Mad Max: Fury Road: it’s not easy to judge something in a vacuum. As such, watching George Miller’s prequel to this action film shines a new light on his older work. The story is simple, just enough to justify a journey from A to B to C. Curiously, the title character is, essentially, a supporting character in his own film: he is not the dreamer, he is not the motor, he is only a passenger on someone else’s journey. He does, in any case, have the slightest of a character’s arch. It’s an effective performance by Tom Hardy, who mutters and grumbles as an extreme loner would. The film’s protagonist is played by Charlize Theron effectively, even if it’s not a demanding performance. Here’s where the prequel comes into play the most, as her emotional landscape becomes more detailed and richer.

Aesthetically, this is a stunning piece of work. The stunt action is incredible, even more so considering that the effects are mostly practical. The action is almost non-stop and always heart-pounding. Visually, the film is unafraid to go to extremes, as it’s clear in the night sequences which are heavily blue-tinted. The design as a whole is incredible, with vehicles being inventive and a showcase of the scavenging mindset of this world. Characters are repulsive, also a showcase of how sick the world became. Cinematographer John Seale, editor Margaret Sixel, and composer Tom Holkenborg are instrumental for the action to be so intense.

Read what I wrote before: Mad Max: Fury Road

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