Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is both a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road and works as the origin story of the titular scene-stealing character from that film. This time, the incredibly talented Anya Taylor-Joy is now taking on this iconic role previously portrayed by Charlize Theron. George Miller has come back to write and direct this new installment set in this post-apocalyptic world, and we get to see more of her backstory, which eventually leads into the events of Fury Road. The basic gist is a young Furiosa is kidnapped from her homeland by the sadistic Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). When she grows older, she must fight for survival in the Wasteland and find her way back home.
A story worth telling. One of Theron’s most critically acclaimed and recognizable roles from her entire career is unquestionably Furiosa, so Taylor-Joy must have felt a ton of pressure to play a younger version of this character. She does a great job with the action sequences, and it’s interesting to see her evolve as the person she’s meant to become in Fury Road. She doesn’t have a lot of lines and rarely speaks, but it shows you don’t really need dialogue to convey emotions and maintain character development. Special praise must also be given to Alyla Browne who portrays Furiosa as a child — she brings a lot of depth to her performance, so you understand where she’s coming from. However, it’s Hemsworth who completely steals the show as the main antagonist. For many moviegoers, he will undeniably always be known as the Marvel hero Thor, but it’s actually amazingly refreshing to see him have so much fun playing a villain this crazy and twisted.
Back in the Wasteland! The visual style you love from Fury Road is noticeable here. The world-building is creative and unique because everything is well thought out. As mentioned, the action is once again brilliantly thrilling from start to finish. The stuntwork is absolutely impressive and jaw-dropping, and you’re still in awe of how much attention to detail and planning the whole crew has implemented in their cinematography and special effects. Every scene will blow your mind with the craftsmanship behind it. Miller is truly a visionary filmmaker who knows exactly what he wants his films to look like. He’s clear on his direction, and you can see that this franchise means a lot to him as a passion project. It has a runtime of 148 minutes, but you’re constantly invested in the premise without feeling bored. It’s adrenaline-fueled fun coming at you, that’s all you can ask for in a movie like this.
If you’re one of those fans who has begged for Furiosa to get her own standalone origin story after seeing her in Fury Road, you’re going to be immensely satisfied. As a prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga justifies its existence by expanding on our lead protagonist as a compelling action hero. The inevitable question is: is it better than Fury Road? Hard to tell, so that’s up to you to figure out for yourself. In the meantime, Miller has made another outstanding blockbuster that will leave you amazed when it’s over.
Watch Furiosa