George Miller expands the wasteland in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a rip-roaring prequel that blends high-octane action sequences with a story of a warrior’s quest in a sun-scorched world gone mad.
The fifth film in the Mad Max franchise couldn’t be more different than the 1979 Ozploitation classic that was made on a shoe-string budget and starred a little-known actor named Mel Gibson. What hasn’t changed is director George Miller’s innovative approach to action filmmaking that in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hits its creative zenith.
Yeah, there Is more CGI in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga than all the previous Mad Max films combined; and Miller’s decision to travel down the strong-female-lead route feels a tad voguish; yet like a rusty muscle-car updated with shiny new parts, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga delivers that good ol’ Aussie dystopian grit with energy and modern visual aplomb.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga stars Anya Taylor-Joy (with Ayla Browne playing a young version) as the title character, an adventurous child abducted by savage warlord Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) who murders her mother Mary (Charlee Fraser) and later trades Furiosa to powerful cult leader Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). It is in his citadel where Furiosa rises to become a feared warrior whose fiery need for revenge against Dementus grows.
At two hours and 28 minutes there is a lot to take on with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, yet so enthralling is this story of love and hate in a world of blood, sand, and chrome that this latest chapter in the Mad Max series is worth every gear-crunching minute and then some. Where Mad Max: Fury Road was a full-faucet heavy metal thrasher, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the prog-metal equivalent with its epic structure spanning 15 years and presented in several chapters allowing moments of respite and even tenderness alongside the Mad Max calling cards to vehicular mayhem and human savagery.
As Furiosa, Taylor-Joy takes on the role that Charlize Theron made famous and delivers her own thunderous portrayal of a road warrior whose fury is fuelled by grief and the pursuit of cold justice in a lawless land.
Hemsworth is terrific as well in a bounce-back performance that is perhaps his best yet, portraying the wonderfully ridiculously named Dr. Dementus as a savage brute with aspirations of dominance over the Wasteland and a desire to watch the world suffer like he has. Hemsworth, of course, brings a physicality to the role as well as a knack for delivering a dark sense of humour that suits the characters’ bogan brute brutality.
It is Miller who is the real star of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, with his latest Mad Max yarn another example of his great visionary talent, delivering an uncompromising and welcomingly unique version of the modern-day blockbuster.
