Blog 1. Mad Max: Fury Road. (USA, 2015. Director: George Miller)
Here is the IMDB page for Mad Max: Fury Road, containing all the information you will ever need for the film.
Mad Max: Fury Road is a sequel/rebooting of director George Miller and producer Byron Kennedy's previous three films about Max Rockatansky, an Australian policeman some time in the future who survives some sort of social, political, and economic collapse that turns Australia (and maybe the world) into a wasteland of roving marauders scratching for whatever food, gas, and shelter is left. Mad Max was released in 1979 (view the trailer) and starred a young Mel Gibson as Max, who loses his wife, child, and sanity to a vicious motorcycle gang. It earned $100 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful Australian movies ever. Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior in the US) followed in 1981 (view the trailer), picking up the action years after the events in the previous film, and Max is now a leather clad loner in a black supercharged V-8 muscle car, his only companion a loyal Australian cattle dog. He comes to the aide of a group of people holding onto a oil refinery against a gang of punk attired rovers. It too was a commercial success, earning $23.7 million in the US and Canada against a budget of $4.5 million. The third film in the series, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), (view the trailer) finds Max as an unlikely savior of a group of children who survived a plane crash, all allied against the corrupt but regal ruler of a desert border town, played by the singer Tina Turner. It earned $36 million against a budget of $10 million. Mad Max: Fury Road takes place sometime after the events in the original Mad Max, with English actor Tom Hardy now assuming the Max role and South African-turned-American-citizen Charlize Theron in the key role of Furiosa. The film, released on 15 May 2015, earned $378.9 million on its $150 million budget. It was named one of the best films of the year by many critics and publications. It was also nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won six Oscars.
So:
1. What do you think? Your reaction to what have you seen? Any particular moment stay with you these hours later?
2. There has clearly been some sort of nuclear holocaust that precedes the action (but miss the beginning and you wouldn't know it). What is the world in the wake of this holocaust? What is existence like here? What two or three details stuck out for you in terms of defining this post-apocalyptic world?
3. Who is it that you're focusing on here—Max or Furiosa? Every movie needs a hero. Which of them is the hero?
Write at least 200 words to answer the three questi
Mad Max: Fury Road is a sequel/rebooting of director George Miller and producer Byron Kennedy's previous three films about Max Rockatansky, an Australian policeman some time in the future who survives some sort of social, political, and economic collapse that turns Australia (and maybe the world) into a wasteland of roving marauders scratching for whatever food, gas, and shelter is left. Mad Max was released in 1979 (view the trailer) and starred a young Mel Gibson as Max, who loses his wife, child, and sanity to a vicious motorcycle gang. It earned $100 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful Australian movies ever. Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior in the US) followed in 1981 (view the trailer), picking up the action years after the events in the previous film, and Max is now a leather clad loner in a black supercharged V-8 muscle car, his only companion a loyal Australian cattle dog. He comes to the aide of a group of people holding onto a oil refinery against a gang of punk attired rovers. It too was a commercial success, earning $23.7 million in the US and Canada against a budget of $4.5 million. The third film in the series, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), (view the trailer) finds Max as an unlikely savior of a group of children who survived a plane crash, all allied against the corrupt but regal ruler of a desert border town, played by the singer Tina Turner. It earned $36 million against a budget of $10 million. Mad Max: Fury Road takes place sometime after the events in the original Mad Max, with English actor Tom Hardy now assuming the Max role and South African-turned-American-citizen Charlize Theron in the key role of Furiosa. The film, released on 15 May 2015, earned $378.9 million on its $150 million budget. It was named one of the best films of the year by many critics and publications. It was also nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won six Oscars.
So:
1. What do you think? Your reaction to what have you seen? Any particular moment stay with you these hours later?
2. There has clearly been some sort of nuclear holocaust that precedes the action (but miss the beginning and you wouldn't know it). What is the world in the wake of this holocaust? What is existence like here? What two or three details stuck out for you in terms of defining this post-apocalyptic world?
