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Mad Max: Fury Road |OT| What a Lovely Day | RT: 98% | Metacritic: 89

How do people keep saying this?
A lot of people confuse "most story" for "best story." And, I agree, it's amazing how often people say the movie has no story or character development.

Fury Road is littered with world building and character building/development/growth. It's just not told through blatant exposition, so a lot of people don't even think about it. You're shown how characters feel by how they physically act or how they speak. You're shown character relationships through how they act and speak toward one another. You're shown changes in relationships by how their actions and speech change.

A few posts up notes a change with Furiosa and Max in relation to
the usage of firearms around one another.The first time Furiosa rings Max's ears, it's to stun him during a fight. The second time is with her rifle planted against him while they take out a mutual enemy.
Their relationship is changed, but we see the change gradually in how they interact with one another. While earlier in the film an action is used to mean one thing, later it's used to mean another. We're shown, rather than told.

The development of this world and the character relationships within it isn't hammered home in speeches or exposition, so it slides past people. We're so used to seeing story told in awkward ways that when it's told eloquently we think it's not told at all.
 
There's lots of character development, they just don't talk about it.

For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.
 

The Mule

Member
For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.
giphy.gif
 
For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.

Christopher Nolan has a GAF account?
 
After finally seeing the movie, I gotta say I'm kinda baffled by the 98% RT score. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. But it just seems like the kind of movie critics should hate. Action after action after action, and not really much in the way of story or character development.

As for what I thought about it, it was okay. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but I don't really feel the need to rush out and see it again or anything.

Go back to Marvel and Disney movies.
 
For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.
"Have you noticed? I also speak more and grunt less now, after taking my mouthpiece off and spent some time with you guys. That means I'm actually reclaiming my humanity, no longer only about survival."
 
I didn't say there wasn't any story or character development. Just not a lot. For instance, every character arc is pretty much the same: "I don't trust these people. Now I have been thrown into a situation where I must trust these people or die. Now I trust these people."
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
You seem to be ignoring the setting of the movie then, Ralph. These character developments do not occur in a vacuum. This is a post apocalypse Earth where people will fuck each other to get through a normal day in life. That's probably the whole point of the movie, its theme: People need people to survive.
 
I didn't say there wasn't any story or character development. Just not a lot. For instance, every character arc is pretty much the same: "I don't trust these people. Now I have been thrown into a situation where I must trust these people or die. Now I trust these people."
That really doesn't describe Nux's arc.
 

Oersted

Member
I didn't say there wasn't any story or character development. Just not a lot. For instance, every character arc is pretty much the same: "I don't trust these people. Now I have been thrown into a situation where I must trust these people or die. Now I trust these people."

That is the overall theme, yes. Not their arcs. Furiosa, the villains, the breeders, Nux and Max all have different arcs.
 
I didn't say there wasn't any story or character development. Just not a lot. For instance, every character arc is pretty much the same: "I don't trust these people. Now I have been thrown into a situation where I must trust these people or die. Now I trust these people."
It goes beyond that.
For Max there's the ability to care and save other people. For Furiousa there's "offering practical way out other than hope", and vengeance. For Nux it's how to deal with the deception from a false god, finding a new purpose in life, and his true sacrifice. And Cheedo finally became onboard with the rest of the wives.
 

cackhyena

Member
I didn't say there wasn't any story or character development. Just not a lot. For instance, every character arc is pretty much the same: "I don't trust these people. Now I have been thrown into a situation where I must trust these people or die. Now I trust these people."
Why does it need to be more than that? It works for the way the movie flows. The ending is a perfect, no words needed example.
They went through shit, so they nod. ]
Done. I dunno, I thought it was great.
 

whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
"Let me give you some of these O-negative blood."

"Have you noticed? I also speak more and grunt less now, after taking my mouthpiece off and spent some time with you guys. That means I'm actually reclaiming my humanity, no longer only about survival."

For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.
If these were read by Michael Caine I'd be very happy.
 
