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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga review The Adrenaline-Fueled Masterpiece That Will Leave You Breathless
Updated: Aug 6, 2024
> "Oh what a day! What a lovely day!"
Those iconic words, bellowed by the unforgettable Immortan Joe in Mad Max: Fury Road, rang through my mind as the closing credits rolled on Furiosa. George Miller has done it again, creating a jaw-dropping, visionary masterwork that not only expands the richly constructed world of his Mad Max saga, but elevates it to stratospheric new heights. This movie is a full-throttle thrill ride from start to finish that will have you gripping your armrests in white-knuckled excitement.
As an obsessive fan who has rewatched Fury Road countless times, analyzing every bullet casing and gear shift, I had skyscraper-high expectations for Furiosa. Miraculously, Miller didn't just meet those expectations - he smashed through them like the mighty War Rig plowing over a pack of scavenger vehicles. This prequel is a monumental achievement that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Do not watch it at home first - that would be sacrilege! You need to experience its thunderous intensity and eye-gasming spectacle as the creator intended.
The Badassery of Furiosa Begins
The film kicks into high gear right away, introducing us to a young Furiosa (the phenomenal Alyla Browne) in idyllic green surroundings that seem lightyears away from the dusty, sunbaked hellscape we're used to. This tantalizing tease of her humble origins doesn't last long, as Furiosa and her mother are soon captured by the grotesque warlord Dementus and his band of "Mad Bastards" on motorbikes.
Furiosa's transformation from innocent child into hardened warrior unfolds across five superbly crafted chapters that span 15 years. As she reaches adulthood, the magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the role and cements herself as an action icon for the ages. Her Furiosa is lean, uncompromising badass perfection, with the actress conveying worlds of pain, determination and barely-contained rage through little more than intense stares and clenched jaw muscles.
On the subject of perfect casting, Chris Hemsworth will have you cackling in disgust and delight as the gleefully deranged Dementus. He's a vainglorious, shredded psychopath who rules his armada of motorbikers with an iron fist - when he's not cruising along in his spiked "chariot" carved from a hotrod chassis like some diabolical Roman emperor. Hemsworth clearly relished going full campy villain mode, gnawing on scenery with his ludicrous voice and manner of speaking that makes every line drip with delicious, demented menace. He's the MVV (most valuable villain).
But while the performers are impeccable across the board, the true star of Furiosa is the movie's gobsmacking visuals and action choreography that flexes Miller's mastery like never before. You'll find yourself holding your breath during the extended chase sequences, which are staged and edited with such mathematical precision that it achieves a hypnotic quality amidst the bombarding onslaught of dust, fire and metal. The showpiece is easily the mind-bogglingly audacious airborne assault on a War Rig convoy that must go down as one of the greatest sustained action pieces ever captured on celluloid. How these supremely talented stunt performers and crewmembers accomplished these feats is simply unbelievable. There's no CGI crutch in sight - this is all agonizingly real and utterly breathtaking.
While jaw-dropping mayhem is the marquee attraction, Furiosa never skimps on world-building that further enriches the Mad Max mythos. We finally get to explore the mysterious locales like Gas Town and Bullet Farm that were merely whispered about before, rendered here in all their grotesque, ramshackle glory. But most spellbinding of all are the interludes set in The Green Place, a lush oasis that hints at the lost natural beauty and serenity of this scorched world. These scenes are so vividly realized, you can almost feel the grass between your toes and smell the fresh vegetation. They offer a stunning contrast to the explosions of hellish action and stand as a poignant testament to the paradisal Earth that was poisoned and destroyed long ago.
If I have one minor gripe, it's that Furiosa moves at such a breakneck pace that it can feel slightly overstuffed with mythological detours that aren't always fully fleshed out. But in the moment, you'll barely notice as Miller's turbo-charged vision sweeps you away on a barbaric and intoxicating thrill-ride punctuated with tragic character moments that pack a visceral punch. There's a haunting depth and melancholy amidst the rousing anarchy, centered around Furiosa's primal quest to find redemption and regain her lost humanity.