3. Who is it that you're focusing on here—Max or Furiosa? Every movie needs a hero. Which of them is the hero?
Write at least 200 words to answer the three questi
This movie is action-packed with a lot of violence and great filming. I have seen this movie before, so I know what to expect, but it is just as interesting seeing it a second time. The concepts explored in this movie cause you to really think about what is happening. The world is chaos, everyone and the remaining water on earth is ruled by a tyrant, there are only a few childbearing women left, and this is just the beginning of the movie’s plot. What has really captured me is Immortan Joe’s henchmen’s desire to die for him. He is their God and they will do anything, even die, for him. Women in this “world” are everything and nothing at the same time. They are precious to Immortan Joe, yet they are complete objects. They are only used for their reproductive capabilities. Everyone left on earth has been turned into half-dead animals with the sole objective of surviving. Furiosa, Max, and the Birthers are the only sane human beings left, and I would like to consider them all heroes, but in the end, there can only be one. If I had to narrow it down to one person, Furiosa is the hero. She is the only person not just thinking about themselves, unlike Max in the beginning of the movie. She began the real rebellion.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, yes. I very much do like the movie. The cinematography is amazing. The action is super dynamic and the visuals are striking and truly a spectacle. The world seems super built and immersive. Top notch editing as well. The opening shot was super striking and beautiful. You see this rust cover landscape with max and his car balance in the shot, and then you hear a little girls voice and it pants down as if to suggest what we're about to see is a little girl. Then it's a lizard (possibly at the symbolic stand in for this girl) that he kills and eats! The other moment was of course the fight scene which although felt super Alien it also felt very visceral and make sense. The way we first see the spears on the backs of cars and don't know what they are. Then we realize they explode when thrown. All the set leads to the explosive heads being cut off, run over, and exploding the car from below which is awesome. The world seems like one where life is not valued as high. Pain is an expectation not an anomaly. It also seems very futile. There are peasants, kings, and warriors. Resources are key. The world seems to have a fixation around liquids. Be it gasoline, water, or milk. I'm rooting for Max primarily, but you're made to empathize with both characters. Although there at odds right now I think both will come around to the same side.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely one of the strangest movies I have ever seen. It has the endless and thrilling wave of violence that can be expected from a movie set post-apocalypse. The question "Who killed the world?" is repeated several times, because Mad Max: Fury Road is not about the end of the world, but gives a representation of what the world is like after it was "killed". Existence on this post-nuclear holocaust Earth is chaotic and unenjoyable. People are desperate, disheveled, and starving and are forced to live in a desert without substantial water. The people have been reduced to almost less than human with but one objective, survival. Immortan Joe's followers on the other hand are willing to commit suicide for their brutal and unsympathetic leader just to have him glance their way and to die a martyr. However, despite these conditions, there is a hero of the story. Furiosa rebels against Immortan Joe and his loyal cronies to save his mistreated wives and their babies. Although Max does join the fight against this tyrant, he is not the real hero of the story because he is NOT portrayed as likable and tries to kill Furiosa when he first meets her. Furiosa is the first to defy Immortan Joe, and is the only one to actually care for people besides herself. She also always takes control of the situation no matter the consequences or difficulties, which is why she is the real hero of the story.
