Mad Max: Fury Road

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Mad Max: Fury Road is available in Australia on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max Amazon Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 24,245 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Tom Hardy sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Mad Max: Fury Road is worth clearing space for. Mad Max: Fury Road uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. Mad Max: Fury Road came out in 2015. Mad Max: Fury Road resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Mad Max: Fury Road a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Tom Hardy anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.