Mad Max: Fury Road Black & Chrome Edition Blu-ray Review
Surely you’ve heard of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD by now. It was the little movie that could, proving once again that summer blockbusters can be smart and that old-fashioned stunts and explosions are more enthralling than a CGI orgy on screen. It also was a serious contender at the Oscars for best movie of the year, rightfully losing to SPOTLIGHT, but not before sweeping plenty of technical categories and giving Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu a good scare. For those who’ve seen it, you can now salivate over the “Black & Chrome” edition.
For those who may be jumping in for the first time, I’ll try and summarize it for you. Imperator Furiosa (Theron) makes a daring escape with Immortan Joe’s (Hugh Keays-Byrne) five wives. Joe sends his army of War Boys after Furiosa through the sprawling post-Apocalyptic deserts of Australia. So how does Mad Max (Hardy) fit into this? He’s a Trojan horse for the story, appearing in what is surely a bigger story’s third act. He’s used as a blood bag for one of the War Boys as Immortan Joe pursues Furiosa across the desolate, futuristic wasteland.
I absolutely loved this movie when it came out. I had grown up watching previous MAD MAX movies on TV as a kid late at night with my dad. But that’s when Mel Gibson was still an unknown and still a secret bigot. The 21st century Mad Max is the same man with a different face. He’s stoic, thoughtful, untrusting and courageous. Watching Hardy’s performance wasn’t the most captivating part of FURY ROAD though, it was the heart-pumping action and visual storytelling.
So how do I feel about a black and white depiction of that movie that blew me away on the big screen over a year ago? I’m slightly torn. An introduction to this movie talks about Miller wanting to make a MAD MAX movie in black and white for three decades. The idea originated while he worked on THE ROAD WARRIOR (the second in the MAD MAX series). So thanks to digital technology, and a ravenous fanboy interest, he was able to make that dream a reality.
I missed out on the opportunity to see the “Black & Chrome” edition at the theaters, which may have helped my viewing experience. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is a movie that needs a wall sized screen to fully appreciate. The rich world that Miller paints is wonderful and doesn’t come alive on my 42’ TV. But with my eyes glued to the screen, I understood Miller’s fascination with a black and white movie. It’s not a simple color swap in this regard because the simplifying of colors adds more meaning. The world feels more bleak, bitter, and hopeless. The glimmers of optimism in Furiosa’s eyes as she flees the confines of the Citadel feel even more dangerous.
There are a couple of scenes, especially the ones at night, where the screen almost becomes monochromatic, giving us the impression that we’re trapped inside an Apocalyptic fever dream or hellish desert nightmare. My problem with the black and white comes to the moments where we’re supposed to be seeing a clash of vivid bright colors with blackened, pale creatures populating the scenery. While the black and white makes the War Boys appear more ghoulish and menacing, it feels more unearthly watching these gaunt, pasty men speed along the sun washed dunes with rage and hate in their eyes.
As for the picture quality, it’s hard to tell if the color conversion took a little bit away from the blu-ray’s clarity. It’s also possible the moments that are grungy and gritty are intentional. The black and white static almost delivers a more unique viewing experience, as some kind of NOSFERATU horror or documentary of humanity’s reckoning. But the moments where the camera is steady and the picture if focused on a clear object, the blu-ray quality shines through, shiny and chrome.
This version is a must for fans of the movie, but for others, it feels more gimmicky. My research reveals that this is the fourth release of MAD MAX: FURY ROAD on some blu-ray format. It begs the question if this is genuine or a simple cash grab for a movie that didn’t quite light it up at the box office. Regardless, I’m glad I watched Miller’s unique black and white vision of a visually stunning movie that will surely be watched and studied long after he’s gone and long after I’m gone.
BLU RAY REVIEW
Video: (1080p HD Widescreen 2:39:1) Because I went in-depth on the look of this movie, I feel like you understand the presentation.
Audio: (English TrueHD 7.1) Just like the video, the guitar screeching soundtrack and tribal drumming of the War Boys blends seamlessly with the explosions, gunfire, and breathy screams of anguish.
Maximum Fury: Filming Fury Road (28:38): This is a wonderful look at the practical effects, chase scenes, set-ups, stunt coordination, and everything else you’d want to know about the crew’s attempt at fulfilling Miller’s vision. The only problem is that it’s not long enough.
Mad Max: Fury on Four Wheels (22:37): Nothing is overlooked on this set, including the vehicles. It’s interesting listening to the meaning and construction behind each vehicle.
The Road Warriors: Max and Furiosa (11:18): Despite rumors of on-set frustrations between the two, Hardy and Theron are mild here, praising each other for their work as well as complementing Miller.
The Tools of the Wasteland (14:26): Just like the vehicles everything else serves a purpose; From the sweeping landscapes and towering citadel to the steering wheels and contraptions we see on screen. This feature takes a look at those small touches that really helped make this film, near-perfect.
The Five Wives:So Shiny, So Chrome (11:11): This feature sits down with the five wives and talks with them about what it was like to dive into their silent characters and their reactions to the insanity happening around them.
Fury Road: Crash & Smash (4:02): This feature has pre-production test footage that gives you a raw look at what the movie is like without being touched up or having any added CGI. Even without the magic of computers, it’s amazing to see what they’ve done.
Deletes Scenes (0:32): One deleted scene that adds nothing except a grotesque look at Immortan Joe’s rule.