I'm really confused when people say this movie didn't have "enough plot." Would more plot points have improved it? The themes of the movie are extremely well executed and all the main characters have a complete arc. Max goes from little more than a snarling animal to someone who is willing to risk his live and give his blood for others. Furiosa stops running from the problems of her society and instead turns around to make a real difference for everyone. Nux goes from chasing personal glory to becoming a member of the team. Plus there's a lot going on thematically. Joe, the People Eater and the Bullet Farmer all represent destructive forces that reduce people to things (we see the wives are breeders, warboys are battle fodder, Max is a blood bag), and they are defeated by a group of rebels who come to see the humanity in each other. There's a lot more going on below the surface than your typical action movie. And that's without mentioning all the visual details that really tell the story of this post-apocalyptic world. Anyway, sorry for the rant, it's possible I love this movie too much. I enjoyed your breakdown!
The movie was good. It wasn't a terrible movie, just not big on the plot side of things. Not every movie has to have a complicated plot to work. Mad Max is proof of that ;)
You can throw all the plot you want at a film. If they're not the correct plot points and obligatory scenes, you have disjointed story. You talk about theme, but I'm not sure you know what it means. Theme is basically what the story "is saying". At best all Fury Road really says is 'tyranny falls to individuals who have a greater resolve than they', but even that is questionable. Main characters don't arc within a single turning point within a story, they merely change. And that's Fury Road's problem. You get past the mid point and just before the final act Max decides to change. That's not arcing. Arcing requires a bunch of progressive complications before you get to the crisis point of the character's story. Furiosa arguably has minor internal change, but it's noting major. Fury Road is an external film. There's hints of internal plot but the rhythm is left out for the overdrawn action sequences. Hell, it doesn't even have a direct mercy at the villain scene. That's how disjointed and wishy washy it is.
What plot is there when the world goes to shit you have to fight for the gas and water that’s the way the world is going and seems like some of us will stick together and fight against others who want it as bad as you do peaple will end up securing the last oil refinery and someone will be holding back the water lol it’s gonna be a war if the whole world hits the fan and basically pulls what mad max was like in road runner but something tells me the government will probably nuke us all if we go out of control so living in a post apocalyptic word is not far off millions will die the ones who survive will try to make there last few years in isolation in the waste land probably still fighting over water and gas lol
There is lots of plot in the film, but it is set up as a puzzle piece for the audience to fill inn the blanks. The reason the film worked so well was just because it seemed very plot less and easy to follow on the surface, it within the film are filled over with clues and hints about the world, and the characters history. To be a video about analyzing film, u didn't really analyse the story part of it, and mere structure of it. One can argue that one always finds something in a piece of work if you read into it, but isn't that the point of visual storytelling. Show don't tell. A lot of the explanations of the characters and locations background and story is told through visuals, both the way they are represented but also the design itself. you get their history and lore through their interactions, and your brain fills inn the blanks. To me that's genius film making, and the main tool films and other visual storytelling mediums are able to do. Nothing needs to be explained if it's implied and presented well enough for the audience to understand it themselves. This film is able to give us a world full of characters, history, lore, legends etc only through visuals, and no exposition or person explaining or telling us what happened in the past. The film doesn't need to explain it to us, the film shows it to us. And that is genius film making.
I disagree, the film does not have much plot at all, because plot is the structure of the narrative. However, this film does have a tremendous amount of STORY! Story that we are presented in such a manner that makes us ACTIVE audience - forcing us to indeed piece the story together. It is because we are an active audience, this stimulation drives our excitement and thus why many critics would have scored the film so highly, I assume. Indeed... To make a passive medium like film, and actively engaging one for the audience is GENIUS FILM MAKING.
I disagree. It's all about the sub-text, which is right there. "Who killed the world?" Politics, which is represented by Immortan Joe. Business which is represented by that nose ring guy. And the justice system which is represented by that bullet farmer. Go back and you'll see. Yes, George Miller didn't give is much, but he gave us enough to spark our imagination. Just like George Lucas did when he made Ben Kenobi mention the Clone Wars in A New Hope. In Mad Max you're thrown into this conflict, you're taken along for the ride, you don't learn much but you learn enough for you to use your imagination to create your own thoughts on how Immortan Joe came to power, what happened to the green place, where Max is coming from and where he is going. The classic how, what and where. So imo it is actually good story telling, cause it creates a world for you imagination to live in along with everyone else who watched the movie. Which can spark fun discussions about the Mad Max universe :)
No, thank you for making great videos! Been watching for like a year or so now, and I'm very entertained and I learn a lot from watching your videos on filmmaking :)
What you explain is all kind of external and pretty irrelevant. The lack of an internal story arc for the characters in the film isn't something that we have to fill in. It's either there or it isn't. And, well, it isn't. And that's why Mad Max is generic action only fodder. You can write a thousand page theory about the lore existing off stage for this world. It still means nothing to what the actual plot Miller crapped out. You compare it to Lucas? A New Hope actually had a fully fledged hero's journey plot to it.
Wait, what? Wow, I'm not even sure if you are serious or not. Are you just trolling? Look, first of all you took my Lucas comment totally out of context. I spesifically pointed out the scene when Ben Kenobi mentioned the Clone Wars for a reason. Was that scene a weak scene in A New hope? No, it made the world of Star Wars bigger and more interesting. George Miller did the same in almost every scene in Fury Road. If you look closely you can see text, character details and hear quick dialog which is all connected to the bigger picture which is the world of Mad Max. Not all movies are made using the same formula, and thank God for that. George Miller took a risk when he made Fury Road, and a lot of ppl enjoyed it, so I do believe it all worked out in the end even though you can't see that :)
They are not made using the same formula, but they adhere to the conventions of long form storytelling, which has existed since the dawn of time. Mad Max is not some absurdist mini plot, it is a commercial story, so it is abiding by those conventions, and somewhat flailing and failing in the process. I'm not sure what you were getting at with Lucas, but either way, my point still stands. Lore which is left to audience imagination still does not a plot make. I'm sorry I misunderstood you, but that doesn't change anything about your initial point. No need to get huffy.
