Fury Road Screening Discussion (WARNING! HEAVY SPOILERS!)

[Taipan]

I finally got to see the movie. A week after everyone else, but I feel obliged to write something about it so here goes:

First things first:
Interesting thing happened - I went in for free! The terminal broke as I was paying for my ticket and they couldn't figure out if the money went through, so they gave me a ticket anyway Later at home I checked and they didn't charge me for it, so how's that for a good start.

As for the movie: So much stuff to take in I walked out of the movie speechless, a few grunts short of behaving like Max himself with his blank stare and flashbacks (but good ones instead). It felt like we've scratched the surface of something so vast and fully formed that it might take at least 2 more viewings to fully immerse in that world and start to understand it. Because this one takes no prisoners, it throws you right in, figure everything out for yourself and me - being anal retentive about every single word uttered on the screen - it blew my mind.
A couple of things I didn't like that have most definitely been mentioned: Max is different this time around and I'm not entirely digging that, but I understand why he'd be different. It doesn't mean the character is bad. If I were to list the things I'd change about him, starting from his animal like behavior to flashbacks we'd probably end up with Mel's Max and I don't think that's how it should be. This movie comes with this Max and we gotta deal with it. Furiosa steals the show anyway. The sped up shots and some editing choices were a bit weird to me but I got used to them, or maybe there was less of them later in the movie - can't tell. What do I like about it? The world they've introduced, can't wait to dive into it with comic books, the game and hopefully some prequels. And I think that's the most important thing about this movie - the world we get to see, Max is just there to show it to us.
I'll have to watch this movie a few more times to give a fully formed opinion, for now - I gotta catch up with you all because I've been avoiding most topics in this forum and now they're all lit up red.

[johnentwistlespout]

I finally got to see the movie. A week after everyone else, but I feel obliged to write something about it so here goes:

First things first:
Interesting thing happened - I went in for free! The terminal broke as I was paying for my ticket and they couldn't figure out if the money went through, so they gave me a ticket anyway Later at home I checked and they didn't charge me for it, so how's that for a good start.

As for the movie: So much stuff to take in I walked out of the movie speechless, a few grunts short of behaving like Max himself with his blank stare and flashbacks (but good ones instead). It felt like we've scratched the surface of something so vast and fully formed that it might take at least 2 more viewings to fully immerse in that world and start to understand it. Because this one takes no prisoners, it throws you right in, figure everything out for yourself and me - being anal retentive about every single word uttered on the screen - it blew my mind.
A couple of things I didn't like that have most definitely been mentioned: Max is different this time around and I'm not entirely digging that, but I understand why he'd be different. It doesn't mean the character is bad. If I were to list the things I'd change about him, starting from his animal like behavior to flashbacks we'd probably end up with Mel's Max and I don't think that's how it should be. This movie comes with this Max and we gotta deal with it. Furiosa steals the show anyway. The sped up shots and some editing choices were a bit weird to me but I got used to them, or maybe there was less of them later in the movie - can't tell. What do I like about it? The world they've introduced, can't wait to dive into it with comic books, the game and hopefully some prequels. And I think that's the most important thing about this movie - the world we get to see, Max is just there to show it to us.
I'll have to watch this movie a few more times to give a fully formed opinion, for now - I gotta catch up with you all because I've been avoiding most topics in this forum and now they're all lit up red.

For me the second viewing was far better. I watched it as a film rather than in a disbelieving daze. I also realised how funny it was. Third viewing changed still further with the film seeming to breathe far more, it seemed far less rushed. I was also able to realise what I didn't like about it; the overuse of the score. I really missed the raw orchestra of the engines alone...something that drove the editing of the first two films. I will watch it one more time in a week or so, and then wait until it's available to buy. It's a monumental piece of cinema for all its flaws.

[danielreal2k]

Second viewing today, took my family this time.

My dad said he saw the original at the cinema which I had not known, but anyway.. second viewing.

1) The emotional content of the film came forward more with the second viewing, the Furiosa/Sand dune moment was more heart wrenching.

2) More mechanical detail was apparent with the second viewing< little details that will take afew more watches to discover< miller really did add a lot in that is impossible to all take in with only one watch. This film is like a very fine swiss watch - you can look at it for years and years, and still discover minor workings of a masterpiece in motion.

The PTSD saved Maxs life which i did not notice the first viewing, I was a bit shocked "oh his hand in face from the little girl scare, saved the arrow going in his head" smart.

