Recently I purchased a two disc collection Blu-ray of Mad Max Fury Road consisting of the original (what I assume the theatrical version) and the Black & Chrome Edition. Two for the price of one? Who can decline such a deal!
I felt the need to say something about this Black & Chrome Edition because a lot of reviews and comments on the forums seem to imply that this is the best version to watch. Probably because director George Miller himself claims this. However what most of those reviews seem to be overlooking is the fact that Miller is saying that for him this is the best version to watch it. This nuance might seem trivial to some it is very essential. Before the B & C Edition starts you can opt for the intro of George Miller to be included. I did so and then George Miller sort of explains what made him want to release this version but also asks the viewer what he or she thinks of it after having viewed it. So in short the viewer is allowed to make up his own mind in deciding what the best version is.
I watched twenty minutes or so from the Black & Chrome Edition and wasn't impressed. (One day I will watch it fully and will comment on that in case I might have overlooked something.) Of course some parts look better because of the contrast. But already in the beginning there were also scenes where a lot of colour information got lost. It degraded some of the special effects used like fire for example. For me that's an issue. A big issue? No, but already having seen the film I am aware that there will be plenty of scenes where those kinds of effects are vital. You can choose to ignore or overlook that but even then it will hurt the viewing experience because you know that you didn't get the full extent of it. I opted to pop in the original and for me was so much more satisfying. I know that DVD's and Blu-rays have given the filmmakers a way to share their intended versions and that is always a good thing. Although to be honest the films that really have been butchered by studio execs rarely get the best versions released. The films that do often already are good on their own and don't need that much to be improved on. Often the differences are minor and seem like simple cash grabs to make more money.
This Black & Chrome Edition doesn't seem like a cash grab to me. It's just another way to watch the film. Which is nice. But enough to go out of your way to buy it? I don't think so.
Proper review of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015):
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