Um, there is a plot. Find the green land. Escape the chasing horde. The first part is an escape, turning into a chase and the second half is a race, turning into redemption for Furiosa (which is clearly stated), and there is even a McGuffen (the wives) and Max finding his voice and humanity again, the metaphor of the cage literally around his mouth, the gag during his tattoo session, during the first quarter of the film his mouth is covered: beard, gag, cage. This film has amazing depth told mainly through the actors performances and don't forget the soundtrack, WOW! You forgot to mention the soundtrack. I think you missed a great deal in this analysis. It is most definitely more than just a technical achievement. But I guess time will only tell. 2001:A Space Odyssey is considered to be a masterpiece of cinema today but was considered a total unintelligible piece of garbage, even by the likes of Woody Allen, on its release. Also, as an addendum, why not inform your audience that George Miller was responsible for Mad Max, Mad Max II (Road Warrior), Mad Max: Beyond Thunder Dome, Witches of Eastwick, and some other outstanding cinematic works. I got the feeling (intended or not) you were undermining George Millers talent ( like a straw man argument) before you started to breakdown the film. I like your channel, and frankly compared to the current state of mine, it's in a master class of its own, but on this analysis of Mad Max: Fury Road, I humbly disagree.
I didn't say there wasn't a plot, just that there isn't much of one. It's a very simple plot. The purpose of the video was to breakdown the story structure of the film which is why I didn't get into the soundtrack etc. It's not a full blown analysis of the entire film, just the story and structure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Brutha ;)
I could say only one thing, the movie transported me into post-apocalypse where the rules are different. Where you don't have any time to waste explaining things like in the "old-days", so it's all about driving, fighting and explosions. The movie tells it's story trough visuals as we're not explained why do they feel like they feel, they just do.
When I was a movie extra I worked with George Miller on Twilight Zone, The Movie with the airplane wing sequence. He seemed nice enough. It was fun to watch him standing on the wing as he discussed a scene with the monster.
You will find the movie has lot of depth if you are willing to read into the subtext in terms of what the characters and events are representing, not just what they are. It's not just a great action movie. The action is just icing on the cake.
I think there is a significant character arc when they decide to cultivate the place they are at - instead of running away, Max is the catalyst for this change in perspective as he is the first to make the realization that they have no future if they keep running away. It's a simple but intelligent development - they literally change 180 degree direction - which is the reason Mad Max becomes more than a long car chase, it's symbolic and fits the theme.
I think you're overlooking the important thematic weight of the film in considering how great it really is. not saying you're opinion is wrong, just you're missing a piece of the puzzle
Talking about Nux, he actually doesn't fully change from being "brainwashed"; he just turns to helping Max and the gang. His final words were "Witness me" indicating he still believes in the tales of Valhalla, even if he does not follow Immortan Joe.
Great Video! Concerning the rotten tomatoes score: As a movie in general, the score ist a little too high of course, but as an action movie? I think the score is pretty accurate if you score it as that.
Nah the story is as simple as it gets. That's what makes it a classic. It's an Oydessy of sorts. Apocalypse Now doesn't have much a plot either: it's really about one soldier going deep up river through nam to kill another soldier and eventually does so and that's pretty much the core plot of that film but that's not what makes it great - it's about all the insanely bizarre shit they see along the way that makes it such a great experience.
I loved the sound design best in this film. I agree with you on the topic of the plot being hardly existent through the whole 2 hours. The visuals were nice but the sound is what made everything work.
Mad Max Fury Road was one of those movies that didn't have much of a plot or character development and covered those inadequacies with overdone spectacle and stunning visuals. Basically it counted on it's aesthetics to make up for the weak story, and judging by the immense critical acclaim, (Critics had stopped trying at this point.) it worked. I've been over this movie 5 times, and I still can't discern any more than a very rudimentary plot and minimal character development. I really can't see what was so great about this movie. As far as whatever "Political" points? Or subtle real-world messages? If those were in it, they were very convoluted and buried beneath layers of uninspired dialogue. There are other movies that do that better. Plus, was it just my TV or did the characters talk way too softly? I had to use my subtitles to know what they were saying! I also should clarify that I only watched the movie 5 times to see if I could really find what the critics found so great about it. Like I said, the visuals and effects were amazing, but that's pretty much it.
The understimate value of this film is that the context is so rich and well though that it plays the role of the story. Yes it's very straight forward on plot side, but it leaves space for the all-around scenery and details. Everytime I watch it now, I feel myself 100% in the action because it's surrounded by context that tells me more about this world without explaining it to me. Maybe it's my european sensibility, I don't know. First view I really like it with the feeling of "something missing maybe the plot". Then ths 2, 3 an next views, I love this movie more and more. But I totally understand why many people are not totally convinced. George Miller is a very fine film maker, much subtle than many others in the anglo-saxon world. And finally, the absolute beauty of every shot add to the pleasure.
hello, i wanted to thank you for all rhe wonderful information. Im going to film school on the 27 of this month. I feel like i already learned alot just from you. I learned how to write a good short story. working on it now. Again thank you.
Like some of the other youtubers I agree that there is a plot, its just not complex. Furiosa drove across the desert searching and fighting for what she wanted and Max helped her to realize what she wanted was already there in front of her the whole time. She just had to believe in herself, go back, and take it from her oppressor. There's the plot. Simple, but its a plot that fits for a savage setting like this. As far as arcs for the main characters, yes the focus was more so on Furiosa, she went from minion on the run to the leader of that faction. Max is just Max. I agree with Darious about Max learning to trust someone to get to his goal. His goal is always to walk away though. That's every movie except the original. Lol
Good review. I also loved the visuals and plot was nothing too exciting but which action movie has a great plot these days? What I like about fury road is that it is an all around different spin on an action movie and I hope it sets a precedent for the dull action movie scene. Not much of a fan of action movies but this one I liked.
Mad Max: Fury Road was one fantastic movie to watch. Sure, not much plot, but this movie relied on its extraordinary cinematography and phenomenal visuals. There is no other action movie I know that is this detailed, has such a beautiful and scary setting and is shot in an indescribable way. Take The Revenant for example: Also not much plot, but phenomenal visuals.
