Saturday, June 13, 2015

Thoughts on Mad Max: Fury Road



1) Lives up to the hype
2) Not bothered by the CGI (it's used judiciously and appropriately)
3) The stunts are magnificent
4) Proof that a sequel/remake need not be bad (Though does not justify Hollywood's current sequel/remake/reboot obsession. If anything, raises the bar for them to make ones that are actually good films in and of themselves)
5) Strong action heroines do not equal feminist propaganda
6) George Miller directs vehicle action like Yuen Woo-Ping directs kung-fu like John Woo directs gunfights like Busby Berkeley directed musicals. Action that advances the story, reveals character and revels in artfully capturing physical possibilities onscreen.
7) Minimal plot and character details usually sink blockbuster action films, but done right like here can create mythic, haunting and, dare I say it, poetic atmosphere.
8) Tom Hardy is both great as Max and the heir to Clint Eastwood's mantle as the Man with No name.
9) Other films I found myself thinking of while watching: The Warriors (1979), Fantastic Planet (1973) and Once Upon A Time in the West (1968).
10) Can't remember the last time a film got my blood pumping like that.
11) Hereinafter, the action in any movie should not be described as "visceral" by any critic until it can equal this one.

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