Mad Max: Trailer looks awesome!

Batutta said:
Yeah, but Speed basically did the same thing, and while I like Speed this feels different. The visual technique is on a level that most action films, and most other films just aren't at. There didn't seem to be a single traditionally staged scene (master, close-up, reverse). Each shot was something new, which I think comes from conceiving the film as a visual story first and not a literary one. Reminds me of Kurosawa at his best, but at warp speed.
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I liked the behind the scenes on vimeo where they said that Miller had a vision of doing very fast cuts so he wanted to ignore the rule of thirds and keep the camera always centered on the main subject so the audience didn't have to look left or right from cut to cut. He also wanted to maintain audience awareness of exactly what was happening, unlike a Michael Bay action sequence which is lots of camera motion and close ups, so you get a feeling of action, but you don't know what is going on exactly. You "feel" like it's a fight with all the camera motion, but after watching it you couldn't really say who hit who when, who counter punched, etc., you just know you saw a lot of fists and blood.
 
Batutta said:
Yeah, but Speed basically did the same thing, and while I like Speed this feels different. The visual technique is on a level that most action films, and most other films just aren't at. There didn't seem to be a single traditionally staged scene (master, close-up, reverse). Each shot was something new, which I think comes from conceiving the film as a visual story first and not a literary one. Reminds me of Kurosawa at his best, but at warp speed.
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In a completely different way, this reminds me a little bit of Drive. There's not a lot of dialog, but plenty of story.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/
 
Speed was a film that took place in the mundane, workaday work. We went from an office elevator to a commuter bus to a subway train. It's very banality was much of the point. Mad Max strips away all that is known and comfortable and sucks you down into primal existence. That is absolutely part of the ride, and frankly for me it is the most important part of the ride.
 
Batutta said:
Yeah, but Speed basically did the same thing, and while I like Speed this feels different. The visual technique is on a level that most action films, and most other films just aren't at. There didn't seem to be a single traditionally staged scene (master, close-up, reverse). Each shot was something new, which I think comes from conceiving the film as a visual story first and not a literary one. Reminds me of Kurosawa at his best, but at warp speed.
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Read/watch some of the interviews with John Seale. He basically says there are intentionally no master shots, and that Miller kept telling him to put the point or person of interest in the center of the screen, rather than following say the rule of thirds. Miller knew the film was going to move fast, and be cut quick, and there would hardly be anytime for the audience to scan the frame. I think the "simplicity" of the cinematography, in this regard, is partially what allows us to not only digest all the nuance of the story & characters, but keep up with the incredible action.
 
 
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Just got back from my slightly-delayed second viewing....wow, that was just what the doctor ordered. A lot of the things that I was nit-picking in my initial review pretty much didn't bother me this time out.

A few new thoughts:

- Not like I didn't say it before but, this is a BIG movie. The Citadel, the vehicles, the cast. You can't put it in words. There are so many amazing, killer vehicles in these chase scenes. That was my primary interest in the first films: The cars!

- I have a better appreciation for Thomas Hardy and the Max character. I see the path now as he goes from feral grunts to becoming 'human' again by the film's end. The flashback content.....I agree that could have hit the cutting room floor and made a better film. I was harsh on the lack of good dialogue....I just wasn't listening! So many great lines in this film.

- I don't know why I was so down on the guitar dude, LOL he is pretty cool on second thought. That's just a small piece of the puzzle, let's talk about the soundtrack. It really is great and a second viewing allowed me to analyze it. (First showing, there's so much s**t going on.....you know the deal) Powerful orchestrations, driving tribal drumming during the chase scenes, some cool creepy 80's synths in certain parts. There's a lot going on and it's all pretty much amazing. I will be picking this up ASAP when it's on bluray.

Just seeing this with a set of fresh eyes and separating Fury Road from the first three, yes it lives up to the hype.
 
Scott F said:
Just got back from my slightly-delayed second viewing....wow, that was just what the doctor ordered. A lot of the things that I was nit-picking in my initial review pretty much didn't bother me this time out.

A few new thoughts:

- Not like I didn't say it before but, this is a BIG movie. The Citadel, the vehicles, the cast. You can't put it in words. There are so many amazing, killer vehicles in these chase scenes. That was my primary interest in the first films: The cars!

- I have a better appreciation for Thomas Hardy and the Max character. I see the path now as he goes from feral grunts to becoming 'human' again by the film's end. The flashback content.....I agree that could have hit the cutting room floor and made a better film. I was harsh on the lack of good dialogue....I just wasn't listening! So many great lines in this film.

- I don't know why I was so down on the guitar dude, LOL he is pretty cool on second thought. That's just a small piece of the puzzle, let's talk about the soundtrack. It really is great and a second viewing allowed me to analyze it. (First showing, there's so much s**t going on.....you know the deal) Powerful orchestrations, driving tribal drumming during the chase scenes, some cool creepy 80's synths in certain parts. There's a lot going on and it's all pretty much amazing. I will be picking this up ASAP when it's on bluray.

Just seeing this with a set of fresh eyes and separating Fury Road from the first three, yes it lives up to the hype.
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Great review. Thanks for posting.
 
I will admit to having played the soundtrack from Fury Road off of YouTube a few times now. It's as intense, over-the-top and relentless as the movie. Great stuff.
 
Holy sh*tballs... I just saw the film in imax 3D last night. What a ride. Those brief 30 seconds moments here and there when the action stops I was having to take long deep breathes just to keep up. Would have to be, without a doubt, one of the most visceral film experiences I've ever had.

The sheer depth of the production design, and the relentless insanity of the cinematography were breathtaking (even in the blink-and-you'll-miss-it pace the entire film ran at). If John Seale and Colin Gibson don't get nominations for every major award out there, it'll be a travesty of justice.

3D wouldn't have been my choice, but it honestly worked better than 99% of other 3D films I've seen. The main thing that urked me image-wise was how soft it was. I don't know if it was the 3D glasses, or one of the projectors was off slightly, or if the Alexa simply isn't resolute enough for a screen as big as imax. But it was the only minor niggle I could pick at.

I feel like I need to see it again (probably in 2D this time) just to process the insanity a little more thoroughly.
 
I don't usually like 3d but it worked well here. The flashback scenes were particularly good in 3d as they kind of jumped out at you briefly.

Not sure why people were against the flashbacks in general; for people that don't know the Mad Max story the flashbacks quickly set the state of mind of the character without wasting more than a few seconds here and there.

I liked the flashbacks all in all.
 
Meh. It was kind of Escape from L.A.-ish.

Anyone read any of the meta work and explain how Max's V8 could be trashed, yet he has it at the beginning of Road Warrior?
 
I find I have a low tolerance for deliberate and obnoxious ambiguity for its own sake.

Most of the movie is pretty consistent with the timeline -- it's never explicitly stated, but clearly, Immortan Joe is Toecutter, and his son Rictus goes on to be Lord Humungus. There is ample onscreen information to confirm all of this.

It's even teased Max will get the V8 back a few times, but then, pow -- maybe NOT, guys! Hahahahaha . . .

I dunno. I need to watch it again. I appreciate it for the things it did well, but the notes it missed bothered me more than they did some of you.

Don't know if anyone else mentioned it, but the motivations of the People Eater and the Bullet Farmer were quite unclear -- especially when the Bullet Farmer went on his solo rampage that really didn't make a whole lot of sense.
 
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