Film Review | Quality Part 2: Exploitation | Mad Max: Fury Road

Fig 1. Mad Max: Fury Road Poster 

For years and years people have created movies that have exploited something to make money. Exploitation cinema tends to exploit things like: Sex, Violence, Natural Disasters, Creatures and Monsters and Gore. Usually these films will be low-end B-movies and therefore have a certain stigma about them. It doesn't stop there though sometimes there are even sub-genres that get their names from the fact that the films are from a specific nation. These are called Ozploitation films. Ideally ozploitation films are just films that exploit things that are set in Australia. A perfect example of an ozploitation film would be Mad Max and the most modern Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) directed by George Miller.

Mad Max: Fury road is a high-octane, thrilling ride. Which when all exploitation films are deemed as poor set Mad Max: Fury Road apart from the rest. George Miller aimed to properly capture all of the shots in the film rather than use CGI. "Max’s re-enfranchisement is a triumph of barking-mad imagination, jaw-dropping action, crackpot humour, and acting in the face of a hurricane." (Nathan, 2015) 

It's hard not to notice all of the stunning and hard work gone into the creation of the reboot of Mad Max. It's wonderful, right down to the littlest details. The score, the music and the sound effects truly bring it to life. "Every single sound, no matter how subtle or simple — from the simplest little footstep sound to a humpback whale — is considered, composed [and] orchestrated to have an affect on the audience." (Kim, 2016). One thing that must also be mentioned is the fact that the pounding music also comes from the drummers on the car and most pleasingly from the guitar/flamethrower toting maniac that that blast lurching and domineering riffs to motivate Immortan (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his army of post-apocalyptic death vehicles.

Fig 2. The Coma-Doof Warrior

Forget about the blistering action and everything else that Mad Max: Fury Road offers and instead look further into the story and the roles of Max (Tom Hardy) , Furiosa (Charlize Theron). It's clear that the Feminism movement were pleased that it has evidently chosen Furiosa as a matriach for Feminism. Throughout the film we as an audience are able to tell that Max is obviously not the main character for this film. It is Furiosa.  "Furiosa is one of the toughest, most resilient action heroes in years, with a metal prosthetic arm that hints at past trauma and a steely gaze that sees more on the way". (Colin, 2015) It is her that is the driver of the rig and the one who is depicted as the controller of the whole group. 

Fig 3. Furisosa About to take aim

One of the most memorable scenes that prove this point is where they are trapped in the dark night whilst being pursued by The Bullet Farmer and others. One of the vehicles that is transcending upon the groups position is shining a piercing white light that it cutting throughout the darkness. Max attempts to put out the light by shooting it, he misses two shots. Furiosa takes over and hits the light first, bursting it and blinding The Bullet Farmer. Another quintessential part of feminism in this movie is when "There’s a scene in which the wives cut off iron chastity belts in a moment of liberation and disgust" (Valenti, 2015) 

Fig 4. Chastity belts have been removed by all

Overall i feel like this rendition of Mad Max is a brilliant way to bring back some original ozploitation to satisfy those people who love the Mad Max films. But at the same time it manages to spread itself to a wider and more diverse audience therefore in a way breaking loose of the stamp that is always applied to exploitation films.  

Quote Source List 

Nathan, I (2015) Mad Max:Fury Road review At: http://www.empireonline.com/movies/mad-max-fury-road/review/ Accessed on 11/01/2017

Kim, J (2016) 'Mad Max' sound designer Mark Mangini was inspired by 'Moby Dick' At: http://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2016/02/02/46162/mad-max-sound-designer-mark-mangini-was-inspired-b/ Accessed on 11/01/2017

Collin, R (2015) Mad Max: Fury Road review: 'a Krakatoan eruption of craziness' At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/mad-max-fury-road/review/ Accessed on: 11/01/2017

Valenti, J (2015) Sexists are scared of Mad Max because it is a call to dismantle patriarchies At: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/27/sexists-are-scared-of-mad-max-because-it-is-a-call-to-dismantle-patriarchies Accessed on: 11/01/2017

Image Source List 

Fig 1. Mad Max: Fury Road [Film Poster] At: http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/428175-madness-these-are-more-mad-max-fury-road-posters Accessed 11/01/2017

Fig 2. The Coma-Doof Warrior [Film Sequence] At: https://forums.ultra-combo.com/t/characters-you-wish-were-in-fgs-but-probably-never-will-be/3342 Accessed 11/01/2017

Fig 3. Furiosa taking aim [Film Screenshot] At: http://movieweb.com/mad-max-5-fury-road-sequel-charlize-theron-furiosa/ Accessed 11/01/2017

Fig 4. Chastity belts taken off by all [Film Sequence] At: https://www.buzzfeed.com/brente3/can-you-ace-this-very-difficult-mad-max-fury-roa-9xqk Accessed 11/01/2017