This intricate balance of thunderous spectacle and intimate storytelling cements Miller's status as a generational talent and virtuoso world-builder whose wildly unique creative voice and uncanny ability to blend pulp grindhouse energy with grand mythic ambitions is unmatched. At 88 years old, he's making movies with the verve of a ravenous 25-year-old while putting supposed "visionaries" half his age to shame. The man is an Aussie god.
A Holy Masterpiece of Kinetic Chaos
In case you can't tell by now, I'm utterly and completely blown away by Furiosa. It's a holy masterpiece of kinetic chaos, a feat of baroque madness that consolidates the Mad Max saga's legendary status while actively expanding and evolving it into richer, more emotional territory. This is more than just a movie - it's a full-body experience that burrowed its way into my psyche and soul, imprinting indelible images and sounds that will be haunting my memory forever. Like the best movies, it depletes and exhilarates you, leaving you both moved and utterly exhausted...but hungry to ride eternally shiny and chrome into the valhalla of its badass madness again immediately.
Conclusion
Furiosa is a mind-blowing, nitro-injected masterpiece that takes the Mad Max saga to even more ambitiously insane heights. George Miller has crafted a visionary extension of his post-apocalyptic mythology that expands the world while finding shades of pathos and depth amidst the mind-blowing, hyper-stylized action spectacle. Anchored by an iconic performance from Anya Taylor-Joy and deliciously campy villainy by Chris Hemsworth, this movie is a full-body thrill ride that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Do not waste any more time reading reviews - rush out and experience this adrenaline-fueled descent into madness for yourself. To witness Furiosa's badassery on the big screen is to be reborn, shiny and chrome.
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10 Question FAQ
1. **What is Furiosa about?**
Furiosa is a prequel to the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road that explores the origins of the character Furiosa, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. It shows her journey from being kidnapped as a child to becoming the hardened warrior who crosses paths with Max Rockatansky years later.
2. **Is Furiosa part of the main Mad Max storyline?**
Yes, Furiosa is very much canon and part of George Miller's overarching Mad Max saga continuity. While not directly involving Max, it provides key backstory to the iconic Furiosa character.
3. **How does the tone and style compare to Fury Road?**
While still packed with mind-blowing vehicle action, Furiosa adopts a slightly more measured, episodic structure compared to Fury Road's relentless pace. There are more mythic detours and world-building asides amidst the showstopping set pieces.
4. **Who are the main actors in Furiosa?**
The lead is Anya Taylor-Joy as the adult Furiosa, with Alyla Browne playing her as a child. Chris Hemsworth is the villainous warlord Dementus, with Tom Burke as the character Praetorian Jack.
5. **How is Chris Hemsworth's performance as the villain?**
Hemsworth is gloriously over-the-top and campy as Dementus, clearly relishing chewing the scenery as this gleefully unhinged and vainglorious psychopath. He's a delightfully memorable Mad Max villain.
6. **How are the action sequences?**
The extended vehicle chase/combat sequences are astonishingly well-executed, achieving a hypnotic kind of precision and impact rarely seen in modern movies. The mid-air assault on a War Rig convoy is a showstopper for the ages.
7. **Does the movie expand the Mad Max universe well?**
Absolutely. We finally get to explore locations like Gas Town and the Bullet Farm in mind-blowing detail. But the greatest worldbuilding is reserved for the lush, haunting Green Place oasis setting that contrasts so strikingly with the scorched wasteland surroundings.
8. **How is Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa?**
She's simply perfect, managing to convey incredible intensity and badassery through very little dialogue via her piercing stares and physicality. Taylor-Joy instantly cements herself as an action icon on par with Sigourney Weaver in Aliens.
9. **How is the pacing and length of the film?**
At nearly 2.5 hours, it's an densely packed, muscular movie that fires on all cylinders without any noticeable lulls. If anything, it might feel a tad overstuffed with mythology detours, but you'll barely notice in the moment.
10. **Is Furiosa worth watching in theaters?**
Unquestionably yes! This is a true big screen spectacle experience that must be seen in theaters to be fully appreciated. The visuals, sound design and heart-pounding intensity deserve the premium theatrical treatment. Don't make a mistake watching at home first.
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