A thrilling, suspenseful, but ultimately limited movie that is really an extended chase scene. Even though this is a sequel/reboot, I think it might be as close as we get to an original blockbuster this summer, and I certainly can’t knock it for at least seeming different than the competition.
What Works: Charlize Theron is really the star of this movie. Her Imperator Furiosa character actually has more depth, heart, and layers (and probably more dialogue) than Tom Hardy’s Max. With a shaved head and black forehead smears, her eyes really pop in a performance that is equal parts fear and heroism, that shows you don’t have to sacrifice vulnerability to be a believable ass-kicker. There’s also five brides of a demented villain who acquit themselves nicely, with Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Zoe Kravitz making the most impact.
But it’s the movie’s outrageous visual style that will probably leave the biggest impression, and everything from the nightmarish villain to an array of dazzling chase scenes is fairly memorable. It feels like a fully realized world, and I particularly liked the villainous polers springing into different vehicles to snatch people and an updating of the war drummer: a guy going nuts on an electric guitar in a rig nearly toppling over with loud speakers. And I really appreciated the movie not rubbing our face in obvious, Fast and Furious style CGI fakery. Of course, there are some hyperreal computer effects, but Fury Road was mostly shot in the desert instead of a soundstage and the end result really shows.
What Doesn’t: Tom Hardy continues his penchant for strange, naggingly inauthentic accents that worked well for Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises,” but really irritates in Lawless (no appalachian ever talked that way…ever), The Drop, and now here, playing Max in an animalistic way that seems plausible for a while but eventually just feels one-dimensional.
And even though the movie is winning critical raves, I really think if it were just 10 or 15 minutes shorter you’d have a much more effective experience. In a movie that is basically just a series of car chases, something briefer than two hours would have felt right.
What I Would Have Done Differently: With a little bit shorter run-time, and a different characterization of Max, you’d probably have a movie people would be lining up to watch 2 and 3 times intead of one where people are really excited to have seen it…the one time.