Chad White

Likes: Mad Max, Charlize Theron, The Color Yellow

Dislikes: Slave women, loud noises

Hates: Warlords

Feels like hope.

Imagine a world ravished by humans, nothing left except for a desolate wasteland filled with the golden hue of sand. Water is both a luxury and a means of fuel. The most beautiful women are used as breeding farms and the fattest are milked like cows. Only three civilizations seem to remain but factions exist throughout the world. This is the basis for Mad Max: Fury Road, the latest sequel/reboot in a storied franchise. Tom Hardy takes the title of the character "Mad" Max Rockatansky, a loner traveling the wasteland trying to escape his own past while avoiding dangerous, sand dwelling car enthusiasts. Max is traveling with a large group but don't expect him to talk much. Hardy has maybe 30 lines throughout the entire two hours but he's still likable enough. He is joined by Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and the wives (Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton) of the warlord Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) on a journey to find a better home.

The story is run of the mill but execution is fantastic. Viewers follow the group from point A to B as the crew fights, drives and shoots their way to freedom. Action scenes are intense with gut wrenching crunches from bones breaking to the scraping of metal as vehicles collide. Explosions, gun shots, and even a lightening filled sandstorm bring the world to life. Action scenes are fast paced -- perhaps even sped up to enhance a sense of urgency. Hits leave an impact as every punch to the face and ram of a car leave a lasting effect you can feel in your seat as you watch the carnage unfold on screen. Music is a real highlight as one of the factions chasing after the group has their own traveling band car complete with six drummers and a bouncing guitarist. They play the soundtrack to the chase and the movie, a noticeable nuance to an already thematically meta heavy movie.

Fear of what will happen next keeps viewers and characters alike guessing. Will we make it to tomorrow? Is our water guzzling lifestyle leading us to a Mad Max-esque wasteland? Do we take our women for granted in more ways than one? Fury Road hints at a narrative that is all too common in our current state of being. Director George Miller (who handled the original series) is at home in the chair of director, writer and producer; he's able to craft a stand up setting, making it remarkably accessible to those who have never step foot into the world. Fury Road is shot with a yellow tint, giving a stark hint as to what the future holds for civilization. One of the few parts of this movie to dislike is the shoehorned romantic B-story between Nux (Nicholas Hoult) and Capable (Riley Keough). It seems as though it was put in there for no real reason. Heck, it's even rushed over faster than any of the fight scenes.

Should you watch Mad Max: Fury Road?

This movie is excellent; I dare say even near perfect. It tells one linear story without needing to fit in much else. There's not really any characterization but there is not real time for it. After all, there are a supposed three other sequels in development. While other summer blockbusters rely on big spectacles or big twists to carry their films, Fury Road stands out with its immense amount of focus. Characters, story and setting make this movie as entertaining as the three that came before it.