[Nightwalker]

The PTSD saved Maxs life which i did not notice the first viewing, I was a bit shocked "oh his hand in face from the little girl scare, saved the arrow going in his head" smart.

The arrow still went in his head. Only not deep enough to do significant damage or kill him. You can see him running for a short while with his hand 'attached' to his forehead before he breaks it with the tip still in his forehead. The arrow he removes later in the Merc of the people eater by slamming his hand on the side of the door to force the arrow out to its end and pull it out after that.

[blackmocco]

Dirty Webcam reviewed the movie. Interesting that she was at one of the rough cuts I was at and shared the same concerns I had after it and ALSO how much better the movie is after. Great stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWcl5-Z5qnQ

[Ol' Coyote]

The PTSD saved Maxs life which i did not notice the first viewing, I was a bit shocked "oh his hand in face from the little girl scare, saved the arrow going in his head" smart.

The arrow still went in his head. Only not deep enough to do significant damage or kill him. You can see him running for a short while with his hand 'attached' to his forehead before he breaks it with the tip still in his forehead. The arrow he removes later in the Merc of the people eater by slamming his hand on the side of the door to force the arrow out to its end and pull it out after that.

the tip of the arrow was still in his forehead, later it disappears though, idk why but that kinda bothers me.

[NuffTorque]

I have only seen the movie two days ago. I am afraid i am in the not very impressed group.
The stunts and action were certainly spectacular but not the rest of the movie. It just didnt seem to have much guts to any part of it. George said he had to have fast and lots of cuts to keep up with modern movie making and it think that is its downfall. The stunts were so quickly cut you didnt have time to absorb them for the "oh wow" factor. Thinking of the other movies, the camera poised on the scene for several seconds allowing you to feel what what was happening.

For all the work put into the vehicles, there was hardly any screen time to be able to appreciate them.

I found the speaking parts to be forced and emotionless.

Max was nervous, fidgity and not very confident. I prefer the Mel max as sullen and quiet rather than the flash backs. If i wanted ptsd, i would go see a vietnam movie.

I think they tried to fit too much into the timeframe for the movie and it suffered overall for it. I can understand how george wanted to make it longer, would have given more time to flesh out so parts of the movie.

There was no "oh wow" moment such as mad pulling the blower switch in this movie. I can remember walking out of the first and second movies with the memory of that switch scene. There was one very qick shot of furosia pulling the blower switch but it didnt have an impact on the movie.

I am convinced that george hates the interceptor, as he is contantly killing it off, as if he doesnt like the fans adoring the car as much as the characters or the story line.

I will go see it again as its been a long time between maxs as it is spectacular on the big screen.

Like some have said, its not a mad max movie (for me), it could have been called just fury road with the lead character called Simon or Geoff. As a separate movie, it would have been excellent

[RedHotRyder]

I think most fans of the movies agree the opening chase should have been a little longer. I would have liked to have seen Max at least take out one bad guy vehicle and do a little evasive driving before the crash.

As much as all of us would have loved to see Max get the Interceptor back at the end I don't think it would have worked in this movie. Unless they all jumped in the Interceptor instead of the Gigahorse. Wait... That's what should have happened, Max and the girls all get in the rebuilt Interceptor as Nux blocks the canyon. Damn. That would have been great.

[Ol' Coyote]

I think most fans of the movies agree the opening chase should have been a little longer. I would have liked to have seen Max at least take out one bad guy vehicle and do a little evasive driving before the crash.

As much as all of us would have loved to see Max get the Interceptor back at the end I don't think it would have worked in this movie. Unless they all jumped in the Interceptor instead of the Gigahorse. Wait... That's what should have happened, Max and the girls all get in the rebuilt Interceptor as Nux blocks the canyon. Damn. That would have been great.

Yeah, at least they could show what made the Interceptor iconic (taking down bad guys) and what is Max good at (combat driving) so newcomers could appreciate how iconic the car is.

Although i don't think they all would fit in the Interceptor.

[P-Tron]

Only problem, is that the Interceptor is toast. It go smashed between 2 trucks then blew up.
There wouldn't be much left to salvage.

I originally thought the opening chase should of been longer and shown Max doing a few moves to evade capture but then I though about it.

Everything leading up to the title screen was a little bit sped up, it was basically a quick/abbreviated sequence to show you where Max was when the real story started.
Its not that important to show all the details of his capture just that he was.