Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress the Citadel. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa leads the despot’s five wives in a daring escape, she forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky, a loner and former captive. Fortified in the massive, armored truck the War Rig, they try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the Wasteland. A film by George Miller, starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton, and Hugh Keays-Byrne.

In the late 2040s, after the world fell into chaos due to a series of catastrophic events. The collapse of society was triggered by a bloody war over fuel and other essential resources. Leading to the breakdown of organized society and the rise of scavengers, criminals, and gangs asserting violent rule over others. Australia has become a desert due to a combination of environmental destruction, resource wars, and the exploitation of vital resources. This has resulted in a harsh and unforgiving landscape where survival is a constant struggle.

Environmental degradation and desertification are a result of the intense exploitation of resources, conflicts over essential supplies, and the hoarding of resources by powerful figures. The scarcity of water, ruthlessly controlled by those in power, has contributed to the transformation of Australia into a barren wasteland. Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), the ruthless ruler of the Citadel and the surrounding wasteland, maintains his power by controlling the sole aquifer in the region and distributing water to his followers. He wears a distinctive costume, including a clear plastic carapace armor over his chest and a breathing apparatus to hide his diseased body.

The War Boys are the paramilitary arm of The Citadel, serving as Immortan Joe’s servants and soldiers. They are a group of young men who have been indoctrinated into a cult-like worship of Immortan Joe, seeing him as their god, and believing that dying in combat is the only way to reach Valhalla. The War Boys were handpicked at a young age and trained as zealots in the Cult of V8, worshipping engines and Immortan Joe. They are plagued by health issues, including cancer and blindness, due to exposure to radiation and other harsh environments during their upbringing as “War Pups.” Many War Boys refer to themselves as “half-lives” as they are terminally ill. The War Boys’ loyalty to Immortan Joe is absolute, and they will risk their lives to serve him in the hopes of reaching Valhalla.

Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a survivor haunted by memories of the people he failed to save, is captured by War Boys and taken to the Citadel. There, Max is tattooed on his back, indicating his descriptions, including notably his multiple scars, his blood type O-Negative, and universal donor. Before they can brand him with the flaming steering wheel insignia on the back of his neck, Max manages to break free and attempts to flee, only to find himself cornered and captured again.

Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), Immortan Joe’s trusted lieutenant, is on a mission driving the War Rig to trade produce for oil and ammunition with Immortan Joe’s allies at Gas Town and Bullet Farm.

However, earlier Furiosa sneaked out five of Immortan Joe’s beautiful wives; Toast the Knowing (Zoë Kravitz), The Dag (Abbey Lee), Cheedo the Fragile (Courtney Eaton), The Splendid Angharad (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and Capable (Riley Keough), from the locked vault and hid them in the War Rig. Halfway through the road to Gas Town, Furiosa takes a sudden left turn heading east.

The War Rig driven by Imperator Furiosa is 78 feet long and fashioned after a blend of the Czechoslovakian Tatra T815 truck and 1940s Chevy Fleet Master. It has a 500 horsepower Tatra Factory Racing Engine and features two dummy superchargers protruding through the hood. Inside the cabin, there are 10 firearms within easy reach of the driver, including a Taurus PT99AF, Luger P08, Mauser C96, and CBC 410 shotgun. The War Rig carries a huge cylindrical fuel tank and fuel pod which also serve as a platform for the War Boys to attack and defend the vehicle, with turrets armed with harpoon guns and swing arms for navigation on the rear tanker.

One of Immortan Joe’s children, Corpus Colossus (Quentin Kenihan), checks on the convoy with his telescope and alerts his father that the convoy is gone off-road into hostile territory. Immortan Joe quickly realizes that something is wrong and rushes to check on his wives in the vault, only to find the vault empty with writings left on the floor that read “OUR BABIES WILL NOT BE WARLORDS.”

Corpus Colossus is the eldest son of Immortan Joe. He is physically deformed, described as having the body of a child but possessing an advanced intellect and intellectual comprehension. Corpus Colossus is depicted as arrogant and rude, believing himself to have power over others due to his status as one of Immortan Joe’s children.

Realizing that he has been betrayed, Immortan Joe raises his War Boys army and goes after the War Rigs to hunt down Furiosa. Learning that Immortan Joe has assembled his army to take back his wives, a War Boy named Nux is determined to join the mission even though he is currently weak, receiving a blood transfusion from his Blood Bag, Max. Nux devises a brilliant idea to strap Max to the lancer’s perch. This way, he can continue to receive blood transfusions while on the hunt.

Directed by Australian filmmaker George Miller from a screenplay he co-wrote with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris, MAD MAX: Fury Road is an instant masterpiece, a visual feast that will leave you breathless. The exhilarating chase through the desert is incredibly majestic.

Notable memorable scenes include the heart-stopping jumps across moving vehicles, incorporating the rocky mountain landscape and desert storm, which elevate the action to new heights.

MAD MAX: Fury Road is marvelously creative and daring, unlike anything we’ve seen before. It’s a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen you can find.

MAD MAX: Fury Road premiered at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on 7 May 2015. The film was theatrically release in Australia on 14 May, and in the United States on 15 May.