of shit. To be clear, strong female characters are not a threat to anyone’s manliness and to think that they are betrays an alarming level of weakness and insecurity. Furthermore if your sense of self is dependent on the subjugation and belittling of others such that you think a movie that takes the position that women being held and systematically raped for the pleasure of a megalomaniacal madman is a bad thing  is somehow pushing an unreasonable agenda then you are a horrifying person. There is no argument that can be made that the message of this film, that people aren’t things to be possessed, is incorrect. None. Still, I suppose this is a bit of self policing as the MRA lunatics don’t deserve to see a movie this badass.

Conclusion [10 out of 10]

It seemed like it could be a bit dicey to make a sequel when the last film was 30 years ago but it really paid off here. Rather than losing steps George Miller has gotten better in the intervening years and there is really nothing more I could ask for from this film. I have seen it three times and each time was incredible. I am sure it will look great on blu-ray and I will get it day one but you owe it to yourself to see this in a theater with the best sound and screen available. There are people who will not buy into the style and aesthetic and I am sure they will not dig this but for everyone else, get your ass to the theater right now and see Mad Max Fury Road. Quality of this level needs to be rewarded so we can get more like it. See it now!