So Darious, they may sound weird but how do you stay in shape as a filmmaker. For some reason, when I do filmmaking I gain a lot of weight because I eat a lit food to kinda keep my ideas going. When I see most filmmakers we are usually overweight or like super scrawny. So like how do you balance that?
There is an incredible amount of world building, subtext, and symbolism in the movie. A lot of the crazy things you think are just there as a spectacle make sense within that society and help build the world. Like the way Immortan Joe wastes tons of gas with his fleet of vehicles and creates this huge unnecessary ceremony to give water to the wretches. It seems pointless and stupid for them to waste so much precious resource when they're living in a wasteland where everything is so scarce, doesn't it? But you see throughout the movie how Immortan Joe has built this religion around himself and he wants everyone to think that he's a god. So everything he does is to maintain the illusion that he is all powerful. He has this molded armor to make him look strong even though he's got tumors all over his body. He hides his respirator in a menacing mask. He's wasting gas and water to make people think that he's so powerful that all these resources other people are willing to kill for mean nothing to him. That's what tyrants have always done through history. They have huge displays of hedonism and build monuments to themselves as a sign of power even when their people are starving. That's exactly what dictatorial states in the modern day world like North Korea are doing. And there's so much subtext and symbolism to even list them all. But here's one of the most obvious ones, notice how Immortan Joe has recruited all these young people to fight and die for him so that he can maintain his old corrupt empire. And in the second half of the movie, the Vuvalini show up and they're mostly older people. When they go back to the Citadel, the Vuvalini are fighting and dying for the wives so that they can have a chance to start a new society.
I'm not generally a fan of action movies. But loved T2 and loved this. The mythology and religion mixed with futuristic apocolyptic mechanic vehicle stuff was amazing. My fave film of its year. The only film I've seen twice in the last 3 years and my other recent faves are very different luke Caprain Phillips ans even Florence Foster Jenkins! love ur vids. keep on breakin 'em down!
It's a trial story, the characters reacts to the situations they get into. I would disagree with you about not having a plot, it is clear that she wants to free the women but with Max's help she frees the whole tribe, and even thought the main character would appear to be furiosa it actually is Max, he makes the major decisions that move the story along. I also think that the two characters compliment each other making one hero (she is the muscle and he is the brains)
re: Nux's conversion seeming hurried, it's worth noting Nux is not only on a ticking clock due to the large tumors he shows, but he also voices his wish to die in the chase early in the film. He fails to carry out Joe's request to kill Furiousa, so he's aware Joe and his followers will not spare him should he try to go back to them; this bridges him from his brainwashed state to his redeemed state, as he finds his old way impossible to follow. He's thus left with the chance to fulfill his sacrificial/suicidal desires for a new cause he believes in. Quick, but not rushed imo
Love the vids man! Your banter is what makes you stand out above all the super serious and 'doom and gloom' tone similar channels have regarding the film industry. I'm doing a combo degree of Business Studies and Film at uni, hoping to become a producer :)
Could not agree more.. saw the Rotten Tomatoes score and thought I was the only one who felt this way. Pretty to look at.. cool visuals.. but it's really just one long run-on sentence. That gets exhasting quickly
I understand that the movie doesn't have much of a plot, but I saw it more as one story in the life and adventures of Mad Max, almost odysseus-esque. So it didn't bother me as much as it would have if the technical filmmaking wasn't inspired and the acting wasn't on point or the aesthetic of the idea was lackluster. If the movie failed on any of those points, I would be insulted by the lack of plot or character.
Rotten Tomatoes scores don't mean a movie was good. They just show the percentage of critics it appeals to. That's why this also has a better score than 2001 A Space Odyssey. I don't know many people that wouldn't like Mad Max Fury Road, but I can think of plenty who wouldn't like 2001, despite my opinion as well as many others that it's a masterpiece.
Hmm, I should have waiting to watch this till I had actually watched the film. This is definitely a very unique view on the film from what I've heard and I may end up disagreeing with your final statement considering that I'm more visually driven then auditorily/story wise. I'll have to see what my final impressions are and see where I really lie. I'll comment in a later film about my feelings in the end. Anyways, still love seeing your insights.
What i think is ,the speciality of Mad max lies in the directing style of George Miller.Each and every shot is so beautifully crafted that they serve their purposes very well(meaning showing what they want to show) and so beautifully edited by Margaret Sixel that they keep their audience on the edge of their seats(meaning giving extra boost of energy to some scenes and leaving some scenes totally normal). also its way better than average action movies like those of Michael Bay because George Miller knows when and how to give emphasis(or extra energy boost) on certain sections of films .
The funny thing is, the movie didnt even had a screenplay. Only storyboard. But its okay. The Mad Max movie in the movie industry is like Doom in the game industry. You don't play/watch it for the story. You play/watch it for the action.
When i watched it, i thought it was pretty good but not as good as everyone says. When i watched spotlight, the best picture winner, i would say fury road is much better movie and deserves to get best picture for the directorial awesomeness
Hi Darious, I was wondering this to (which light you use, the ring won) I remember you chatted about it in an earlier film I had a quick search, but I can't remember which one? Cheers Kirk
Wait how does Mad Max have no plot/narrative? The whole movie was a series of cause and effects, and pretty much every character went through a transformation by the end... :/
To be honest, I can´t agree with you on this one. In my opinion there´s much more plot development in the movie as it seems on the surface. That´s actually what I love about it. Fury Road is mainstream enough to be a blockbuster but also smart enough to be considered a serious movie. But anyways, nice analysis!
Sure, the film barely has a plot but if you look at it in an "objective" way you realize that the film is border-line perfect.... Plus this mother was made without a script... I think this film has an almost perfect score because it is almost perfect.... It kind of can't be over rated, since this film succeeds 10\10 at it's own objective.... In other words Fury Toad (hahaha the cellphone auto corrected me xD) can't be fucked with... It's like the meanest thug in the cinema hood..... "Fury Toad..." xD, make it happen xD
I finally don't feel alone on my opinion in this movie, D. All of my friends into film basically cherish this movie and while I respect it, it's kinda just "meh" to me.
i think the film's more successful because of its lack of plot. Its 'lost the plot' because its 'mad'. its lack of plot reflects the post apocalyptic world's emptiness and their pointless journey mirrors the futility in continuing lifes 'journey' in that world. The film is mad max's story not furiosa's because the film is effectively a macrocosm of max's mind - and its his narrative, hence why we aren't shown the inciting incident. my view might be tainted from watching the other mad max's religiously when i was younger though, maybe i read into them too much.
