Critics’ reviews

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

22 reviews from 22 publications. Critics’ score 89: 16 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative.

Back to our review of Mad Max: Fury Road

89
Positive
16
Mixed
1
Negative
0
Radio Times
★★★★★
100

George Miller thunders the franchise back with a bone-rattling chase through the desert, placing Charlize Theron’s Furiosa in the driving seat alongside Tom Hardy’s Max. It singles out the breathtaking practical stunts, minimal CGI, and Theron’s formidable warrior performance for praise.

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Slant Magazine
12 May 2015 · ★★★★/4 · Eric Henderson
100

The critic describes the film as a bugged-out hot mess-terpiece that punishes viewers with pleasure through its rubber-burning pandemonium and visual saturation while noting its elemental plot and muscular action.

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Time Out
11 May 2015 · ★★★★★ · David Ehrlich
100

This reboot is every bit as wild, weird and mad as hoped, delivering exhilarating sustained action that feels raw and real in an age of weightless spectacles. It singles out the way the film steers the macho franchise toward a brilliant new direction emphasizing female rule and empowerment.

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Sight and Sound
14 May 2015 · Nick Pinkerton
95*

The film is a single-minded manifesto on the physics of screen action, stretching the essence of earlier Mad Max chases into an epic, relentlessly kinetic pursuit across the desert. It singles out the ingenious, practical stunt work and visual details that make every moment surprising and astonishing.

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Empire
11 May 2015 · Ian Nathan
90*

The critic hails George Miller's film as the work of a visionary, delivering a defiantly cinematic experience of maximum madness. He singles out the sustained, operatic chase sequences and symphony of destruction for particular praise.

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The AV Club
13 May 2015 · A- · A.A. Dowd
90

The critic praises the nonstop vehicular mayhem and practical stunts that make it feel like the Mad Max Miller always dreamed of. They single out Charlize Theron’s Furiosa performance and the film’s clarity amid chaos for praise.

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Total Film
15 May 2015 · Jamie Graham
90*

The review celebrates the film as a lunatic vision with some of the greatest action ever put on screen. It praises the ballistic ballet of stunts and the beauty found in the violence and desert vistas.

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Variety
11 May 2015 · festival review · Justin Chang
90*

The critic hails the film as ferocious, unfettered B-movie bliss and a powerhouse reimagining of the franchise, with exhilarating chase sequences. It singles out Charlize Theron’s Furiosa and Miller’s disciplined orchestration of mayhem for praise.

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Los Angeles Times
14 May 2015 · Kenneth Turan
85*

The film is celebrated as an immersive, non-stop chase driven by extraordinary practical stunts and world-building. Miller is highlighted as the true star for realizing his long-gestating vision with unparalleled imagination and intensity.

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Little White Lies
15 May 2015 · 5/4/4 · Adam Woodward
80

A supercharged spectacle that delivers gasoline-laced adrenaline through technical mastery in action set pieces, score and cinematography, proving a singularly entertaining modern blockbuster full of surprises despite the long wait.

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The Guardian
11 May 2015 · Peter Bradshaw
80*

The critic finds the film extravagantly deranged and cacophonous, a bizarre convoy chase action-thriller in the post-apocalyptic desert that is almost silent in its minimal dialogue. Charlize Theron's Furiosa is singled out for praise as the standout performance channeling the spirit of the original films.

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The New Yorker
21 May 2015 · Richard Brody
60*

The review commends the logical, suspenseful construction of the action sequences and the story's redemptive arc. It criticizes the lack of visual ecstasy and overly simplistic moral and political elements.

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Screen Daily
11 May 2015 · festival review

The film is a relentless, thrilling bulldozer of orgiastic car chases and vehicular carnage that pummels viewers into awed submission, best appreciated as kinetic visual art. It praises the stupendously physical practical effects and stunt work while noting the one-dimensional focus on action over character or emotional depth.

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The Hollywood Reporter
11 May 2015 · Todd McCarthy

The critic calls the film a madly entertaining action extravaganza that kicks more ass than any film by a 70-year-old and praises its inventive details, real action, and Miller's direction.

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The New York Times
14 May 2015 · Critic's Pick · A.O. Scott

The critic praises the film's relentless, dialogue-light action and visual storytelling as a masterful reboot of the franchise. Miller's direction and the cast, especially Theron, are singled out for creating an exhilarating, thematically rich spectacle.

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Collider
14 May 2015 · A · Matt Goldberg
95

The critic calls it a potent, powerful tonic and one of the best action films in decades, a feminist blockbuster masterpiece that transforms a relentless chase into a celebration of feminism striking back against patriarchy. They single out the grotesque yet breathtaking designs, practical stuntwork, thematic richness, and performances for praise.

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/Film
15 May 2015 · 9/10 · Russ Fischer
90

The critic praises the film as spectacular action filmmaking that rivals The Road Warrior and redefines heroism through Furiosa's character and purpose. The reviewer singles out the clarity of the action direction, stunt work, and world-building for praise, while noting the underdeveloped Wives as a flaw.

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Polygon
14 May 2015 · Arthur Gies
90*

The critic describes the film as shellshocking and audacious with incredible practical stuntwork in a relentless, artfully choreographed chase that rarely lets up. They single out its vision, economy of storytelling, and subversive focus on Furiosa's character arc and catharsis for praise.

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The Wrap
11 May 2015
90*

The critic finds that three decades away from the series has not diminished George Miller’s skill at crafting an intense opera of violence and vehicular mayhem. The human element remains front and center amid the packed widescreen vistas and memorable visuals.

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HeyUGuys
11 May 2015 · Nathan McVay
85*

The critic highlights the non-stop, blood-pumping action and exhilarating visuals as a roller-coaster ride, praising the world-building, effects, and strong physical performances from Hardy, Theron, and Hoult. It is presented as the ultimate heavy-metal summer blockbuster.

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Deadline
11 May 2015 · Pete Hammond

It is a thrilling adventure that makes a great summer movie and works as a standalone film. The critic singles out Charlize Theron’s kick-ass Furiosa and the stunning cinematography for praise.

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Den of Geek
11 May 2015 · 4.5 out of 5 · Don Kaye

The critic praises the film's jaw-dropping visuals, practical effects, and feminist outlook, highlighting the action sequences and Charlize Theron's performance as standout elements. It is described as visual cinema at its finest.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate