How hope, adaptativity, and community are portrayed in the 2015 epic
In the 1980s, the Mad Max trilogy directed by George Miller and starring Mel Gibson was part of the post-apocalyptic craze that swept moviemaking (hi, Terminator and Blade Runner).
Now, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I have yet to see the original Mad Max series in its entirety. They’re on my list, I promise! What I have seen more times than I’d care to admit is the 2015 reboot, Mad Max: Fury Road. With such a name, surely there must be some emphasis on depicting mental health, right?
If that thought came into your head, you’re certainly in the right place! Let’s set the scene with an overview of the story before we begin our analysis. Bear with me as there are many characters – it will help you get a gist for the world Miller builds.
Synopsis
Fury Road is set in a desertous world where natural resources are scarce and society is governed by warlords: the Immortan Joe at the Citadel, the People-Eater at Gas Town, and Bullet Farmer from the Bullet Farm. “Guzzoline” (gasoline) is highly sought after and special envoys must be sent to retrieve it. While the dictatorial Immortan Joe controls the water and crops, he and many of his citizens are ailed by sicknesses such as tuberculosis and physical deformities. The Immortan has raised a generation of brainwashed “war boys” who do his dirty work, believing that they will “ride with him into Valhalla” [the Norse afterlife].
Mad Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is a former cop who suffers from hallucinations of people he could not save – sadly, his young daughter among them. Captured by the Citadel, Max’s car and belongings are confiscated and he is forced into becoming a universal blood donor for a sick war boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult).
Tom Hardy portrays Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road. 2015 Warner Brothers
A high-ranking commander, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), is sent – with much pomp and circumstance – on a supply run for guzzoline. However, the mission goes awry when she unexpectedly ventures into enemy territory. We discover that five stowaways – Immortan Joe’s young wives, each woman kidnapped from other territories for the purpose of bearing healthy babies – escaped with Furiosa in the war rig. The warlord mounts a large search party and Max is unwillingly dragged into the conflict with Nux. A monumental sandstorm deters the chase, coming to an uncertain end with Nux’s vehicle crashing.
Quick pause; if you think this sounds bizarre, congratulations; you’ve made it through the first half hour of the film!
Act two
Having survived the storm, Max finds the wives and Furiosa and they fight over who will escape in the war rig. Max briefly prevails, only to come to a puttering stop since Furiosa has set the controls so that only she can operate the vehicle. In the meantime, the Citadel has called for reinforcements from Gas Town and the Bullet Farm. Another pursuit ensues, but this time Splendid – the very pregnant and favorite wife of the Immortan – slips and falls and the troupe makes the heartbreaking decision to continue without her. Their destination is Furiosa’s home, the mysterious Green Place of Many Mothers.
After dark, the war rig is caught in a swamp. With Nux’s help, Furiosa and the wives pull the vehicle from the mud while Max confronts the Bullet Farmer, procuring more firepower. They eventually reach a tower reminiscent of the ones Furiosa saw as a child, but she is devastated to learn that the Green Place is no more; the area became the swamp they travailed. Faced with the choice to travel across the endless salt flats, Max persuades the posse to take back the Citadel while it’s left unguarded.
Nux (Nicholas Hoult), 2015 Warner Brothers
Act three
The war party spies the rig from afar and gives chase yet again. Toast (one of the wives) is captured by enemies and returned to Immortan Joe’s vehicle. Furiosa is badly injured in the process of evading their pursuers, but determines she must remove the Immortan to get everyone back safely. She succeeds, and they plan to take his vehicle and jam the war rig to block off the remaining warriors. Nux sacrifices himself to defeat the villainous Rictus, son of Immortan Joe. As Furiosa succumbs to her wounds, Max saves her with a blood transfusion and they return to the Citadel victorious. The film ends with Furiosa and the wives ascending into the fortress, while Max shuffles into the crowd.
Mental health portrayals
“It was hard to know who was more crazy: me, or everyone else.”
From the wild production design of the vehicles (which they really built) to the death-defying stunts, there is so much I love about this film. It’s a visceral and high-octane ride, as Nux would probably say! What struck me most on my first watch was the Citadel dwellers’ behavior;it’s like mass psychosis took ahold of everyone. The war boys are gung ho about certain death and, like the wives, we are struck over the unquestioning loyalty to a corrupt leader.
We are also treated to flashbacks of Max in moments of high stress. Although he is literally muzzled for the first third of the film, this allows viewers to see the situation through his eyes. We empathize with Max’s character because he’s witnessed so much loss, which has worn on him without properly addressing his grief. On his own, Max keeps to himself and survives – but it’s only through becoming invested in a community that he ultimately overcomes. In the final chase, Max is struck by an enemy’s poisoned dart, but recovers from his hallucination when he sees all that he’s fought for at risk.
Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), 2015 Warner Brothers
“We might be able to, together, come across some kind of redemption.”
One of the most famous shots from the movie is when Furiosa falls to her knees in the dunes when she learns that her homeland is no more. Hope has sustained Furiosa through her assignments as an Imperator (she mentions being gone for nearly 7,000 days) and now this dangerous mission. Unfortunately, her hope had been misplaced, and this wrenches her back to a harsh reality. The story doesn’t linger on this point for long, but it’s likely that Furiosa feels like she has failed the wives and subjected them to the vicissitudes of the desert. She probably bears some guilt over losing Splendid, who encouraged the group to escape.
Ultimately, the redemption Furiosa seeks doesn’t come how she envisioned it. In fact, it almost physically takes her life. But through the process, she learns to trust Max, Nux, and even to some extent the wives. Similarly, we often need help even when we don’t want to admit it, and healing can look different from how we expected. Do we embrace assistance from others? Are we open to new outcomes, even if they aren’t what we planned?
“Witness me!”
Shouted by the war boys, this line is all but whispered by Nux in his final scene. It’s especially compelling because we’ve watched him transform from parroting cultlike behavior to forming a meaningful relationship with Capable, one of the wives. The major turning point for Nux’s character is when Capable (Riley Keogh) encourages him when he berates himself over his mistakes. She encourages Nux in a way that he has probably never experienced before, and this empowers him to keep going. There is power in our words!
Nux is arguably the most resilient of the group – he faces an illness, yet offers his skills as a mechanic and driver. His enthusiasm lends humor to an intense story and the audience is sad to see him despondent. We never get the sense that Nux is a bad person, but his loyalty is initially misplaced. The lesson is to think critically about the information placed in front of us and to find appropriate guidance.
What did you enjoy about Mad Max: Fury Road? If you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you do so with the lens of mental health in mind!
Why write a series on how mental health is portrayed in film and television? Born and raised in Los Angeles, I (Evelyn) have always been a stone’s throw away from Hollywood, the origin of some of our most beloved movies and shows. A good story often presents curious perspectives or teaches us valuable life lessons. In the case of mental health, I believe such depictions can destigmatize uncomfortable topics from social anxiety to depression and substance abuse to grief.
My hope is that this opinion column will inspire conversations around meaningful issues in our personal lives and relationships. Without further ado – grab your popcorn and soft drinks and let’s get watching!
How hope, adaptativity, and community are portrayed in the 2015 epic
In the 1980s, the Mad Max trilogy directed by George Miller and starring Mel Gibson was part of the post-apocalyptic craze that swept moviemaking (hi, Terminator and Blade Runner).
Now, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I have yet to see the original Mad Max series in its entirety. They’re on my list, I promise! What I have seen more times than I’d care to admit is the 2015 reboot, Mad Max: Fury Road. With such a name, surely there must be some emphasis on depicting mental health, right?
If that thought came into your head, you’re certainly in the right place! Let’s set the scene with an overview of the story before we begin our analysis. Bear with me as there are many characters – it will help you get a gist for the world Miller builds.
Synopsis
Fury Road is set in a desertous world where natural resources are scarce and society is governed by warlords: the Immortan Joe at the Citadel, the People-Eater at Gas Town, and Bullet Farmer from the Bullet Farm. “Guzzoline” (gasoline) is highly sought after and special envoys must be sent to retrieve it. While the dictatorial Immortan Joe controls the water and crops, he and many of his citizens are ailed by sicknesses such as tuberculosis and physical deformities. The Immortan has raised a generation of brainwashed “war boys” who do his dirty work, believing that they will “ride with him into Valhalla” [the Norse afterlife].
Mad Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is a former cop who suffers from hallucinations of people he could not save – sadly, his young daughter among them. Captured by the Citadel, Max’s car and belongings are confiscated and he is forced into becoming a universal blood donor for a sick war boy named Nux (Nicholas Hoult).
A high-ranking commander, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), is sent – with much pomp and circumstance – on a supply run for guzzoline. However, the mission goes awry when she unexpectedly ventures into enemy territory. We discover that five stowaways – Immortan Joe’s young wives, each woman kidnapped from other territories for the purpose of bearing healthy babies – escaped with Furiosa in the war rig. The warlord mounts a large search party and Max is unwillingly dragged into the conflict with Nux. A monumental sandstorm deters the chase, coming to an uncertain end with Nux’s vehicle crashing.
Quick pause; if you think this sounds bizarre, congratulations; you’ve made it through the first half hour of the film!
