Nearly a decade after the release of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” George Miller returns to the leather-bound apocalyptic gas-guzzling Wasteland with “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” Rather than revisit the character that’s been at the franchise’s center for the better part of 45 years, Miller offers a high-octane prequel that is as furious as it is unrelenting. Fueled by its epic performance from Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, the fifth chapter of this long-running franchise is a magnificent return to a world that perfectly blends Shakespeare and doom to create cinematic joy. However, it has flaws, as it falls prey to the unavoidable traps of being a prequel and the inevitability of losing its pacing and tone because of its lengthy runtime.
Set years before “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is an apocalyptic odyssey of vengeance that fires on all cylinders. It follows a young Furiosa (Alyala Browne) born and raised in a place of abundance. And just like its namesake, this area is a paradise surrounded by a vast wasteland. Its beauty is unmatched but also makes it a prime target for those like the nomadic Biker Hoarde – a community of marauders led by Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) who plunder and pillage any chance they get. So when they cross the Place of Abundance’s territory, Furiosa uses her stealth and self-defense skills to disable as many bikes as she can so that the bikers cannot report what they saw to their leader. Unfortunately, Furiosa ends up being abducted by them, and her mother, Mary Jo Bassa (Charlee Fraser), chases her across the lifeless desert to rescue her. However, that fails, too, and Furiosa is forced to bear witness to Dementus’ cruelty.
Browne’s performance shows what’s become of this world and how far humanity has fallen. The emotional depth of Furiosa’s journey is palpable as she is forced to rely on everything she has learned from her time living at the place of abundance to survive and what her invaluable silence does to protect it from those who would harm it. To claim Gastown as his territory, Dementus barders Furiosa to Immortan Joe (now played by Lachy Hulme). The young girl is to become one of Joe’s wives who would bear his children. Unwilling to be a Citadel brood sow, Furiosa escapes from Rictus Erectus (Nathan Jones) and changes her entire look to become an Imperator Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy). Once she meets Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), Furiosa’s path toward vengeance and freedom becomes clear.
Rather than continue the story of the infamous Mad Max, Miller shifts gears to tell the origins of Furiosa. Of course, since it’s a prequel, it has to dedicate its time to populating the film with memorable characters from previous titles and introducing new ones. And the audience, especially those who have already watched “Mad Max: Fury Road,” knows where the road takes Furiosa. Just because we know the destination doesn’t mean it’s predictable. The “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is more of a character study than an actioner. As such, it expounds on Furiosa’s story profoundly and explores the different uncharted fortresses dotted on the Wasteland. From the Citadel to Gastown to Bulletfarm, these fortresses are caked in sand, drenched in blood, sweat, and oil, and populated by fury and rage. Though they serve different purposes, they also have an economic relationship with each other. Unfortunately, the explorations of these different fortresses cut into Furiosa’s origins and rise as a road warrior and savior to those imprisoned by Immortan Joe.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is an epic so expansive that it has to unfold over five cinematic chapters. Breaking a film with a two-hour and twenty-eight-minute runtime into chapters to make it feel more like a cinematic epic is nothing new; the individual chapters are so bizarrely paced that it takes away from making this a smooth ride. Some chapters are slow-burning character studies, while others have high-octane thrills that put you on the edge of your seat. But it’s hard to get a read on which one it wants to be because of the inconsistent tones. Individually these chapters are amazing but the lack of cohesion prevents it from being a perfect film.
That said, the character work is amazing. Browne and Taylor-Joy’s performances as Furiosa at two different points of the titular character’s life are fascinating its almost hard to believe that there are two actors playing one character. The former takes up nearly half of the film and helps audiences and fans get reacquainted with the Wasteland that lies before them, while the latter dives in head first for the most intense action sequences. Both have to play opposite Hemsworth’s Dementus, whose charming sadism and tragic backstory – he carries his daughter’s teddy bear with him and speaks about losing his family – makes for a compelling cult leader villain you can sympathize with. After being baptized by the smoke from the red flare, he transforms his mustached warlord look into a dark and twisted version of Thor. He is anything but subtle as he makes his presence known by shouting battle cries from afar against the roaring engines of his motorcycle chariot. He’s also very clear on his demands which makes him either the most intelligent person in the room or the craziest, maybe both. It’s as if Shakespeare wrote the character while on a cross-country journey with the Hell’s Angels.
Of course, since Furiosa is a part of the Mad Max mythology, this review would be remiss if it didn’t review the action. The juxtaposition between Furiosa’s lack of dialogue and Dementus’ penchant for theatrical dialogue helps rev up the action and excitement. Every frame of an action sequence is right in for your face to a point it almost feels like you are a part of the madness. Whether it’s the heat from a flamethrower, the stench of diesel fuel, choking on the billowing smoke, or holding on for dear life as you watch Furiosa dodge gunfire while on a moving war rig. Miller pulls us into this world with a death-defying sequence involving Furiosa hiding beneath a shiny chrome behemoth of a war rig driven by Praetorian Jack. She proves her mettle as she has to wiggle upside down the undercarriage while also repairing the damage and fighting off Dementus’ biker hoard.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” may have its moments but it also has its shortcomings, specifically when it comes to the cinematography and score. Simon Duggan can’t quite capture the grand beauty and epic scale on some of the bigger action sequences nor can he hide the fact that pieces of the film have glaring CGI or was shot on an obvious soundstage. Similiarly for Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL who brings hints of his work from “Mad Max: Fury Road” into the prequel but doesn’t do much to give the title character her own sound. However, it is a great reminder of why his work should be played loud whenever you’re in traffic.
Despite “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’s” flaws in its bloated runtime and shortcomings in trying to match or be greater than its predecessor, the prequel has what it takes to make it an epic cinematic experience. Browne and Taylor-Joy shine as a fearless and determined titular hero, forged by blood, sweat, fire, and diesel, who drives down a path of vengeance. And Hemsworth offers plenty of scene-stealing performances by channeling Shakespearean energy into his charming and crazed Dementus. If anything, Miller gives audiences other characters to watch out for that don’t involve a man named Mad Max.
9.5/10
Released in theaters May 24, 2024
