Don’t tell my husband…

The hardest thing for a wife to do at times, other than planning every single detail of every single day, is to admit that her husband was right.

Well, I’m here to admit: My husband was right.

Long before his birthday, he told me that the 4th Mad Max movie (which I had never even heard about being a 1, 2, or 3) was coming out a week after his birthday and it was the only present he wanted. So I, hoping we couldn’t line up a sitter, assumed he would wind up going on his own like he often does when a movie he wants to see comes out. But, we finagled sitters (we have found that the divide and conquer method works best when you have 3 kids) and we were on our way to watch, what I was assuming, would be a disgusting movie with no plot and just a lot of explosions.

So, husband, if you are reading this, I was wrong.

Now, I usually roll my eyes when watching 007 and criticize the action sequence in the latter Fast movies, so for me to be wowed by this action movie is a big feat. I’m the typical girl who loves musicals and love stories. As cheesy as they are.

So I joked with my husband that I would go watch Pitch Perfect 2- but I’m glad that I stayed the course. I wore the 3D glasses over my nerd spectacles like a champ and enjoyed the ride.

This movie was so well acted that I believed it. I believed in the hope and the devastation.

This movie boasts plenty of explosive action scenes, which were obviously unbelievable as they usually are, but they were more. George Miller’s mind is insane- with people literally flying through the air and explosions happening everywhere. From an acrobatic electric guitar player to the costumes and colorings of the characters to the souped up old cars and crazy war rig, this movie had me on the edge of my seat. It haunted me.

Here’s the twist- this movie is as matriarchal as they come. Yes, there were men to help the women save the day, and ultimately the day saving plan came from Max, but there is no doubt that Miller wanted the women to be the heroines. It is not very often that you see the damsel in distress be rescued by a persecuted maiden.

Much like Avatar, this movie addresses so many underlying themes and ideas. Not only is it visually stunning and masterfully creative, it also made me think. I thought about what would happen if we were under a tyrannical dictator who forced us to believe he was our “God”. I thought about how women are often subject to whatever the male deems necessary and how the most beautiful women are often treated as beauty objects when there is so much more to them. I thought about what life would be like if humankind ruined itself and these innovative worlds were created because of it. I thought about certain religions and groups of people who make themselves bigger than they are and get people to blindly follow them. I also thought about the role of music in our lives (if you watch the movie, you’ll understand) and was impressed that there was music, but no lyrics. I thought about the absence of words and the impact that had on the audience. I thought about the beauty of the earth and the importance of water. I thought about how necessary the natural resources that many of us take for granted really are. There are many things to think and a crazy action movie made me think of many of them. Imagine that.

So, in retrospect of our date night that happens, well, never, Mad Max was just what I needed. Next time, though, it’s Nicholas Sparks.

Claire Pelletier

About Claire Pelletier

I'm 30. Boy am I 30. I have three children: Shelby (almost 8), Harper (3), and Aidan (1). I work full time as an English teacher, full time as a mom, part time as a wife, part time as a cook at a Diner (this is actually a paid position), and a per diem house cleaner. Basically, I do it all. Oh and I like to write (revert back to my full time teaching position). This life is crazy, people are even crazier, and online blogging has given me a voice. Some may think it's a loud and obnoxious voice, but I kind of like it. I do my best to write about things that interest people, mainly about myself. Sometimes I verge into the political land, but that place scares me, so I mostly write about every day things that make me laugh, cry, or scream. Thanks for reading!