A Mad Max without Mel Gibson
I was skeptical at first about a Mad Max movie that didn't have Mel Gibson in it. I thought it was just another sequel that Hollywood made to cash in on the name. While the story line/plot isn't too deep, good guy versus bad guy, the action sequences are certainly up to modern standards (impressive) and the cinematography is also excellently done.
In case you haven't seen any of the Mad Max films and don't know the "history", a brief rundown. An apocalyptic story set somewhere on the planet in this movie, the exact location isn't clear and probably doesn't really matter. Essentially everyone is fighting for the bare essentials of life, like water, and a corrupt few rule by controlling the water flow.
As with any corrupt group there are those that seek to overthrow it. Max, whom has never said a lot in any of the movies, and is wondering aimlessly across the country comes across, Furiosa. She is a woman determined to find a way across the desert to find a small group of people living beyond the reach of the current rulers and be free. She does find them, but it is not the promised land she was expecting, they are barely surviving.
This is one of those movies that would truly rock on the big screen with the full effect of the surround sound system. It was still very, very good on my home system (50" TV and very basic sound system). Did it hold any surprises apart from how the action sequences and how the cinematography was done? No, not really, it is still an excellent way to escape for two hours.