![]() Despite the entire film essentially being one long chase sequence, it was carefully crafted in order to never let the action feel dull, excessive, or useless at any given point. On top of that, Mad Max: Fury Road came out as one of the most visually stunning films of the entire decade, with an impressive soundtrack to boot. ![]() There's even a social relevance driving the heart of the narrative, with Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa representing a militantly rebellious style of feminism, rejecting male dominance and the toxic masculinity of Immortan Joe's warboy culture. The production clung to a strict adherence to practicality in its filming, resulting in a non-stop chase sequence that feels simultaneously absurd and over-the-top as well as realistic. The movie's inspired production design was instrumental in creating a unique vision of the Australian wasteland, one in which the strong exploited the weak, a central theme of the film. George Miller's unshakeable vision allowed him to return to a world that hadn't been seen since the 1980s, injecting it with the same nitrous-fueled energy that had made the original films so popular while reinventing the character of Max for a new generation. It's difficult to pin down exactly what it is about Mad Max: Fury Road that makes it the best of the franchise. ![]() The result is a movie that borders on the edge of societal collapse, with Max's spiral into madness contrasting against the slow descent of civilization into chaos. While it's one of the movies responsible for the post-apocalyptic craze in fiction, Miller originally didn't intend for that to be the case, only choosing to set the film in a dystopian future because he believed that it would make the violence more realistic. Related: How The Mad Max: Fury Road Black & Chrome Edition Transforms The Movie Max spirals down a black hole of vengeance and violence as he hunts down the brutal motorcycle gang responsible for the murder of his wife and child. It also jump-started Mel Gibson's career, who played "Mad" Max Rockatansky, a skilled yet troubled officer of Australia's highway Main Force Patrol trying to uphold the law as society crumbles around him. The film that started the entire craze, the first Mad Max grossed $100 million on a budget of less than $400,000, making it one of the most profitable films ever made. Unfortunately, when compared to the other Mad Max movies, it falls below the line in quality, despite still being a decent and fun film to watch all these years later. The action in the film, specifically the first Thunderdome fight between Max and Blaster, is also a high point and evidence of the evolution of George Miller's (and co-director George Ogilvie's) unique approach to action filmmaking. However, Beyond Thunderdome more than makes up for it with the inventiveness of its world-building, with Bartertown particularly being a masterwork of set and location design. The combination of all of this gives certain elements of the movie a cheesy or dated quality, firmly planted within the realm of 1980s camp at times. The film is also the first and only one in the series to veer slightly away from the grindhouse feel of the other installments, with the inclusion of the child tribe giving it a decidedly lighter tone. Gone is the sparse indie aesthetic of the first film, replaced with big set-pieces and famous stars like Turner. Made four years after Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, and six years after the original, Beyond Thunderdome is filled with proof of the Mad Max franchise's newfound Hollywood status.
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