Mad Max Fury Road it's one of the best chase films of all time. I think people say that has no plot, but the truth it's that don't have a SUBPLOT. Mad Max Fury Road has no mistery subplot like The Fugitive. Or politics/mistery plots like Bourne. Its almost just a chase film. A redemption story and also a vengeance/revenge story. But only some elements. A revenge movie has conventions of it's own. I really don't like that type of breadown. It gives no insight about how to write a movie. And i think you make it so simple. And it's not simple. To create a chase film like that you need to create cool chase scenes and suspense scenes to be effective. When you say that there is no plot, i think that's just crazy. Try to write chase scene after chase scene without copy yourself in the process. What makes Mad Max great: - The details inside every chase scene and how character response eachother with brain; - Set-up and Payoffs (Miller loves to create set-up and pay-off's with dialogue and hand movement... "Witness me" line or the hand movement of the green village people). Also have the knife inside the change gear of the truck of Furiosa. - The suspense scenes: in chase films like The Fugitive and Bourne, the hero has time to breath and go inside a location. In Mad Max Fury Road, Miller need suspense scenes so he started to make stops (like pit-stops in a Formula 1 race). Those stops are conventions of the chase film. In a chase, like Friday 13th or any chase, the character in some point need to feel trap. So those stops do that.
the one thing that threw me off about this film was the guitar guy on the truck..overall the film is visually awesome. B movie that cost alot of money lol
Great video. You perfectly summed up why I hate this movie. One more point. While the chase scenes are a good technical achievement, it didn't really have any impact because there was no pacing. Take Nightcrawler or Death Note for example. Their chase scenes feel AWESOME because they build and build up to it with other kinds of scenes. Mad Max starts with a chase and every scene is a chase. It gets old really fast.
Hi Darious, I know this has nothing to do with this particular video, but it's your latest one. Could you maybe talk about self-esteem and confidence when it comes to your films? Do you struggle with that? Like for example, you see your film and you are sure it's the most horrible film ever created. You see plot holes and continuity issues where they hardly matter, you feel the music isn't intense or calm enough, the actors aren't acting well, the cinematography could have been better, but then you show it to others and they say it's great and you don't see it. Do you ever experience this? Do you have tips to deal with that little voice in the back of your head that wants to tear the film-maker in you down? If so, please tell us :) Thanks!
6best action movie ever! But would have to agree with you. When I saw it, I was still a little disappointed at the plot development. I think a movie can be visually great and also have a good plot. (Not saying plot is bad, just plot development, Still love the movie. DONT BE MAD)
Great job. Since this movie was so plotless, can you do a breakdown of "Road Warrior"? I know it's an oldie now, but it was the heart of an exciting franchise. Thanks.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Neva Play (feat. RM) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TpYTyAaTRts/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm really confused when people say this movie didn't have "enough plot." Would more plot points have improved it? The themes of the movie are extremely well executed and all the main characters have a complete arc.
Max goes from little more than a snarling animal to someone who is willing to risk his live and give his blood for others.
Furiosa stops running from the problems of her society and instead turns around to make a real difference for everyone.
Nux goes from chasing personal glory to becoming a member of the team.
Plus there's a lot going on thematically. Joe, the People Eater and the Bullet Farmer all represent destructive forces that reduce people to things (we see the wives are breeders, warboys are battle fodder, Max is a blood bag), and they are defeated by a group of rebels who come to see the humanity in each other. There's a lot more going on below the surface than your typical action movie. And that's without mentioning all the visual details that really tell the story of this post-apocalyptic world.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, it's possible I love this movie too much. I enjoyed your breakdown!
The movie was good. It wasn't a terrible movie, just not big on the plot side of things. Not every movie has to have a complicated plot to work. Mad Max is proof of that ;)
did you even read the comment? dipshit
You can throw all the plot you want at a film. If they're not the correct plot points and obligatory scenes, you have disjointed story. You talk about theme, but I'm not sure you know what it means. Theme is basically what the story "is saying". At best all Fury Road really says is 'tyranny falls to individuals who have a greater resolve than they', but even that is questionable.
Main characters don't arc within a single turning point within a story, they merely change. And that's Fury Road's problem. You get past the mid point and just before the final act Max decides to change. That's not arcing. Arcing requires a bunch of progressive complications before you get to the crisis point of the character's story. Furiosa arguably has minor internal change, but it's noting major.
Fury Road is an external film. There's hints of internal plot but the rhythm is left out for the overdrawn action sequences. Hell, it doesn't even have a direct mercy at the villain scene. That's how disjointed and wishy washy it is.
What plot is there when the world goes to shit you have to fight for the gas and water that’s the way the world is going and seems like some of us will stick together and fight against others who want it as bad as you do peaple will end up securing the last oil refinery and someone will be holding back the water lol it’s gonna be a war if the whole world hits the fan and basically pulls what mad max was like in road runner but something tells me the government will probably nuke us all if we go out of control so living in a post apocalyptic word is not far off millions will die the ones who survive will try to make there last few years in isolation in the waste land probably still fighting over water and gas lol
There is lots of plot in the film, but it is set up as a puzzle piece for the audience to fill inn the blanks. The reason the film worked so well was just because it seemed very plot less and easy to follow on the surface, it within the film are filled over with clues and hints about the world, and the characters history.
To be a video about analyzing film, u didn't really analyse the story part of it, and mere structure of it. One can argue that one always finds something in a piece of work if you read into it, but isn't that the point of visual storytelling. Show don't tell.
A lot of the explanations of the characters and locations background and story is told through visuals, both the way they are represented but also the design itself. you get their history and lore through their interactions, and your brain fills inn the blanks.
To me that's genius film making, and the main tool films and other visual storytelling mediums are able to do. Nothing needs to be explained if it's implied and presented well enough for the audience to understand it themselves.
