To say that Mad Max is not my typical film, well, unless this is your first rodeo reading my reflections, you already know that, and seeing this posted here, you’re likely as surprised as anyone that this is included in my viewing. Okay, so not so fast, perhaps. Yes, I have to admit that this comes on the heels of Deadpool (and that refelction had a Godzilla reference!). Okay, maybe this movie isn’t that far a reach for me. Regardless, it’s Oscar season, and this flick made the cut. (Okay, it made about ten of those cuts, being nominated not only for Best Picture, but for all those visual and sound sort of categories too.) Although Mad Max never rose high enough on my list among other films out at the same time (and because I was frequently out of the country/town when it was in theaters), I had to give it a watch before those gold statues are handed out next weekend. Thank you, HBO.
A piping hot bowl of Slow Cooker Cashew Ginger Chicken & Kale Soup in hand (home-cooked goodness is that special bonus for home viewing, yes?), I settled in to watch the movie.
And I felt lost.
Who are these people? Why did they capture Max? Why is that guy putting on a skull mask to make him sound like Darth Vader? What is up with the half-life of the chrome-mouthed, powder-white War Boys?
Why is it so dusty?
Monster Trucks
Motocross Bikes
Skulls
Loud Guitar (this portable music source makes the 80s’ boom box seem like a Walkman)
Car Chases
Explosions
Chastity Belts
Dirt
Dust
Guns
Bullets
Flame-Throwers
Crashes
Nipple Piercings
Did I mention car chases and explosions?
I quickly realized I’m not in Kansas anymore. And that I am not a member of the target demographic.
I sent a text to my friend who so highly acclaimed the film to me last summer: “I need a cheat sheet.” He replied a bit later, “Too much dialogue?” Ha! Indeed. But isn’t this interesting: just a week ago I discussed movies with another friend. He made the point that so many movies these days are all about the visual appeal; television has filled the gap left open for quality dialogue-driven media. Mad Max is the perfect Exhibit A. (But I disagree to a good extent about a lack of dialogue-driven films; stay tuned for two such films in my near future.)
(Now that I have watched all of this Mad Max, I find humor in those two conversations alongside my realization I had two months ago. See, actually, I tried to watch Mad Max back in November as I crossed the big pond on a long flight. But I quickly realized that tiny screen and my earbuds were no way to see this movie. I abandoned that attempt.)
So, what about the movie other than it being a magnificent visual and sound and make-up work? It is, essentially, one long dusty, fiery, car chase. The action is almost non-stop. It takes the survival element of The Revenant to a whole different plane, but survival is still the them— along with heroism, rescue, and redemption. The dialogue surely took up only a few typed pages, but a story is still told, even if mostly with action and glares. It never slowed down enough to lose me or bore me. In fact, it passed very quickly; I would not have guessed it was nearly two hours long. And in spite of myself, I was engrossed in the movie and its action. It carried its suspense well. It held the aspect of adventure that it needed.
In other words, yes, it entertained. And it did that well.
Some laud the movie’s possible feminist approach. Yes, Charlize Theron’s character Furiosa is quite the powerhouse of a woman. She is Bold. Bad Ass. Beautiful. Brave. Bald. Brutal. She is the rescuer, fighter, driver, schemer. It is she who is on her way home and the selfless hero. On the other hand, though, we have the other women presented as nothing more than breeders who ooze sex appeal, no doubt serving as the eye candy that this hyper-action movie needed (this butts up forcibly against the claims of the movie as a strong feminist movie to me). We also have Max, although seeming mostly in the backseat role, as the ultimate one to save the day—and who has to save our Bad Ass woman (not quite the damsel in distress, but not that far off either). So as much as I can appreciate Theron’s role, I’m not sure it’s as female-empowering a movie overall as some want to believe.
That said, I finished off the movie with hope that felt stronger only because of the female empowerment in the film. After all, the promise of utopia stands stronger because the Vuvalini with Furiosa as a key member can have power. They bring a hope of compassion, care, nourishment, and community. And their promise of those things, I admit, seems more genuine because they are women. (But I almost have to laugh at the issue of the seeds being carried and protected: sure, seeds can be carried around but are useless without fertile soil in which to plant them. )
It’s loud. It’s big. It’s dusty. And it has lots of car chasing and exploding things.
But Mad Max Fury Road is also entertaining. And that’s what I ask for.