They could have used the same dystopian backround and introduced Hardy as a new character, rather than trying to recycle him as Mad Max, because he simply is not Mad Max. That alone would have made for a better movie, because the comparisons would not have been so necessary. It would also have set up the possibility of some actual character development over the course of the movie(s).

They're setting it up like Bond, where the Mad Max character transcends the actor who portrays him at any given time.

Pile of Poo would have been a better name.

They're trying to. They failed with this movie, IMO. It would have been smarter to maintain the milieu and change the 'story of' aspects by just introducing a new pivotal character instead of failing miserably in their attempt to prop up Hardy as Max, especially with all the screen time given to Theron, who was the movie's real star and main figure.

$233M worldwide and a 98/91 on Rotten Tomatoes says it's not the rest of the world that's out of step.

I don't buy your premise. The examples of both box, and reviews, being meaningless are legion. Two high profile and recent examples:

1. The Amazing Spiderman 2 made more than $700m, and it was crap to such an extent that Sony is now in bed with Marvel, in order to fix things.
   
2. The Transformers movies are mostly garbage, too, and they get reviewed that way, despite the money.

AS2 had low 50% on RT. Hardly a comparison.

AS2 after 13 days had a worldwide gross of $146mil. MMFR has $233mil.

AP2 and Transformers are largely reviewed poorly. MM:FR is not.

Try a movie that both made money and was well reviewed if you want me to consider your argument.

AS2 was an example of the money being meaningless. For that, it's a fine comparison.

Transformers is an example of both being meaningless.


I just pulled 2 obvious examples. You know, no doubt, plenty of others.

except neither was as well-regarded as Mad Max.

Look, I thought it was ok, nothing spectacular, but your argument is flawed.

And foreign box office really skews numbers....some stuff that bombs here does awesome overseas for some reason.

hell, AS2 total domestic was $202 mil. MM:FR will probably double, possibly triple that if it keeps up.

They're not good examples. While both AS2 and Transformers made money, neither were well regarded critically.

Mad Max: Fury Road is. It's got a 98 percent from critics, which is incredibly high.

Furious 7 is at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and has banked over $1.5b, yet that's being slammed by posters in this very thread.

No offense, but the initial argument was yours, and I really don't care to argue an obvious point about reviews and/or box.

you want to know whats crazy, Mad Max total gross, $8.5mil. Beyond Thunderdome $36 mil.

you shoulda just kept passin' by