This film is able to give us a world full of characters, history, lore, legends etc only through visuals, and no exposition or person explaining or telling us what happened in the past. The film doesn't need to explain it to us, the film shows it to us.
And that is genius film making.
I disagree, the film does not have much plot at all, because plot is the structure of the narrative. However, this film does have a tremendous amount of STORY! Story that we are presented in such a manner that makes us ACTIVE audience - forcing us to indeed piece the story together.
It is because we are an active audience, this stimulation drives our excitement and thus why many critics would have scored the film so highly, I assume.
Indeed... To make a passive medium like film, and actively engaging one for the audience is GENIUS FILM MAKING.
Completely agree
Jevanni Ellis I agree with u, plot was a mistake, story yes^^
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Mark ;)
D4Darious thanx:) Love all ur videoes, so keep them up! I have learned so much :) Just had to share my opinion on this one :P
I disagree. It's all about the sub-text, which is right there. "Who killed the world?" Politics, which is represented by Immortan Joe. Business which is represented by that nose ring guy. And the justice system which is represented by that bullet farmer. Go back and you'll see.
Yes, George Miller didn't give is much, but he gave us enough to spark our imagination. Just like George Lucas did when he made Ben Kenobi mention the Clone Wars in A New Hope.
In Mad Max you're thrown into this conflict, you're taken along for the ride, you don't learn much but you learn enough for you to use your imagination to create your own thoughts on how Immortan Joe came to power, what happened to the green place, where Max is coming from and where he is going. The classic how, what and where. So imo it is actually good story telling, cause it creates a world for you imagination to live in along with everyone else who watched the movie. Which can spark fun discussions about the Mad Max universe :)
Thanks for commenting on this Bobby :)
No, thank you for making great videos! Been watching for like a year or so now, and I'm very entertained and I learn a lot from watching your videos on filmmaking :)
What you explain is all kind of external and pretty irrelevant. The lack of an internal story arc for the characters in the film isn't something that we have to fill in. It's either there or it isn't. And, well, it isn't. And that's why Mad Max is generic action only fodder.
You can write a thousand page theory about the lore existing off stage for this world. It still means nothing to what the actual plot Miller crapped out. You compare it to Lucas? A New Hope actually had a fully fledged hero's journey plot to it.
Wait, what? Wow, I'm not even sure if you are serious or not. Are you just trolling? Look, first of all you took my Lucas comment totally out of context. I spesifically pointed out the scene when Ben Kenobi mentioned the Clone Wars for a reason. Was that scene a weak scene in A New hope? No, it made the world of Star Wars bigger and more interesting. George Miller did the same in almost every scene in Fury Road. If you look closely you can see text, character details and hear quick dialog which is all connected to the bigger picture which is the world of Mad Max. Not all movies are made using the same formula, and thank God for that. George Miller took a risk when he made Fury Road, and a lot of ppl enjoyed it, so I do believe it all worked out in the end even though you can't see that :)
They are not made using the same formula, but they adhere to the conventions of long form storytelling, which has existed since the dawn of time. Mad Max is not some absurdist mini plot, it is a commercial story, so it is abiding by those conventions, and somewhat flailing and failing in the process.
I'm not sure what you were getting at with Lucas, but either way, my point still stands. Lore which is left to audience imagination still does not a plot make. I'm sorry I misunderstood you, but that doesn't change anything about your initial point. No need to get huffy.
Can you do an analyse video on Pulp Fiction?
YES, I WISH I COULD THUMBS UP THIS BUT I'M ON MOBILE.
No problem. I thumbed it up for you ;)
+KevinTheDane
Someone thumb it for me!
Um, there is a plot. Find the green land. Escape the chasing horde. The first part is an escape, turning into a chase and the second half is a race, turning into redemption for Furiosa (which is clearly stated), and there is even a McGuffen (the wives) and Max finding his voice and humanity again, the metaphor of the cage literally around his mouth, the gag during his tattoo session, during the first quarter of the film his mouth is covered: beard, gag, cage. This film has amazing depth told mainly through the actors performances and don't forget the soundtrack, WOW! You forgot to mention the soundtrack. I think you missed a great deal in this analysis. It is most definitely more than just a technical achievement.
But I guess time will only tell. 2001:A Space Odyssey is considered to be a masterpiece of cinema today but was considered a total unintelligible piece of garbage, even by the likes of Woody Allen, on its release.
Also, as an addendum, why not inform your audience that George Miller was responsible for Mad Max, Mad Max II (Road Warrior), Mad Max: Beyond Thunder Dome, Witches of Eastwick, and some other outstanding cinematic works. I got the feeling (intended or not) you were undermining George Millers talent ( like a straw man argument) before you started to breakdown the film.
I like your channel, and frankly compared to the current state of mine, it's in a master class of its own, but on this analysis of Mad Max: Fury Road, I humbly disagree.
I didn't say there wasn't a plot, just that there isn't much of one. It's a very simple plot. The purpose of the video was to breakdown the story structure of the film which is why I didn't get into the soundtrack etc. It's not a full blown analysis of the entire film, just the story and structure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Brutha ;)
Thank you. Yes, I understand you did mention simple plot, and I do like what you do, so keep up the good work. Keep making movies
I could say only one thing, the movie transported me into post-apocalypse where the rules are different. Where you don't have any time to waste explaining things like in the "old-days", so it's all about driving, fighting and explosions. The movie tells it's story trough visuals as we're not explained why do they feel like they feel, they just do.
When I was a movie extra I worked with George Miller on Twilight Zone, The Movie with the airplane wing sequence. He seemed nice enough. It was fun to watch him standing on the wing as he discussed a scene with the monster.
That must have been pretty cool!
It is *that* good
And the character development worked perfectly fine
You will find the movie has lot of depth if you are willing to read into the subtext in terms of what the characters and events are representing, not just what they are. It's not just a great action movie. The action is just icing on the cake.
Please can you analyze The Dark Knight??
I plan to ;)
I think there is a significant character arc when they decide to cultivate the place they are at - instead of running away, Max is the catalyst for this change in perspective as he is the first to make the realization that they have no future if they keep running away. It's a simple but intelligent development - they literally change 180 degree direction - which is the reason Mad Max becomes more than a long car chase, it's symbolic and fits the theme.
