Directed and written by George Miller, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” acts as the fifth movie in the franchise. The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne as Furiosa, Chris Hemsworth as Dementus and Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack.
Acting as a prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” it provides background on the character of Furiosa and the region of the post-apocalyptic Australia she inhabits.
The film begins by following a young Furiosa, played by Alyla Browne, in her original home the “Green Place” where her community is relatively untouched by the outside world’s troubles. Unfortunately for her, she is kidnapped and taken by Dementus’ gang of bikers into the wasteland.
As she grows up, Furiosa has to learn to adapt to the harsh environment in order to survive and make her way home; however, her mission quickly changes to one of revenge as her mother and more are taken from her.
While the main plot of the film is somewhat basic, the standout feature is the worldbuilding. This is something George Miller often prioritizes with each of his Mad Max movies, but rarely integrating them in a clear-cut way.
For example, this movie was written during the production of “Fury Road” to better understand Furiosa. Despite that, few of the events that occur in this film are directly referenced in “Fury Road.”
Although the action is just as good as usual, with very creative visuals illustrating how people adapt to their new vehicle-centered world, one of the low points is the highly notable use of computer-generated special effects.
One of the most popular and special aspects of every Mad Max film is their use of practical props, sets and stunts. Without these, there’s something lost visually that is directly tied to the identity of the saga.
Despite this, even in the scenes that are clearly done digitally, the action is still well-made and exciting. Each of these scenes is tied to a well-paced musical score, once again composed by Junkie XL (Tom Holkenborg), which enhances every moment by making the fights feel more grounded and the slower parts more emotional.
Another highlight of the film is Hemsworth’s portrayal of Dementus, who is one of the more flamboyant villains in the movie series. He grabs the audience’s attention with every scene he’s in due to his charismatic performance.
Taylor-Joy also brings an excellent and memorable portrayal of Furiosa, despite splitting much of the screen time with Browne for the same character. The transition between actresses is executed so well you might not even notice the switch upon first viewing.
Despite receiving very favorable reviews from critics and audiences, Furiosa had the worst Memorial Day opening for a movie since 1995. Although many summer movies this year have had similarly disappointing box office returns, the future of the franchise is supposedly up in the air.
Hopefully, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” will prove to be popular enough to help create at least one more film set in this world of high octane action and worldbuilding.
With the digital release of the movie out and the physical release coming out in August, it’s possible that the film could make up for its losses outside of the box office and allow for the legacy of the Mad Max franchise to live on.