ReplyDeleteOh. My. Goodness. This movie is incredibly intense so far and it has me excited to finish it. The "how it came to be" part of the movie isn't all that clear yet but my goodness does that not affect how well the movie plays. The VFX is amazing, the storyline from what we are given is interesting, all around very enjoyable to watch. My favorite moment so far is when Max is riding along with Furiosa and gets all of her concealed weapons. It was hilarious and lets us know his way of thinking. Since he was able to confiscate all the weapons (minus the knife but let's forget about that one) it shows just how smart he is to know Furiosa like that or that Max would conceal weapons in the same fashion so he knew where to look. This apocalyptic world is...dry, for lack of a better term. For whatever reason only the overlord-ruler-leader figure guy is the only one with free access to water. He claims that his followers should not become addicted to water for some obscure reason I can't remember at the moment. Yet it seems to be doing more harm than good because he and his followers are sick with some sort of disease or bodily disfunction. This is just a guess from the boils we see on multiple people in the cult/clan. Also the insane dust storm that they drive through makes me wonder just what exactly happened to the earth to cause such a violent storm. If I had to choose a hero of the film. It would be Furiosa because of what she's doing. Max is more so just trying to survive by any means necessary whilst Furiosa is defying the overlord-ruler-leader guy and saving the lives of his enslaved wives. However the movie is definitely more focused on Max, hence the title of the movie being Mad Max.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I'm loving how this movie is exposing late-stage capitalism. The depiction of the common civilians was almost zombie-like and a fantastic portrayal of the proletariat class. They mindlessly believe the propaganda of Immortan Joe, who often claims that if they continue to accept him as their leader then they will eventually rise to power and success. It's very symbolic of how the bourgeois taken advantage of the American dream and promised working class citizens success while taking advantage of their power at the same time. The zombie-like moment when Max is hunted at the very beginning of the movie is also symbolic of how capitalism will hunt down outsiders who refuse to conform and basically force them into the system. Immortan Joe's taking advantage of women is very similar of how the bourgeois have taken advantage of minority groups for power. The dynamic of Max vs. Furiosa (damn I'm loving these names) will be interesting to see play out. I have already seen the movie so I understand how their character end up, but seeing it a second time I'm actually more interested in the side girls. This movie got a bit of talk of feminist images and while I definitely see that, I'm also seeing a bit of a "manic pixie dream girl" element. The term was coined by a film critic who noticed the female characters in a film existed for the sole purpose of the character development of the men, without having and character development of their own. I will pay close attention to how the women change through the movie, but right now it seems like they are more plot devices than actual characters.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a fascinating take on the post-apocalyptic genre - many post apocalyptic movies depict either a complete lack of technology, or only a few survivors with highly advanced “future” technology, but I haven’t come across any others that focus on contemporary technology, especially as anything except a tool: the way that the characters hold the steering wheels make them feel like something holy. Really, what I like most about this movie is how solid the society feels - this has been going on for long enough that this is just how things are, and it’s completely different from what we’re used to. Water is treated as a commodity (“Don’t get addicted to water - you’ll resent its absence”), vehicles as seats of power, and death as something wonderful if done correctly - and none of this is unfeasible. God-kings and eternal life achieved through battle have surfaced again and again in human history, which makes this society feel established, rather than just a cool background for all the explosions and guitar music. The moment that really stuck with me was the war boy’s comment while in the sand storm - watching his fellows be ripped away by twisters, colliding with debris as lighting flashes in the not-so-distant distance, he remarks that it’s a “lovely day!” I come from a society where peaceful deaths are thought of as ideal - but this is a society where a violent death is a glorious one, and grants you live after death. They bear witness to each other’s deaths, celebrating them. Considering this civilization formed after a violent apocalypse, the integration of violent death into society had to happen in some form or other, and I find its glorification interesting.
ReplyDeleteDeath is glorified, technology is deeply valued, and human beings are left in the dust. One’s death must be seen by your allies, and it’s best to die while attacking the enemy - self-sacrifice for the sake of one’s society (or, head of society) continuing, as well as for receiving eternal life, seems like a pretty good deal when the alternative is dying of radiation or thirst with the threat of no afterlife. Technology is limited: cars are your only form of transportation, so you better hold onto yours (hence the war boy’s aggressive defense of his steering wheel, rather than just grabbing a different one.) There’s a strange mix of camaraderie and extreme dehumanization - the “half-life” men fight with each other, but cheer each other on as well. Immortan Joe keeps “breeders” and women who produce milk for human consumption, while Furiosa gives up her high rank to save the women from him, risking death by the elements or execution by Joe (or any number of local bandits). Then, we have people like Max, who doesn’t have allies or enemies - he just keeps fighting to get away. Disregarding moments of good nature, everyone is absolutely armed to the teeth - especially Furiosa, who not only set an automatic shut down in her vehicle should it be stolen, but hid guns and knives in every possible place. Everyone in this movie is absolutely willing to attack one another if it is to their benefit - except, maybe, one of the women, who wouldn’t allow the others to kill the war boy and instead tossed him from the truck.