Thanks for sharing your opinion pkingo!
Completely agreed. Not much of a narrative but DAMN the world building, the props, the cars, the costumes, the stunts... It's all so damn good.
He definitely built an amazing world!
I think you're overlooking the important thematic weight of the film in considering how great it really is. not saying you're opinion is wrong, just you're missing a piece of the puzzle
Talking about Nux, he actually doesn't fully change from being "brainwashed"; he just turns to helping Max and the gang. His final words were "Witness me" indicating he still believes in the tales of Valhalla, even if he does not follow Immortan Joe.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts KTA ;)
Great Video! Concerning the rotten tomatoes score:
As a movie in general, the score ist a little too high of course, but as an action movie? I think the score is pretty accurate if you score it as that.
I agree with this :)
Nah the story is as simple as it gets. That's what makes it a classic. It's an Oydessy of sorts. Apocalypse Now doesn't have much a plot either: it's really about one soldier going deep up river through nam to kill another soldier and eventually does so and that's pretty much the core plot of that film but that's not what makes it great - it's about all the insanely bizarre shit they see along the way that makes it such a great experience.
Max himself is kinda like the hero in an rpg fantasy game he wanders into a new town and gets caught up in the local side quest to help out
I loved the sound design best in this film. I agree with you on the topic of the plot being hardly existent through the whole 2 hours. The visuals were nice but the sound is what made everything work.
Mad Max Fury Road was one of those movies that didn't have much of a plot or character development and covered those inadequacies with overdone spectacle and stunning visuals. Basically it counted on it's aesthetics to make up for the weak story, and judging by the immense critical acclaim, (Critics had stopped trying at this point.) it worked. I've been over this movie 5 times, and I still can't discern any more than a very rudimentary plot and minimal character development. I really can't see what was so great about this movie. As far as whatever "Political" points? Or subtle real-world messages? If those were in it, they were very convoluted and buried beneath layers of uninspired dialogue. There are other movies that do that better. Plus, was it just my TV or did the characters talk way too softly? I had to use my subtitles to know what they were saying! I also should clarify that I only watched the movie 5 times to see if I could really find what the critics found so great about it. Like I said, the visuals and effects were amazing, but that's pretty much it.
The understimate value of this film is that the context is so rich and well though that it plays the role of the story. Yes it's very straight forward on plot side, but it leaves space for the all-around scenery and details. Everytime I watch it now, I feel myself 100% in the action because it's surrounded by context that tells me more about this world without explaining it to me.
Maybe it's my european sensibility, I don't know.
First view I really like it with the feeling of "something missing maybe the plot". Then ths 2, 3 an next views, I love this movie more and more. But I totally understand why many people are not totally convinced. George Miller is a very fine film maker, much subtle than many others in the anglo-saxon world.
And finally, the absolute beauty of every shot add to the pleasure.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it Edwahard ;)
hello, i wanted to thank you for all rhe wonderful information. Im going to film school on the 27 of this month. I feel like i already learned alot just from you. I learned how to write a good short story. working on it now. Again thank you.
Good luck DEDE. You'll do great!
I think it was rated so well because it knew exactly what kind of movie it wanted to be, and it was excellent at it
Like some of the other youtubers I agree that there is a plot, its just not complex. Furiosa drove across the desert searching and fighting for what she wanted and Max helped her to realize what she wanted was already there in front of her the whole time. She just had to believe in herself, go back, and take it from her oppressor. There's the plot. Simple, but its a plot that fits for a savage setting like this. As far as arcs for the main characters, yes the focus was more so on Furiosa, she went from minion on the run to the leader of that faction. Max is just Max. I agree with Darious about Max learning to trust someone to get to his goal. His goal is always to walk away though. That's every movie except the original. Lol
Thanks for watching and commenting Ahksquiat!
Good review. I also loved the visuals and plot was nothing too exciting but which action movie has a great plot these days? What I like about fury road is that it is an all around different spin on an action movie and I hope it sets a precedent for the dull action movie scene. Not much of a fan of action movies but this one I liked.
Mad Max: Fury Road was one fantastic movie to watch. Sure, not much plot, but this movie relied on its extraordinary cinematography and phenomenal visuals. There is no other action movie I know that is this detailed, has such a beautiful and scary setting and is shot in an indescribable way. Take The Revenant for example: Also not much plot, but phenomenal visuals.
Thanks for sharing your opinion Joker ;)
So Darious, they may sound weird but how do you stay in shape as a filmmaker. For some reason, when I do filmmaking I gain a lot of weight because I eat a lit food to kinda keep my ideas going. When I see most filmmakers we are usually overweight or like super scrawny. So like how do you balance that?
this video has the best comment section. you guys are all so insightful!
There is an incredible amount of world building, subtext, and symbolism in the movie.
A lot of the crazy things you think are just there as a spectacle make sense within that society and help build the world. Like the way Immortan Joe wastes tons of gas with his fleet of vehicles and creates this huge unnecessary ceremony to give water to the wretches. It seems pointless and stupid for them to waste so much precious resource when they're living in a wasteland where everything is so scarce, doesn't it? But you see throughout the movie how Immortan Joe has built this religion around himself and he wants everyone to think that he's a god. So everything he does is to maintain the illusion that he is all powerful. He has this molded armor to make him look strong even though he's got tumors all over his body. He hides his respirator in a menacing mask. He's wasting gas and water to make people think that he's so powerful that all these resources other people are willing to kill for mean nothing to him. That's what tyrants have always done through history. They have huge displays of hedonism and build monuments to themselves as a sign of power even when their people are starving. That's exactly what dictatorial states in the modern day world like North Korea are doing.
And there's so much subtext and symbolism to even list them all. But here's one of the most obvious ones, notice how Immortan Joe has recruited all these young people to fight and die for him so that he can maintain his old corrupt empire. And in the second half of the movie, the Vuvalini show up and they're mostly older people. When they go back to the Citadel, the Vuvalini are fighting and dying for the wives so that they can have a chance to start a new society.
Mad Max could be like a force of nature, a tornado that's barely controllable. He "is".