Why does it need to be more than that? It works for the way the movie flows. The ending is a perfect, no words needed example. They went through shit, so they nod. Done. I dunno, I thought it was great.

I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it's not the kind of movie that I'd typically expect critics to universally like. It's not like, I dunno, Nightcrawler or There Will Be Blood or something, movies that are all about the story and characters.
 
I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it's not the kind of movie that I'd typically expect critics to universally like. It's not like, I dunno, Nightcrawler or There Will Be Blood or something, movies that are all about the story and characters.

Ironic examples, since I wouldn't consider Nightcrawler or There will Be Blood to have character development. They felt more like character explorations.
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it's not the kind of movie that I'd typically expect critics to universally like. It's not like, I dunno, Nightcrawler or There Will Be Blood or something, movies that are all about the story and characters.

Complexity does not always beat out simplicity. It's all in the execution.
 

Oersted

Member
I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just that it's not the kind of movie that I'd typically expect critics to universally like. It's not like, I dunno, Nightcrawler or There Will Be Blood or something, movies that are all about the story and characters.

They told their story in different ways, thats about it. I didn't expect Max to trick out TV-producers.

Ironic examples, since I wouldn't consider Nightcrawler or There will Be Blood to have character development. They felt more like character explorations.

That too.
 

LProtag

Member
Echoing what other people here have said, I love the visual way that much of the character development was handled. Great example of a "show don't tell" film.
 
Ironic examples, since I wouldn't consider Nightcrawler or There will Be Blood to have character development. They felt more like character explorations.

I was gonna say...the two movies where the protagonists start the film as crazy as fuck dudes who sacrifice anything to get ahead and end the movie in the same place...
 

LProtag

Member
And also I loved the use of source music here, the drums and guitar adding to the soundtrack while they were on screen. Source music is normally used when there's a band in the background of a scene or something, but this was a very clever blend.
 
For real spoilers...

"Furiosa, don't die on me. I realized that, while I used to just run...run to survive, and in doing so lost all faith I had in people as well as my ability to trust anyone...Because of you I realized that I could trust people. That while we have to do what we can to survive in this wasteland, that I still have to make my own way, there are people out there who are still capable of caring. You asked my name, and you've earned my trust enough for me to tell you. Max, my name is Max."

Note, I threw up writing that.
Haha brilliant, thanks for that.

The story is simple but full of details. Furiosa, Max, Nux, go through arcs and development. Max is running away from his past, while Furiosa is running towards her past, and how they both need to change that. They learn to trust each other, and look for hope when before they were stuck in their own ways. All the visual motifs of blood, milk, chrome, fire, water, dust, and steering wheels. There is so much world building that can just whizz past you. Like the
salted earth, the crows, no animals so people drink human milk or eat humans (one of the bosses is People Eater), Max's hallucinations/visions/flashbacksnightmares showing he failed his loved ones, the tumors, the amputees, "who killed the world?" which is repeated by Splendid to Nux as she throws him out, Max washing his blood with mother's milk, and how the war boys are essentially young suicide bombers/kamikaze fighters with a short half-life which makes them perfect fodder to brainwash with the V8 religion for fighting.
 

pringles

Member
After finally seeing the movie, I gotta say I'm kinda baffled by the 98% RT score. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. But it just seems like the kind of movie critics should hate. Action after action after action, and not really much in the way of story or character development.
I've seen these types of comments here and there, and by some reviewers. And it makes my head hurt. Yes, it's mostly action.. but this is one of the RARE movies that doesn't have mindless action. So much is going on in every action sequence, characters and their relationships are built through action instead of huge chunks of exposition.

Just take that 'thumbs up' gif of Max.. that right there is a big character moment without a word of dialogue. Beautifully done.
 
D

Deleted member 22576

Unconfirmed Member
Still just completely immersed in those movie. Gotta see it again.
 

Negaduck

Member
Yeah I'm sure everyone at my work is tired of me raving about this movie (no one else had seen it yet) but I was just about telling anyone who would listen to go see this movie.