Max is a survivor, but he isn’t a hero - even in the initial narration, he notes that he’s been stripped down to that single base instinct. Furiosa is a hero because she uses what power she has to save the women from Immortan Joe - in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are next to none, and even those in a society are left to rot at the bottom of the cliffs, giving up a position of power is an immense sacrifice.
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ReplyDelete1. Something that always strikes me about this film is the War Boy whose sole purpose is to play guitar over a loudspeaker. While his existence seems to border on the absurd, at the same time his role seems -- almost -- natural. To me, the fact that I am on the verge of accepting this character highlights the sheer excess of masculinity in Mad Max: Fury Road. Not only are women are subjugated and reduced to their reproductive uses, but the men themselves are aggressive and warlike to the point of absurdity -- as exemplified by the guitar player. Yet, for me, the depicted hyper-masculinity is not only horrifying but cathartic, like Miles said. The movie reveals the destructive power of masculinity -- and yet I am still somehow, as a man, drawn to patriarchy. That's why I love this film so much -- it forces the viewer to truly reckon with their base desires.
ReplyDelete2. Ultimately, I think that the fundamental purpose of Mad Max: Fury Road is to destroy the falsehoods that modern civilization constructs around itself and reveal the truth --a truth that can at once be terrifying and satisfying to realize. The film reveals that patriarchy is real -- something that as a man, I have a mixed reaction to -- one primal reaction and one "developed reaction." Patriarchy is not the only truth about the world that Mad Max reveals; as Addie says -- well -- in her post, the movie is a stunning indict of crony capitalism, particularly the way that corporations cooperate in the modern neoliberal framework to avoid regulations and increase profits. The indict against capitalism is easy to miss. I think about it this way: if there were three towns in the same area, wouldn't you expect them to compete for resources? The Citadel, Bullet Farm, and Gas Town all work together to systematically oppress their respective populations -- there is forethought. Even without the edifice of civilization, the wealthy will still collude to delude and ultimately enslave everyone around them.
3. I think the film's feminist streak forces us to ignore the title and focus on the real hero of this story. Furiosa is the one that set the whole plot in motion. She was the one that defied Immortan Joe and risked her life to gain freedom. She resisted the urge to remain comfortable in her position of relative comfort and authority. Furiosa made the deal with the bikers and defeated Immortal Joe's soldiers -- so far. Max is simply a vehicle for information to revealed about Immortan Joe's complex, and to show the progression of the chase. While there is a definite story about his failure to protect the ones he loved, I think this is ultimately secondary to Furiosa's real action-taking. Furthermore, the film's feminism forces a viewer to reckon with our immediate assumption that Max is the hero. The viewer watches, over and over again, the destructive power of patriarchy and the assumption that women are worthless -- I think that an ultimate point of the film is for us to reconsider our internal biases and our natural desire for the lead man to be the main character.
Wow--this movie is intense! It's thought provoking and begs audience members to visualize the causes and effects of power, disloyalty, and the ramifications behind the choices we make. The transitions between scenes are seamless--each event seems to melt into the next with little interruptions. Watching the movie, I was struck by the disparities between the lives of those in Immortan Joe's inner circle and the peasants-something as simple as water, a basic human right is subject to control by those with extreme power. I was also amazed by the unmitigated faithfulness of the war boys, in particular Nux. To sacrifice his life for Immortan Joe holds such gravity behind it, as it signifies he is willing to do anything. What I find really interesting but at the same time tragic, is that this same sense of allegiance is currently being played out in our current discourse, and like the actions of the War Boys is being used to justify horrendous acts. From the scenes that we watched today, Furiorsa is undeniably the hero. The dichotomy between her choices/actions and Max's actions solidifies the argument that she is the one making a sacrifice--her choice to risk her own life to save Immortan Joe's wives with the understanding that she will be charged for treason is monumental. While it is easy to understand the apprehension and lack of trust displayed by Max due to his capture and mistreatment by the War Boys, his experiences do not justify the caustic attitude he displayed towards Furiorsa and the wives.