I'm not generally a fan of action movies. But loved T2 and loved this. The mythology and religion mixed with futuristic apocolyptic mechanic vehicle stuff was amazing. My fave film of its year. The only film I've seen twice in the last 3 years and my other recent faves are very different luke Caprain Phillips ans even Florence Foster Jenkins! love ur vids. keep on breakin 'em down!
It's a trial story, the characters reacts to the situations they get into. I would disagree with you about not having a plot, it is clear that she wants to free the women but with Max's help she frees the whole tribe, and even thought the main character would appear to be furiosa it actually is Max, he makes the major decisions that move the story along. I also think that the two characters compliment each other making one hero (she is the muscle and he is the brains)
Thanks for commenting Mr. Gabe ;)
Why do you keep cutting to just change positions on screen?
This video needed a time stamp so we know exactly when the beats appear!
re: Nux's conversion seeming hurried, it's worth noting Nux is not only on a ticking clock due to the large tumors he shows, but he also voices his wish to die in the chase early in the film. He fails to carry out Joe's request to kill Furiousa, so he's aware Joe and his followers will not spare him should he try to go back to them; this bridges him from his brainwashed state to his redeemed state, as he finds his old way impossible to follow. He's thus left with the chance to fulfill his sacrificial/suicidal desires for a new cause he believes in. Quick, but not rushed imo
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it Neil ;)
Love the vids man! Your banter is what makes you stand out above all the super serious and 'doom and gloom' tone similar channels have regarding the film industry. I'm doing a combo degree of Business Studies and Film at uni, hoping to become a producer :)
Thank you for the kind words nintendoKings. Good luck on your pursuits. If you learn all you can and stay sharp, you'll do just fine ;)
Furiosaaaahh!
Could not agree more.. saw the Rotten Tomatoes score and thought I was the only one who felt this way. Pretty to look at.. cool visuals.. but it's really just one long run-on sentence. That gets exhasting quickly
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tmbbcck!
Great Analysis! What do you think of the fan theory that it isn't Max and that its the little kid from "beyond thunderdome"?
I'm not sure I believe in that theory. I've heard of it though.
At 2:28 he lifts a Supercharger not an Engine
I understand that the movie doesn't have much of a plot, but I saw it more as one story in the life and adventures of Mad Max, almost odysseus-esque. So it didn't bother me as much as it would have if the technical filmmaking wasn't inspired and the acting wasn't on point or the aesthetic of the idea was lackluster. If the movie failed on any of those points, I would be insulted by the lack of plot or character.
Thanks for commenting Nicholas!
Rotten Tomatoes scores don't mean a movie was good. They just show the percentage of critics it appeals to. That's why this also has a better score than 2001 A Space Odyssey. I don't know many people that wouldn't like Mad Max Fury Road, but I can think of plenty who wouldn't like 2001, despite my opinion as well as many others that it's a masterpiece.
I loved it because it was purely mental!
Most accurate revue I have seen. Nice Bra....
Totally agree with your conclusion on the movie rating!
Thanks for commenting Addymx.
Hmm, I should have waiting to watch this till I had actually watched the film. This is definitely a very unique view on the film from what I've heard and I may end up disagreeing with your final statement considering that I'm more visually driven then auditorily/story wise. I'll have to see what my final impressions are and see where I really lie. I'll comment in a later film about my feelings in the end. Anyways, still love seeing your insights.
Thanks for getting in on this one Teanucm. It's hard to break it down without dropping spoilers so I hope I didn't ruin things for you ;)
What i think is ,the speciality of Mad max lies in the directing style of George Miller.Each and every shot is so beautifully crafted that they serve their purposes very well(meaning showing what they want to show) and so beautifully edited by Margaret Sixel that they keep their audience on the edge of their seats(meaning giving extra boost of energy to some scenes and leaving some scenes totally normal).
also its way better than average action movies like those of Michael Bay because George Miller knows when and how to give emphasis(or extra energy boost) on certain sections of films .
Thanks for commenting Pradyumna!
Loved the movie, and the breakdown! Grading is beautiful!
Thank you Tech ;)
this movie is in the top 10 action movies of all time..
Been waiting for this one! 😄
You got first comment #Booya!
This movie was more like a 2 hour music video. A very GOOD music video, but still a music video.
SPOT ON...
DJ!! Good to hear from you Brutha!
The funny thing is, the movie didnt even had a screenplay. Only storyboard. But its okay. The Mad Max movie in the movie industry is like Doom in the game industry. You don't play/watch it for the story. You play/watch it for the action.
It did have a screenplay tho
When i watched it, i thought it was pretty good but not as good as everyone says. When i watched spotlight, the best picture winner, i would say fury road is much better movie and deserves to get best picture for the directorial awesomeness
Thanks for commenting RD!
that was a great breakdown, fella. Liked, subscibed, commented.
Hi Darious,
I was wondering this to (which light you use, the ring won) I remember you chatted about it in an earlier film I had a quick search, but I can't remember which one? Cheers Kirk
I use the Diva Supernova ring light ;)
Hey man!can you do a story structure analysis on donnie darko? it's one of my fav movies of all time, cheers from the Philippines
I thought the midpoint climax was when that wife died, surely?
What no one understands that there is no need for a plot as the world of Mad Max and his character was explained in previous movies.
Hello D4Darius! I was wondering if you plan on doing any more short film reviews
I don't plan to for awhile. I've got some other things in the works ;)
D4Darious Thank you and I can't wait.
Dang that cool.
Wait how does Mad Max have no plot/narrative? The whole movie was a series of cause and effects, and pretty much every character went through a transformation by the end... :/
I didn't say that it no plot. It has a plot, just not much of one. The movie works though. Nothing wrong with it.
+D4Darious That you did.. 😊 And thank you for making these videos, I feel like I'm actually learning something.. 😀
To be honest, I can´t agree with you on this one. In my opinion there´s much more plot development in the movie as it seems on the surface. That´s actually what I love about it. Fury Road is mainstream enough to be a blockbuster but also smart enough to be considered a serious movie. But anyways, nice analysis!
Thanks for commenting KiwiFilm ;)
videos are gettin better!
Thank you Mehmet!
I used that for a project man
Hi Darius, what brand/model of ring light do you use for your videos? Thanks in advance!
