"Mad Max" is the Movie the Summer Needed

Movies that come out during the summer get a lot of undeserved flack. Despite being some of the most anticipated films being released in the year, they've gotten a reputation for being brainless, loud, big budget affairs that are meant to entertain the masses and nothing else (as if that's such a bad thing). Then again, when the marketplace is flooded with seemingly endless Marvel sequels, it's sort of hard not to get bored with what feels like the same thing over and over again.

Enter "Mad Max: Fury Road", a film that's buzz has been deafening since it premiered out of competition at Cannes at the start of the festival. Though technically it is the fourth installment in the "Mad Max" series, there hasn't been a film in 30 years, so it wouldn't be incorrect to say that this is a reboot of sorts. Though it checks every 'summer film' box (huge budget, action/explosions, etc) this is not your average summer film. Though "Mad Max" provides nonstop thrills throughout its brisk two hour running time, there are underlying themes of female empowerment that challenge what we've come to expect from a standard blockbuster, and the medium of film in general.