The following review is for the new film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. This article does not contain significant spoilers.
Make no mistake, George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga cannot hold a candle to the far superior Mad Max: Fury Road. For one, the 2015 classic drops you right into a world that is relentless, challenging the viewer to search for clues about what makes these characters tick that never lets up. The other is that this is an origin story and some patience is needed.
And that's what makes this new Mad Max post-apocalyptic adventure so effective. Miller drops a fish-out-of-water character into an uncompromising and unforgiving world and refuses to sugarcoat virtually any character's circumstance and end. A bleak outlook over a sunburnt landscape that offers very little relief has remained pitch-perfect in tone for decades.
In other words, this chapter straight rips, so just sit back and enjoy the ride. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the summer movie we have been clamoring for.
Anna Taylor Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Image via Warner Brothers Pictures
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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review and Synopsis
The story follows a young girl named Furiosa (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's Alyla Browne), who is part of the Green Place of Many Mothers community. However, a fearsome and ugly warlord named Dementus (Chris Hemsworth, in an odd comically unhinged turn) soon abducts her. He is the big, nasty despot of the Wasteland and ready to take what's owed.
His marauding bikers roam the area, wielding a big stick. Furiosa's mother attempts to save her and protect the anonymity of their fruitful community, which is full of lush greens, fruits, vegetables, and a rare water source. Yet, he may have met his match when the horde runs into the infamous War Boys, who hide out in their stronghold, the Citadel.
Led by Immortan Joe (now portrayed by Three Thousand Years of Longing's Lachy Hulme), he rules with an iron fist. To obtain power, he trades Furiosa to gain a foothold in Gas Town. Now grown, Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) finds herself trying to stay alive long enough to escape and make her way home.
Anna Taylor Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Image via Warner Brothers Pictures
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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is Exhilarating
George Miller steps back behind the camera for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel to the acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road. And it's a good thing because the iconic director came out of a brief retirement to helm the project, and you cannot imagine anyone else vision on screen. (God forbid we find a director in the Transformers franchise trying the same thing.)
Miller creates another ominous, evocative, and, as always, visceral world that must be seen to be believed. The action is thrilling—even though not on the same level as Fury Road—with a couple of dazzling set pieces. The script from Miller and the original Mad Max co-writer Nick Lathouris has a taut plot seen through a feminist lens whose themes elevate the material.
The result is one of the best popcorn prequels ever made. Miller examines the backstory of one of the great action heroes of the past decade. Originally portrayed by Charlize Theron, Taylor-Joy has made the role her own. Her piercing steely blues say more with a single glance than most who deliver an entire monologue, seeing the evolution of her pain.
Chris Hemsworth in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | Image via Warner Brothers Pictures
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Is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Worth Watching?
Sure, stay for the spectacular action and unique George Miller visuals. However, make no mistake: the sole reason to see Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the powerhouse performance from Anna Taylor-Joy. Yes, she is a known talent, but her role as Furiosa rockets the actress into the stratosphere of the Hollywood elite.
While Hemsworth's turn is a bit too cartoonish initially, his turn settles in nicely in the final act. As for Taylor-Joy, the actress helps elevate the Furiosa character into one of the great female action heroines in movie history. Is that a bold claim? Certainly, but this character is on par with Sigourney Weaver's Ripley and Linda Hamilton's Sarah Conner.
Full of cunning and feral viciousness, Taylor-Joy's unyielding performance elevates Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga into a film with real stakes. Combining that with George Miller's enthralling filmmaking makes this Mad Max chapter an exhilarating experience from start to finish.
Summary: George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an exhilarating action picture from start to finish. Grade: 8/10 |
You can watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga now in theaters.
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