ReplyDeleteThis movie packs action within each minute that passes. There is so much going on that sometimes it can be a bit confusing. Much of it feels as if it was sped up just to be able to fit each scene in the movie. If you even miss a short minute, you could possibly miss an entire concept. Also you wouldn't want to miss anything because of the incredible cgi cinematography. The storyline bounces from character to character at a very intense rate. In the beginning, it was quite difficult to establish who the main character was. I tried narrow it down past Max, Furiosa, and the warrior, but it appears that a Max has the strongest lead due to the bit of backstory on him we have recieved. That could change though, because it seems as if we are going to learn more about Furiosa in this next scene. On the matter of who the hero is, it seems as if it's Furiosa considering she was the one trying to save the king's wives and Max was just attempting to escape, but again it is too early to tell.
ReplyDeleteThis story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the Earth has turned to just desert. People live as scavengers that attempt to scrape up any resources the can get including humans. It must have been awhile since the Earth has changed due to the formation of different societies and customs. Also the fact that they used those who were universal blood donors as blood banks showed that both it has been awhile since there was a civil culture. The violence that takes place also represents that.
1. So far, Mad Max is very intriguing, as the film combines many aspects of our society. The characters are facing environmental concerns (e.g. the massive dust storms and two-headed lizard), political tyranny (the absolute leader) and a rigidly defined society, where woman are used to produce offspring. What has stood out to me the most so far was the timeline of this movie. I want to learn how long this post-apocalyptic world has been operating for, or for how many years this society was being built.
ReplyDelete2. The world seems to be void of weather or interactions between humans and the landscape, as the land is composed primarily of desert and sandy mountains. However, when Max and Furiosa enter the sand storm, you can see tornadoes and other highly dangerous weather patterns. Food also seems to be in absence in the desert, as the only food we see is the two-headed lizard Max eats. However, at the civilization Max is brought too, they have grown what seems to be vertical gardens. This is the only sign of the Earth we live in today, though. To me, this world strongly resembled the characteristics of Mars. The sand storms in the film seem to be similar to those in the deserts on Earth, but the tornadoes inside are very different from what we face in our present world. Also, the scene in the voiceover with the trees being blown over by the smoke and dusty wind presents the idea that the apocalypse has occurred. The violence between the different societies also presents the idea that people have to fight over supplies and land. Furiosa wanted to detour from their path, even though she was aware that they were going through land that they didn't control. She also had to create a deal to go through the valley with the people that control that land. Even though she isn't sure if it still operates, she is willing to try anyway.
3. I believe that both characters are no more the hero than the other. In this post-apocalyptic world, every person is trying to survive. Both Max and Furiosa are trying to complete their personal plans, and I don't feel that it is easy to say which character is the "hero." Because each person is trying their best to survive, I couldn't even say which society is the best. The people that ambushed Furiosa's truck in the desert are no more violent or dangerous than Furiosa. Max shot a woman even though she wasn't trying to harm him, so this is not a very heroic thing to do. However, Furiosa tried to shoot Max as well. Both Max and Furiosa have done what they believe is best, and to me, this shows that there is no differentiation between these characters.
I have never held my breath for such long consecutive amounts of time while watching a movie before. Every scene in Mad Max was taken to the next level visually, and the impossible truly felt possible. The incredible visuals amplified the unpredictability of the characters and the intensity of the violent scenes. I was extremely taken aback by how much the women in white were simplified and objectified. Besides Furiosa, the women were completely incapable of taking care of themselves, and they were literally skipping around in miniscule white scarves- possibly symbolizing their purity as characters. The women were beautiful, without a doubt, but they were definitely eye candy for the men in the audience. I'm curious to see how their role in the movie develops.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most striking aspects of the world is the more survivalist and instinctual relationship between people. When Immortan Joe, who is worshipped like a god by his people, briefly releases the flow of water to the dehydrated people below, they fight each other like vultures for the little resources they can obtain. Because people are suffering, they don't have time to be looking out for their neighbors. The characters are devoted to their own survival and serving the society as a whole, but the world lacks interpersonal relationships. The only real relationships we have seen so far are between Furiosa and the women. We are soon to find out if Furiosa and Max will begin to developed a deeper connection. I feel like it has to happen... America loves a good love story amidst terror and violence.
