The legendary 79-year-old Australian director George Miller has truly earned our unwavering trust.
His returns to the desert result in cinematic experiences that last a lifetime. We will never forget the theater experience of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is set to leave a similar impact. Miller conceived this story as the backstory of the character Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron in “Fury Road“) and decided to expand it into a full-length feature. The result is a film that is markedly different from “Fury Road.”
While “Fury Road,” starring Tom Hardy, was a relentless ride from point A to point B (and back again), “Furiosa” is a true odyssey of the character and her life’s journey. The events of this film automatically enhance the story and character of Furiosa in “Fury Road,” making it an excellent prequel that successfully expands the world of “Fury Road” and its post-apocalyptic setting.
In this world, director Miller thrives like a child in a sandbox. He knows exactly how it operates, what he can build within it, and how to utilize it to its fullest potential. Over the course of the two-and-a-half-hour runtime, Miller expands the mythology of this amazing world in surprising ways. Viewers will be astonished by the length of the introduction featuring the young Furiosa and the charm of the Australian desert, which Miller manages to portray in a colorful and playful manner despite its bleakness.
Living in the Wasteland is absolute hell and could be used for a psychological thriller or horror (perhaps something like “Bone Tomahawk” without cars and crazy action). Yet, instead of disgust, the audience watches with smiles, open mouths, and joyful eyes.
The filmmakers managed to tell an interesting story that, even with minimal dialogue, sufficiently develops Furiosa’s character. Anya Taylor-Joy is excellent in the role, complementing Charlize Theron nicely, even if she doesn’t quite surpass her.
Source: TMDB/WARNER BROS
Great Characters and Pacing
Other important characters in the film include the villain Dementus (Chris Hemsworth, who clearly enjoyed filming this movie immensely), the younger Immortan Joe, and Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), who becomes Furiosa’s mentor. Miller, apart from focusing on Furiosa and Dementus, relegates the other characters to the background, which might be a pity, but extending the film’s runtime would have disrupted its excellent pacing.
The film doesn’t have the breakneck pace of “Fury Road” since it contains multiple storylines and spans approximately 15 years. Nevertheless, Miller keeps us engaged every second. He proves to be a great storyteller, maintaining audience attention with minimal action and dialogue in a very long introduction, while viewers anticipated unstoppable, adrenaline-fueled, and grandiose action.
The surprisingly minimalist soundtrack (compared to “Fury Road”) is a slight letdown. While it excellently complements the visual feast, the “hype music” that elevated the adrenaline in some “Fury Road” scenes is occasionally missing.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is a masterpiece not just in the action genre. The film offers much more than just brilliant and imaginative action scenes. It features likable and excellent characters, a gripping sci-fi world, a complex story, and visuals with a strong creative imprint from a director who is utterly confident. This results in a coherent, adrenaline-pumping, and mesmerizing audiovisual experience that must be seen in theaters. The nine-year wait for a follow-up to “Fury Road” was well worth it. Now it’s up to the viewers to head to the cinemas and let Hollywood know that we need, want, and are willing to pay for such films.
If that happens, Warner Bros. will hopefully provide Miller with the funds for another installment soon. After all, Miller is already 79 years old, and it’s uncertain how many more of these incredibly demanding and epic productions he has left in him. What is certain is that this gem won’t be nearly as enjoyable on a home television and won’t receive the 9.6 out of 10 rating it earns in this review.
