What A Lovely Day, Indeed! Review: Mad Max: Fury Road

Who would have thought that one of the most violent, yet visually stunning action films ever created would also have such an interesting, feminist voice?

I’m going to start off by saying that this review is going to be slightly spoilery. I am trying to make my reviews as spoiler free as possible, but with this film, it’s just not going to work. This film needs to be discussed… so, you've been warned! And really, if you haven't seen it yet, you absolutely should!

I will admit, going into this film, I really didn't know much about it. Sure, I had seen the trailers (which were amazing!), but honestly, they really weren't all that informative when it came to plot... and that’s okay. I don't need everything spelled out for me in a trailer. It has been years (decades?) since I've seen the original films, so I was unsure if that would make a difference or not. Believe me, it didn’t.

While his name is on the title card and Max is there physically, he takes a back seat the strong women in this film. And, I'm okay with that. Tom Hardy has a presence on screen that is undeniable, so his just being there adds so much, even though his character doesn't utter more than a handful of words throughout the entirety film. I am serious when I say that I would pay to watch Hardy read the phone book, because he is just so incredible. This is another multi-layered performance for Hardy, who is quickly becoming a chameleon, able to seamlessly become every character he portrays.

I really liked Nicholas Hoult’s turn as Nux, as well. I think that Hoult is a really good actor and I am glad that he is branching out and choosing roles that are interesting and innovative. Hoult brought a subtlety and vulnerability to a character that could have very easily been one-dimensional, and it was interesting to see his development over the course of the film. From bad guy zealot to sacrificing hero over the course of two hours is hard to pull off, but Hoult does it with such heart that it’s completely believable. 

But this film really is Charlize Theron’s. Rumors that Furiosa was the star of this film were absolutely true and she utterly shines. Her turn as this amazing character has us all clamouring for a film of her own and I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen. But she wasn't the only one to stand out in this film. The five wives, whose lives made up the main story arc of the plot, were all exceptional (as were the women from the Green Place). It's great to see strong women taking action and deciding to change the course of their lives. Far too often female characters spend their time needing to be rescued, especially in big action set pieces, so the change of pace feels revelatory… which it shouldn’t and is actually quite sad, but that’s a discussion for another day. In a film whose marketing campaign was all about carnage, it was surprising (in such a good way!) to see the main plot of the film revolve around women no longer content with being considered objects and actually doing something about it. Hopefully it will once again show the powers that be that, if done right, gender and age don't mean a thing when it comes to audience engagement. (I'm not holding my breath, however!)

        

Of course, no discussion of this film would be complete without discussing the visuals. Miller and his team went above and beyond when it came to this film, and it shows. His reliance on practical effects and stunts place this film head and shoulders above the rest. It’s visually stunning and mind blowingly over the top and probably one of the best action movies ever made. Note to everyone out there; this is how you do an action movie! (Are you listening Michael Bay?) Through the mayhem and carnage, I was never at a loss as to what was going on, nor was I ever confuse as to what I was looking at or how it happened. The chaos was orchestrated like a beautiful symphony, right down the crescendo at the end. It was visceral, dark and glorious. Kudos to George Miller for bringing his vision to life and for not letting it get hijacked and turned into what the studio wanted it to be.  

I highly recommend that you check it out, preferably on the big screen, where you can bask in its awesomeness. I cannot wait to check out both the black and white and silent cuts of the film that are rumoured to be on the Blu-Ray release, later this year. What a lovely day!

Mad Max: Fury Road                         4.75/5  

Review: How Long Does It Take To Get There?

The following is a review of the new film Locke, and may contain spoilers in regards to the film. If you have not seen Locke, and are planning to (which I really, really, really recommend), then I suggest that you close this browser and move along. If, you have no intention of seeing it (what is wrong with you?), or don't mind if a movie is spoiled for you, then by all means, carry on... but you have been warned!


**********SPOILER ALERT!!!!!**********


This past weekend, my original plan was to see the new releases, Maleficent and A Million Ways To Die In The West. Thanks to the guys over at Schmoes Know, I avoided that catastrophe and instead chose to see a couple of indie flicks that sounded interesting to me. The first was The Grand Seduction (you can find my review of the Canadian charmer below this one) and the second was the new Tom Hardy flick, Locke.

First off, let's start this by saying that Tom Hardy is a beast. He has such a commanding screen presence that you just can't look away, and don't ever want to. I remember reading a review for the movie Lawless, that starred Hardy and Shia LeBeouf, in Entertainment Weekly, I think, and it always stuck with me in regards to Tom Hardy. In the review the author said, that while LeBeouf was trying very hard to be that tough, commanding presence, Hardy just showed us and was. He just was... and I couldn't agree more.

Locke tells the story of Ivan Locke, a construction foreman who's life is irrevocably changed in the hour and a half or so hours it takes him to drive in to London. Turns out, that, earlier in the year, he had an affair with a woman, a one night stand, and she's about to give birth to their child. He cancels the plans that he had with his family and leaves the most important job of his career, in order to be there for the birth of his child. As someone who was abandoned by his father at a young age, he refuses to not be there for this new child, even though it was conceived through a mistake of epic proportions. The film consists entirely of Tom Hardy in a car, driving towards London, as he manages phone call after phone call, in an attempt to keep everything in his life on track and prevent everything from crumbling around him. In the course of an hour and a half, he loses his job, keeps the concrete pour planned for the morning on track, admits his infidelity, talks to his dead father, calms down the hysterical mother of his unborn child, probably, irreparably damages his relationship with his wife, discusses a soccer match with and tries to reassure his sons, cries and hears his new baby cry for the first time. It's a roller coaster ride that keeps you enthralled through it's entirety.

Did I mention that Tom Hardy is a beast? Because he is. He's absolutely mesmerizing in the role, and he has to be, as he's the only one on screen for the entirety of the film. Ivan Locke is a very even, collected person, especially in his business dealings, and Hardy is great at being calm, but assertive, brooking no argument, with nothing more than the tone of his voice. There are an couple of instances in the film where his emotions threaten to over take him and his eyes well with tears, but you watch in awe as he pulls it back, once again stoic in the face of adversity. When he finally does let the tears fall, as he's talking to his wife and son, it's all the more poignant, because it shows just how deeply emotional he is about what he has done and the path that it's led him on. It's an incredible performance, and while I'm afraid that it's been released too early and too under the radar, it definitely deserves consideration come awards season. (but, like the tour-de-force performance of Ryan Reynolds in Buried, I'm sure that it will be overlooked).

Tom Hardy is quickly becoming one of my favourite performers. He has been choosing interesting, diverse projects, and has been knocking it out of the park with every one that's released. His range and ability to become the character that he is playing is unbelievable, and I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us in the future. But in the meantime, definitely check out Locke.