As many people have agreed upon above, Furiosa is the hero to me. Even if the movie is just attempting to appeal to all audiences by playing the feminism card, she certainly makes her mark as a strong, defiant woman. A hero is supposed to be selfless and work to protect other people. So far, Max is simply doing everything he can to protect himself. However, I have a feeling that Max will end up somehow saving the day in the end. It's called Mad Max, for crying out loud. This movie is just too predictable.
1) I've seen the entire movie before, but I'll try to write this with only what we've watched so far. It seems like most of the class so far has enjoyed it, so I'm happy about that. It's undoubtedly a strange movie, so I was surprised when everyone liked it. The filming is great; you can't help but watch the movie and at least think, “this just looks good.” The scene inside of the sand storm is one of the most beautiful and exciting pieces of cinematography there is, right next to every scene ever in Life of Pi. The movie tells a story with almost nothing but action, an extremely difficult task. My favorite scene, a part from the sand storm, is probably when he continuously finds more weapons hidden inside the war rig. I would've laughed much harder in class had I not seen that scene a million times already.
ReplyDelete2) The thing that interests me when watching this movie is how, even in the state the world is in, the people in the movie still formed separate societies and groups of people. You have the people who capture Max, the people from the bullet farm, the people from gas town, the rogue biker gang, and the people of the mysterious “green place.” Humans are for some reason inherently motivated to form societies (always with some kind of power structure), and pit themselves against others. No matter how many ways we evolve to think past our animalistic instincts, competition, to the benefit of some and the consequence of others, is one that we can not rid of. This may be human’s way to ensure we continue to evolve. It's really just another medium for natural selection. The ones who lose die out or suffer, and those who win thrive.
3) I have to say Max, even only with what we've seen so far. If you were to look at who is the “good person,” then it'd definitely be Furiosa. She's the one we’re supposed to like. She's the one saving people. All Max does is survive, he even said it himself. Which is what makes him the hero. He portrays our most basic instinct, survival. Everyone else in the movie has a purpose. Whether it be to prove yourself in war, acquire more power and gasoline, or make it to the green place, everybody has something to strive for. Max literally just want to live, and I think we, as humans, are attracted to that.
Connor Barry
ReplyDeleteI saw Mad Max: Fury Road a long time ago on a plane and instantly loved it. Even watching it for the second time, I still can’t stop saying “Wow”. To me, this movie is at it’s essence, an incredibly fun and well done action film. There are so many moments that I can recall easily from the first 50 or so minutes, but seeing the warband in it’s full glory sticks in my brain the most. The incredible diversity, with smaller rusted vehicles and larger, grander, almost monster truck like cars, is an incredible sight. And the car just for the drums and the guitarist is something special and unique by itself.
The world looks so much sicker. There’s so comfort at all for those who are not among the elites of this world, and even then, they must fight and die to prove their worth. For those who are not among the elites, and even many who are, it appears sickness, famine, and drought, are everpresent. The sores and disgusting blisters that cover many of the inhabitants of the world, from Immortan Joe’s back to pretty much all the commoners. Also, the lack of nutrients and food in general shows in the commoners. Every single one of them looked malnourished, with stick limbs and haggard faces. Finally, the way the commoners fight for the water is utterly sickening and truly displays how twisted this post apocalyptic world is.
To me, Max is the main protagonist, yet Furiosa is the hero of the story. Max doesn’t care about saving the women and doing good, at least to this point, he just wants to survive. Yet most of the movie has been focused on him. However, Furiosa is the hero because she is fighting for a noble and just cause.