It's a Diva SuperNova ring light.
It's crazy, because i watched this film last week and at the end i wondered "how would Darius break this film?" . Thanks a lot ! Karim from Algeria.
Perfect timing lol.
Will you be able to do a MBD on "The Danish Girl"
Hmmm. We'll see. Thanks for the suggestion Nellatino.
+D4Darious
cool, thanks ☺
What is this movie about?
gonna steer this baby to the left a little - so what editor do you use?
I use Adobe Premiere ;)
love this this is extermly helpful to me someone who like me is only in my first month of film school
What up with the BCs?
I hate character arcs. Yeah they could be nice I guess but there's too many people saying a story needs one. Clarice Starling didn't have one.
Man I love your videos
Please do INCEPTION!!!!
Wait wat? He gave her his blood directly????
Sounds more like summary than analysis.
nice work as always bruh
Thank you Nazir ;)
"She's the one who drives the plot" was that a fucking pun lol
I didn't even realize that hahaha. I should have capitalized on that one.
darious how did you make ur background??????
It's a collage of magazine clippings taped together and pined to my wall ;)
Sure, the film barely has a plot but if you look at it in an "objective" way you realize that the film is border-line perfect.... Plus this mother was made without a script...
I think this film has an almost perfect score because it is almost perfect.... It kind of can't be over rated, since this film succeeds 10\10 at it's own objective....
In other words Fury Toad (hahaha the cellphone auto corrected me xD) can't be fucked with... It's like the meanest thug in the cinema hood.....
"Fury Toad..." xD, make it happen xD
Good to hear from you Luka!
I finally don't feel alone on my opinion in this movie, D. All of my friends into film basically cherish this movie and while I respect it, it's kinda just "meh" to me.
Thanks for commenting John!
Best film of 2015
i think the film's more successful because of its lack of plot. Its 'lost the plot' because its 'mad'. its lack of plot reflects the post apocalyptic world's emptiness and their pointless journey mirrors the futility in continuing lifes 'journey' in that world. The film is mad max's story not furiosa's because the film is effectively a macrocosm of max's mind - and its his narrative, hence why we aren't shown the inciting incident.
my view might be tainted from watching the other mad max's religiously when i was younger though, maybe i read into them too much.
Thanks for dropping your comment Toby ;)
Just saying but it’s n-uh-x not n-oo-x
wouldn't say donor, that makes it sound voluntary
lol good point.
Mad Max Fury Road it's one of the best chase films of all time. I think people say that has no plot, but the truth it's that don't have a SUBPLOT. Mad Max Fury Road has no mistery subplot like The Fugitive. Or politics/mistery plots like Bourne.
Its almost just a chase film.
A redemption story and also a vengeance/revenge story. But only some elements. A revenge movie has conventions of it's own.
I really don't like that type of breadown. It gives no insight about how to write a movie. And i think you make it so simple. And it's not simple.
To create a chase film like that you need to create cool chase scenes and suspense scenes to be effective. When you say that there is no plot, i think that's just crazy.
Try to write chase scene after chase scene without copy yourself in the process.
What makes Mad Max great:
- The details inside every chase scene and how character response eachother with brain;
- Set-up and Payoffs (Miller loves to create set-up and pay-off's with dialogue and hand movement... "Witness me" line or the hand movement of the green village people). Also have the knife inside the change gear of the truck of Furiosa.
- The suspense scenes: in chase films like The Fugitive and Bourne, the hero has time to breath and go inside a location. In Mad Max Fury Road, Miller need suspense scenes so he started to make stops (like pit-stops in a Formula 1 race).
Those stops are conventions of the chase film. In a chase, like Friday 13th or any chase, the character in some point need to feel trap. So those stops do that.
Thanks for commenting Roberto!
Best Fury road review ever...and it's not even a review lol
Thank you Tiago lol.
the one thing that threw me off about this film was the guitar guy on the truck..overall the film is visually awesome. B movie that cost alot of money lol
Thanks for commenting Big Will ;)
Great video. You perfectly summed up why I hate this movie.
One more point. While the chase scenes are a good technical achievement, it didn't really have any impact because there was no pacing.
Take Nightcrawler or Death Note for example. Their chase scenes feel AWESOME because they build and build up to it with other kinds of scenes. Mad Max starts with a chase and every scene is a chase. It gets old really fast.
Thanks for dropping in on this CZ!!
Saying Furiosa like James Hetfield haha
Furioosssaaaaaa! ;p
Furiossssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... ama name my future daughter that, just so i can say furiosssssssssaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Hi Darious,
I know this has nothing to do with this particular video, but it's your latest one.
Could you maybe talk about self-esteem and confidence when it comes to your films? Do you struggle with that? Like for example, you see your film and you are sure it's the most horrible film ever created. You see plot holes and continuity issues where they hardly matter, you feel the music isn't intense or calm enough, the actors aren't acting well, the cinematography could have been better, but then you show it to others and they say it's great and you don't see it. Do you ever experience this? Do you have tips to deal with that little voice in the back of your head that wants to tear the film-maker in you down? If so, please tell us :)
Thanks!
Maybe this is kinda covered in your "How to Stay Motivated" video
Thanks for the suggestion Hazy ;)
6best action movie ever! But would have to agree with you. When I saw it, I was still a little disappointed at the plot development. I think a movie can be visually great and also have a good plot. (Not saying plot is bad, just plot development, Still love the movie. DONT BE MAD)
Thanks for commenting Griff ;)
:)
I am actually gonna be making my first film soon with some friends, any tips you might be able to give?
Furiosa kicked ass!
She did ;p
Are you 5 years old?
Fury Road has 5 acts.
FurIO-SAH!!
I'm making that T-shirt
I disagree, writing about the film now, Max was a def a 3d character lol His motivations shift drastically.
Analyse X Men Days Of Future Past plz.
I'll have to see if I can get to that one.
+D4Darious thanks for the reply.
FURIOSAAAA!!!
Great job. Since this movie was so plotless, can you do a breakdown of "Road Warrior"? I know it's an oldie now, but it was the heart of an exciting franchise. Thanks.
I haven't seen it in awhile. I'll have to take another look at it ;)