Hardy`s Aussie accent............

[scag66]

After the early reports that Hardy couldn't do an Aussie accent, was worried that an important element of the whole package might be compromised. Then the trailer came out and along with everything else, I`m digging it. Seems like an amalgam of Gibson, Crowe and Worthington. Love that Max is introduced with just a few words as well. Guess there`s lots of talk about the accent in other threads but trying to limit spoiler exposure at this early stage but would like to know what people think.

[Tyderium]

Hard to tell but from the line Hardy spoke at the start of the trailer I thought it actually sounded half decent. The Aussie accent when put on by a non-Australian actor usually gets pretty bastardized and comes off sounding either British Cockney or South African.

[leadcounsel]

Max is a less-than-vocal anti-hero. He has very few lines in all the films. Mel was a perfect fit for his character, from his first appearance on screen following the Night Rider crash - that young, concerned, brash man; to his looks of anguish when Jessie is run down; to his looks of apathy when driving at the end of MM1; to his 100% appropriate looks of concern, curiosity, anguish, and pain in MM2 and MM3... Mel simply nailed his part as Max through expression, not lines. The few he has, he also nails. But his facial and body language are simply perfect. But Max's most powerful scenes are non vocal. Remember when he's driving the rig and flashes that look toward Papagalo? Or his confidence when he draws his sawn off as Wez threatens from the hilltop. Or his apathy at the carcass falls from the semi-truck. Or his head nod before the final MM2 chase scene... Very powerful stuff. Hardy has big shoes to fill...

In a perfect world, Mel would have not done some of his stupid films like Bird on a Wire and done one or a few more Mad Max films. I'm puzzled why they didn't between 85-2001, particularly given the insane following the films have. Heck, I know when 9/11 kicked off it was difficult to do these films, but that doesn't jive because lots of other international films were made. Seems that Lord of the Rings was made around then and since then.

But I have an open mind regarding Hardy. Given Hardy has 16 lines in the film, the fewest of all the films, as long as he delivers on the facial and body language, his lines will be much less important - and he'll nail it as long as he doesn't totally suck. I was not really blown away by either Hardy's voice (I think his introduction line was really weak and not very creative or memorable), or his tiny screen time performance in the Fury Road trailer. Since he has so few lines, I hope they are all creative and memorable. Introducing himself as Max seems like a waste of 1/16th of his lines... lol.
But we'll see.

[Yok]

As an Australian who is pretty good at accents and differentiating accents by region, I think he sounded a little too English throughout the whole line.

The "My" starting the phrase sounded too cockney to my ear, same with "Fire". He nailed "Blood" though, the rest sort of sits between the two.

Just my ears though, they look into it.

[Bomber]

All these complaints about Hardy's accent. Try being from maine and watching a Stephen king movie or mini-series.

[TheDarkOne#1]

As an Australian who is pretty good at accents and differentiating accents by region, I think he sounded a little too English throughout the whole line.

The "My" starting the phrase sounded too cockney to my ear, same with "Fire". He nailed "Blood" though, the rest sort of sits between the two.

Just my ears though, they look into it.

I'm not even Australian and i also thought some of those words didn't sound right. Blame that on being a MM fan and watching too many Home & Away episodes when i was younger.

[scag66]

I was not really blown away by either Hardy's voice (I think his introduction line was really weak and not very creative or memorable), or his tiny screen time performance in the Fury Road trailer. Since he has so few lines, I hope they are all creative and memorable. Introducing himself as Max seems like a waste of 1/16th of his lines... lol.
But we'll see.

At this early stage I regard the Max dialog as strictly a vehicle for the trailer. I don't follow any test screening threads so could be wrong straight off the bat!

If you watch the trailer reactions that have been put on youtube from the under 20`s audience, over half of them preface their video`s with a disclaimer that they know nothing at all about Mad Max and most first questions are why is he pissed off? The icons of the past we so lovingly cling to mean nothing to the current generation of movie goers. Introducing himself as Max is movie making 101.

Also, we are all working off a flawed baseline to begin with, Mel played up the accent in all three movies, most on 2, his natural speaking accent is more far subdued than the one he gave Max. "Baaaaaarrrrrrgin". Any "cockneyness" in Hardy`s take, though I don't really hear it is fine by me. A quick look at our history will show that the origins of our accent came from the heart of that community.

[ajs]

I didn't like the forced deep voiced "my name is Max" in the Fury Road trailer. Max didn't talk like that, he didn't need to talk in a threatening tone.

[leadcounsel]

Perhaps, just perhaps, have Mel dub over Hardy! Now that would be awesome!

[roadwarriormfp]

As an Australian who is pretty good at accents and differentiating accents by region, I think he sounded a little too English throughout the whole line.

The "My" starting the phrase sounded too cockney to my ear, same with "Fire". He nailed "Blood" though, the rest sort of sits between the two.

Just my ears though, they look into it.

Correct.... the monologue at the beginning wasn't Aussie at all