Mad Max: Fury Road Without CGI Is Still Awesome

Not that anyone needed to be told this, but even without computer-generated effects, George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road is a visual feast. The post-apocalyptic chase film, which won 6 Academy Awards, easily stood out among the rest of the 2015 offerings because it relied on thrilling practical effects over CGI.

Proving that point, the good folks at ESPORTS TV have compiled a four-minute video of CGI-free shots from Fury Road pre-production tests, raw footage, and behind-the-scene footage. Watch monster trucks soar through the air, motorcycles leaping over moving vehicles, Tom Hardy strapped to the front of car, cars crashing into each other at high-speeds, stuntmen on wires jumping from one car to the next, and lots of big, fiery explosions that would get Michael Bay pitching a tent.

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) stars in the title role in Mad Max: Fury Road—the fourth in the franchise’s history. Oscar winner Charlize Theron (Monster) stars as the Imperator, Furiosa. The film also stars Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Nux; Hugh Keays-Byrne (Sleeping Beauty) as Immortan Joe; Nathan Jones (Conan the Barbarian) as Rictus Erectus; Josh Helman (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Slit; collectively known as The Wives, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) is Splendid, Riley Keough (Magic Mike) is Capable, Zoë Kravitz (Divergent) plays Toast, Abbey Lee is The Dag, and Courtney Eaton is Fragile. Also featured in the movie are John Howard, Richard Carter, singer/songwriter/performer iOTA, Angus Sampson, Jennifer Hagan, Megan Gale, Melissa Jaffer, Melita Jurisic, Gillian Jones and Joy Smithers.

Oscar-winning filmmaker George Miller (Happy Feet) directed the film from a screenplay he wrote with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris. Miller is also produced the film, along with Doug Mitchell (Babe), and P.J. Voeten.