Going to go see it a second time this Tuesday.
 

R-User!

Member
A lot of people confuse "most story" for "best story." And, I agree, it's amazing how often people say the movie has no story or character development.

Fury Road is littered with world building and character building/development/growth. It's just not told through blatant exposition, so a lot of people don't even think about it. You're shown how characters feel by how they physically act or how they speak. You're shown character relationships through how they act and speak toward one another. You're shown changes in relationships by how their actions and speech change.

A few posts up notes a change with Furiosa and Max in relation to
the usage of firearms around one another.The first time Furiosa rings Max's ears, it's to stun him during a fight. The second time is with her rifle planted against him while they take out a mutual enemy.
Their relationship is changed, but we see the change gradually in how they interact with one another. While earlier in the film an action is used to mean one thing, later it's used to mean another. We're shown, rather than told.

The development of this world and the character relationships within it isn't hammered home in speeches or exposition, so it slides past people. We're so used to seeing story told in awkward ways that when it's told eloquently we think it's not told at all.

I'm feel like for some people, if they don't hear dialog that explains or attempts to develop a character, then there is no character development: as though their brains don't actively seek to make the connections between the visual actions between the characters and the consequential meaning of said actions: the semi-passive viewer ends up feeling that nothing meaningful is happening between the characters because it's done silently; but since almost no one here is accustomed to watching silent films (where viewing IS listening) the consequence for said viewer is an "empty" action film that looks cool; but ultimately carries no narrative weight.

I don't think its the fault of the viewer or the film; just a byproduct of our current film-going "Scene" (yes, MGS3 reference). A bit of an incompatibility issue. :/

But if what I'm saying doesn't make sense articulate-film-buff-GAF, please let me know, because it's hard for me to fully convey what I mean without spending WAY too much time creating an analysis breakdown of some of the examples of what I "sense" or "feel" about what I'm trying to explain. If that makes sense.
 
Got MGS fans in here explaining this shit...thats crazy cuz every time these dudes talk in this Ground Zeroes demo I'm like "pls...no"

"THEY PLAYED US LIKE A DAMN FIDDLE! *melodramatic anime fist pound*"
 
I saw it. I brought my nephew (who hadn't even heard of it). He loved it, I loved it. My thoughts:

This movie is special in the realm of blockbusters, a spectacle of the best kind, one that should be held among the great blockbuster movies. It is simple on surface, but that might actually its greatest attribute. It allows it to focus and reach further than many that try more. It respects its audience, and it's just great and beautiful.

In a world where most blockbusters barely try, and most that do usually don't hit this level, this is a fresh experience. The movie works; whatever wrong there is, I can forgive.
 
I've seen this movie four times in the last weekend. Seeing it a fifth this week.

Mad Max / Road Warrior were the reason I ever got into the film industry. This film lives up to its predecessors wonderfully.

While I think this film deserves several oscars, if it isn't nominated at least for a sound design oscar, I give up.
 

Totakeke

Member
I watched it in Dolby Atmos today, it was noticeably more vivid sounding at first, but I don't think it really made much of an impact overall.
 

Simo

Member
That's my blood. That's my head. That's my jacket. That's my car. Them Citadel boys had Max feeling some type of way all movie.

This movie is so fun. Something new I noticed was
that Furiousa rang Max's ears on two occasions: when they were fighting with Nux chained up to Max, and when Furiousa steadied a sniper shot with Max's shoulder. Those two shots reflect the tone of their relationship in each respective arc of the film.

Did you notice that after the scene in the Bog
and dealing with the Bullet Farmer that when Max returns with supplies and his upgraded gear he's put in a earpiece in that ear? Tired of getting his hearing fucked up in that ear I guess. lol
 
Did you notice that after the scene in the Bog
and dealing with the Bullet Farmer that when Max returns with supplies and his upgraded gear he's put in a earpiece in that ear? Tired of getting his hearing fucked up in that ear I guess. lol

OMG I didn't notice that!!! That's so cute wtf ❤
 
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