Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is rated R for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images.
Enhance Ticket Rating:
44/50 Tickets
- Director: George Miller
- Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Alyla Browne, Tom Burke
- Written By: George Miller and Nico Lathouris
- Music By: Tom Holkenborg
- Cinematography By: Simon Duggan
- Genre: Action-adventure, Sci-fi
- Runtime: 2 hr 29 m
- MPAA Rating: R
- Release Date: May 24, 2024
- Enhance Ticket Rating: 44/50
Synopsis ~ A young Furiosa is kidnapped by bikers who work for Lord Dementus. They take her away from the Green Place of Many Mothers, they kill her mother who tried to rescue her and they roam the wasteland before finding Citadel led by Immortan Joe. The two warlords engage in a war for Citadel while Furiosa lays low to plot her way back home and to get revenge on the man that took everything from her.
REVIEW
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has a lot to live up to. It is a prequel to one of the most beloved action movies of the 21st century and it serves as the origin story to Imperator Furiosa who was a breakout character in that movie. If I had to pick one movie from 2024 that was my most anticipated of the year, it would probably be this one. From the first trailer, I was pumped for this one. I never got to see Mad Max: Fury Road in theaters so I wanted to make sure I did not miss this film. I saw it on opening day… and what a lovely day it was at the movies.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga succeeds on nearly every level. It is a great action movie in its own right and it serves as a fantastic prequel to Fury Road. This is an action movie epic that somehow manages to gather all of the interesting elements from all four Mad Max movies to deliver an epic tale of revenge, survival and war. It combines the revenge theme of the first film, the post-apocalyptic war setting in The Road Warrior, the world-building of Beyond Thunderdome and the visceral and insane action of Fury Road to deliver a prequel that compliments Mad Max: Fury Road beautifully.
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The tone of this movie is not as dark as Fury Road as the bad guy in this movie is a little more humorous and the situation is not quite as bleak as Fury Road, but it is still an intense and dark movie. The story is about power control over two evil warlords and Furiosa trying to stay alive and get her revenge on Dementus. It is about how Furiosa’s whole childhood gets taken from her so she becomes the stoic and quiet warrior that she is as an adult. This is a revenge tale on a much bigger scale than the original Mad Max as she goes up against a much bigger threat and more enemies. It is an enthralling story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The pacing is slower than Mad Max: Fury Road, but Furiosa is constantly engaging because of the character drama and the incredible world-building that sets up the war in the wasteland. Furiosa’s character gets expanded upon too as we see why she becomes as rebellious as she is and how she got a mechanical arm. This movie fleshes out not just the world of Mad Max, but the character of Furiosa too. I also love how in this conflict between two warlords throwing everything they have at each other, she just wants to make Dementus pay for taking away her childhood.
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While I prefer the set pieces in Fury Road just on a visual and spectacle level, Furiosa has some breathtaking action in its own right. The standouts include the battle of The Bullet Farm and the chase scene that goes on for 15 minutes! Both of these set pieces are filled to the brim with impressive stunt work, beautiful cinematography and choreography, sweeping camera work and sheer intensity. There is so much back and forth on who has the advantage in these chases and the tactics the combatants use to fight that it adds to complexity of the action. Also, the paragliders are awesome here adding a layer of coolness to the movie.
The climactic sequence is mesmerizing especially in the final confrontation between Furiosa and Dementus. While it is not as flashy as the chases and battles beforehand, it is by far the most powerful moment in the movie. One of the most chilling climaxes of the year and that I have seen in recent memory.
The visuals look breathtaking as the movie uses several impressive tracking shots and beautiful imagery that has a few disturbing images. Also, this movie has a few graphic moments, one of which made my jaw drop. It is not because it is bloody, but it is an important part of Furiosa’s story told in the coolest way possible. Between this movie and Dune: Part Two, this is a great year for movies that take place in desert areas. The costumes and makeup are all on point as we would expect from a Mad Max film. The set designs are very imaginative, capturing the state of the three fortresses beautifully. The direction by George Miller is dynamic as he delivers in telling an engaging story in a visually thrilling and narratively epic way. The soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg is not quite as strong as Junkie XL’s masterful score in Fury Road, but it is very good with the music in the final 30 minutes sending chills down my spine. This movie is a marvel on every technical level, matching its already fantastic story.
Anya Taylor-Joy does not show up as Furiosa until around the second act, but once she does we can see how this woman nails the character. For a role that gives her minimal dialogue, she makes the most of it with her presence in every scene she is in, especially in the climactic scenes. From the attitude, to Furiosa’s mannerisms, to her voice and her stoic personality, Anya Taylor-Joy delivers a captivating lead performance as the title character that gives Furiosa depth and personality. I saw the Furiosa I knew from Fury Road in each one of Taylor-Joy’s scenes. Also, Taylor-Joy is seen to be a very capable action star here, because it looked as though she performed a lot of her own stunts in the action scenes. She is proving with each film she stars in that she is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. Between this, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Northman and The Menu she is really shaking up the formula for Hollywood stars and what roles they are allowed into. Also, Alyla Browne captures the young Furiosa perfectly as well, pinpointing specifically to the moment her childhood is taken from her.
Chris Hemsworth makes for a fantastic and memorable villain as Lord Dementus. I could tell Hemsworth loved playing as a bad guy with how he chews the scenery, but he takes the role very seriously at the same time. While Dementus is not as outright depraved as Immortan Joe, he is an intimidating, charismatic and clever villain in his own right despite some goofy moments. Also, he is probably the most human villain I have seen in a while. Dementus is very powerful and ruthless giving the audience many reasons to root against him, but what makes him memorable is that by the end of the film, we are reminded that he is a vulnerable human just like everyone else in the wasteland. Dementus might be my favorite villain in the Mad Max world because he is fun to root against, he has some surprising amount of depth and Chris Hemsworth delivers on every aspect of this character from his charisma to his intimidation.
The supporting cast is pretty solid too. Charlee Fraser is magnificent as Furiosa’s mother saying so much with just her eyes alone. Fraser has little screen time, but she makes the most of it, leaving a big impact on the story. Lachy Hulme is very good as a younger Immortan Joe, nailing his mannerisms. Tom Burke makes for a solid supporting character as Praetorian Jack who serves as a love interest for Furiosa. Burke shares a surprisingly sweet chemistry with Anya Taylor-Joy in a film filled with no hope and death. John Howard is fun as the people eater and Nathan Jones is surprisingly unsettling as Rictus. This is a great supporting cast that compliments the amazing leads.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is breathtaking in so many ways. It is a whole different beast from Mad Max: Fury Road, but this is a great prequel that builds on the universe these movies take place in while also improving the story of Fury Road by adding depth to Furiosa and the dangerous wasteland of a world. It also succeeds as its own action movie epic with an engaging story, memorable characters and enthralling sequences filled with beautiful destruction and dynamic stunts. I adore this movie and I think it will remain as one of my favorite movies of 2024 and as one my favorite blockbusters of the decade. Furiosa should be seen on the biggest screen possible.
This article was written by Enhance’s friend Jared Jacoby and edited by team member Sidney J Floyd-Armstrong. Be sure to subscribe and keep an eye on the blog for more from our team and for more movie and video game reviews from Jared!
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