I am not the biggest fan of the original trilogy of Mad Max films, so I was not particularly excited when I heard the franchise was being resurrected. Ecstatic reviews, and a feeling this will be best seen on a big screen meant that I finally, after months of release, took my seat at my local Cineworld.
Dropped straight into the story with no preamble, I felt a little disoriented during the early action scenes (not helped by the fluid camera work) where in a post-apocalyptic world Max (Tom Hardy) is taken captive. Once things have calmed down a little a fairly straightforward narrative emerges. Max makes an escape attempt with the help of Furiosa (Charlize Theron) who is attempting to go back to her childhood home.
Devoid of any real character development, what emerges is a series a chases as Max and Furiosa are hunted by a disparate gang of pursuers, led by Immortan Joe (Hugh Keyes-Byrne). With the exception of one excellently staged sequence in a canyon, I found myself becoming increasingly bored. I didn’t care about the two main characters – the annoying young man who joins forces with them (Nux – Nicholas Hoult), or Joe’s wives who escape with them, and who seem to have wandered-in from a Timotei commercial.
I guess if you have a thing for vehicles flipping over, and don’t find yourself questioning why there seems to be a shortage of food (which is okay as no one needs to eat) and water but an overabundance of fuel, you will find some enjoyment, but I am baffled by the film’s popularity and critical acclaim.
Rating: 3 out of 10