Mad Max: Fury Road

Lot of people seem to be upset that Max is little more than a copilot in this crazy adventure but that's exactly how he should be, Max is a mythical figure, a wanderer who stumbles out of the desert and finds himself caught up in other worlds. Miller's work has always tried to include some philosophical ideas and Fury Road is just another which explores existential issues in a rather interesting manner.

Max is a hero in search of himself, he wanders the desolate wasteland searching for something that will make him better, running from his past he needs something to run toward, a quest that will give him meaning. Each of the films has been framed by a historian telling the tale of Max and as such events such as him disappearing in the bog to take on a larger force and being triumphant take on a legendary feel. What's truly great about Fury Road is that much of the tale focuses on Furosia who is seen through Max's eyes. From the start of the film we are thrown into the insanity of Max and watch as the world around him is formed by those he meets. He wants to survive, to wander onward and will happily leave others to die unless it serves him. He only stops for Furosia and the wives because without help he is unable to venture further into the wastelands.

The final quote “Where must we go, we who wander this wasteland, in search of our better selves" really sums up the film. The quote rather simply sums up the themes of the film, the story of Furosia and the wives aswell as that of humanity as a whole. The internal struggle of humanity as it tries to once again find itself and hold on to the aspects of itself that defines all that is great about humanity. It's an inward strife which each character deals with as they engage in the external tale where escape and rebirth is key. Furosia and the wives search for the greener pastures as they strive to escape the warlord. They are willing to risk crossing the dead salt flats, even if death is waiting for them there is a fleeting hope that they will find a better life. Immortan Joe too struggles, he wants a pure blood line which can rule and give hope that he can leave his empire in capable hands.

Against this external lies the internal, Max as a mythical figure and his how it plays out in his interactions and relationships with all whom he meets. He opens the film telling us how he has lost everything and his sole instinct is to survive in a world where everyone is crazy. He exists and thrives in a world where there is little humanity left. Max has literally the last of his humanity taken from him when he used as nothing more than a blood bank, he is dehumanised and treated like cattle used to extend the life of the inhuman. When he meets Furosia and the wives he is so jaded and dehumanised that he fails to recognise in them the spark of humanity that they have cultivated and struggled to keep alive. He is willing to leave them to die as he selfishly flees, caring about nothing but himself. It is only though need, (Furosia is the only one who knows the sequence) that he allows the spark of humanity both within himself and in the group to flourish.

Max only truly realises the humanity within himself when he sets out after Furosia and the wives as they cross the salt flats. He alone realises that the only way for humanity to flourish is chase after it for were Furosia and the wives to ride off all hope would be lost. By stopping them and showing them that the only way to win is to take the problem and not run but confront it. By turning to face it they find but a solution and hope though turning inward and facing their demons. Returning to the Citadel, to the water and green they can create a home where humanity can proper, where hope can live once they face their demons and vanquish them. Max stirs this hope in all but he himself only truly believes and gives into hope when Furosia faces death and he tells her his name. His fear is evident and he in that moment he is naked for all to see, he lays himself out and inspires hope while trying to grab it for himself.

But the best example of hope humanity and hope can blossom against the odds is the manner in which the character Nux evolves. He like so many others has been indoctrinated into a cult of hate, he exists simply to serve and has his humanity stripped from him. It is only when shown compassion that he finds the scrap of humanity within himself. He goes from a relentless killing machine to a figure capable of love and sacrifice for an ideal which is pure.

During that final scene as hope is returned to humanity, Max turns his back on it and returns to the wasteland for he is a figure whom does not belong. Much like Ethan in The Searchers, Max no longer fits in with civilised society and as such turns his back on it favouring the lawless world of the wild. He is once more that mythical figure who rides through the world searching for that which he has lost.