Act two
Having survived the storm, Max finds the wives and Furiosa and they fight over who will escape in the war rig. Max briefly prevails, only to come to a puttering stop since Furiosa has set the controls so that only she can operate the vehicle. In the meantime, the Citadel has called for reinforcements from Gas Town and the Bullet Farm. Another pursuit ensues, but this time Splendid – the very pregnant and favorite wife of the Immortan – slips and falls and the troupe makes the heartbreaking decision to continue without her. Their destination is Furiosa’s home, the mysterious Green Place of Many Mothers.
After dark, the war rig is caught in a swamp. With Nux’s help, Furiosa and the wives pull the vehicle from the mud while Max confronts the Bullet Farmer, procuring more firepower. They eventually reach a tower reminiscent of the ones Furiosa saw as a child, but she is devastated to learn that the Green Place is no more; the area became the swamp they travailed. Faced with the choice to travel across the endless salt flats, Max persuades the posse to take back the Citadel while it’s left unguarded.
Act three
The war party spies the rig from afar and gives chase yet again. Toast (one of the wives) is captured by enemies and returned to Immortan Joe’s vehicle. Furiosa is badly injured in the process of evading their pursuers, but determines she must remove the Immortan to get everyone back safely. She succeeds, and they plan to take his vehicle and jam the war rig to block off the remaining warriors. Nux sacrifices himself to defeat the villainous Rictus, son of Immortan Joe. As Furiosa succumbs to her wounds, Max saves her with a blood transfusion and they return to the Citadel victorious. The film ends with Furiosa and the wives ascending into the fortress, while Max shuffles into the crowd.
Mental health portrayals
“It was hard to know who was more crazy: me, or everyone else.”
From the wild production design of the vehicles (which they really built) to the death-defying stunts, there is so much I love about this film. It’s a visceral and high-octane ride, as Nux would probably say! What struck me most on my first watch was the Citadel dwellers’ behavior; it’s like mass psychosis took ahold of everyone. The war boys are gung ho about certain death and, like the wives, we are struck over the unquestioning loyalty to a corrupt leader.
We are also treated to flashbacks of Max in moments of high stress. Although he is literally muzzled for the first third of the film, this allows viewers to see the situation through his eyes. We empathize with Max’s character because he’s witnessed so much loss, which has worn on him without properly addressing his grief. On his own, Max keeps to himself and survives – but it’s only through becoming invested in a community that he ultimately overcomes. In the final chase, Max is struck by an enemy’s poisoned dart, but recovers from his hallucination when he sees all that he’s fought for at risk.
“We might be able to, together, come across some kind of redemption.”
One of the most famous shots from the movie is when Furiosa falls to her knees in the dunes when she learns that her homeland is no more. Hope has sustained Furiosa through her assignments as an Imperator (she mentions being gone for nearly 7,000 days) and now this dangerous mission. Unfortunately, her hope had been misplaced, and this wrenches her back to a harsh reality. The story doesn’t linger on this point for long, but it’s likely that Furiosa feels like she has failed the wives and subjected them to the vicissitudes of the desert. She probably bears some guilt over losing Splendid, who encouraged the group to escape.
Ultimately, the redemption Furiosa seeks doesn’t come how she envisioned it. In fact, it almost physically takes her life. But through the process, she learns to trust Max, Nux, and even to some extent the wives. Similarly, we often need help even when we don’t want to admit it, and healing can look different from how we expected. Do we embrace assistance from others? Are we open to new outcomes, even if they aren’t what we planned?
“Witness me!”
Shouted by the war boys, this line is all but whispered by Nux in his final scene. It’s especially compelling because we’ve watched him transform from parroting cultlike behavior to forming a meaningful relationship with Capable, one of the wives. The major turning point for Nux’s character is when Capable (Riley Keogh) encourages him when he berates himself over his mistakes. She encourages Nux in a way that he has probably never experienced before, and this empowers him to keep going. There is power in our words!
Nux is arguably the most resilient of the group – he faces an illness, yet offers his skills as a mechanic and driver. His enthusiasm lends humor to an intense story and the audience is sad to see him despondent. We never get the sense that Nux is a bad person, but his loyalty is initially misplaced. The lesson is to think critically about the information placed in front of us and to find appropriate guidance.
What did you enjoy about Mad Max: Fury Road? If you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you do so with the lens of mental health in mind!
You can watch the trailer here.
Why write a series on how mental health is portrayed in film and television? Born and raised in Los Angeles, I (Evelyn) have always been a stone’s throw away from Hollywood, the origin of some of our most beloved movies and shows. A good story often presents curious perspectives or teaches us valuable life lessons. In the case of mental health, I believe such depictions can destigmatize uncomfortable topics from social anxiety to depression and substance abuse to grief.
My hope is that this opinion column will inspire conversations around meaningful issues in our personal lives and relationships. Without further ado – grab your popcorn and soft drinks and let’s get watching!