“Oh what a day, what a lovely day.”

Nearly 30 years ago, the last installment of the Mad Max franchise graced select theaters, rousing its cult following to demand more. Today, the once forgotten property is reemerged, rejuvenated and revitalized in the form of Fury Road.

Muscling through some seriously adverse conditions, director George Miller returned to helm Fury Road – which takes place in-between the events of Mad Max 2 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Fury Road centers in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where water is scarce, sand is superfluous and sanity is questionable. Miller delivers the riveting, enthralling epic that’ll keep diehard fans and casual moviegoers alike on the edge of their seats.

A little unhinged, Fury Road is two hours of non-stop, pedal-to-the-metal, frenzied action and spectacle – but imbued with heart, passion, love, sacrifice, family and rebellion. A mouthwatering cocktail of emotion and adrenaline, Fury Road is a blast.

Tom Hardy cements his status as one of the most talented and diverse thespians in all of Hollywood with a subtle but distinctive performance as Max. Max’s low frequency grunts are distinguished by the expressiveness of his facial features, a behavioral peculiarity which makes the character feel all the more fresh and unique. To boot, Hardy’s portrayal of Max borders on action legend.

While the movie is titled Mad Max, this film may well be about Charlize Theron’s character, Imperator Furiosa. Theron enriches the movie with her character’s presence, bringing the heart, the focus, the substance and the moral complexity.

All in all, Mad Max: Fury Road is a sandbox well worth the investment. Once exposed to the warm embrace of the buttery, beige sand, there’s no going back.