Just saw "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", the fifth film in the "Mad Max" film franchise that serves as both a spin-off and a prequel to 2015's "Mad Max: Fury Road". Once again directed and co-written by George Miller ("Lorenzo's Oil", "Babe: Pig in the City", "Happy Feet") and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, it is about as close to perfect as an action film can get in virtually every regard.
In a post-apocalyptic Australia, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is forcibly taken from her home in the Green Place of Many Mothers by members of a large Biker Horde. The Horde's leader Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) tries to extract the necessary information about Furiosa's origins, but she remains tightlipped throughout her ordeal. For failing to cooperate, Dementus then executes Furiosa's mother right in front of her and later decides to adopt her as his own surrogate daughter. Over time, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) works her way up through the ranks of Dementus's Horde, eventually becoming a valuable asset to his entire team. One day, Dementus's Horde stumble upon a large citadel operated by the ruthless Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), whose refusal to give up dominance results in a large scale war erupting between the two factions. Amidst the chaos, Furiosa finds herself fighting back against various enemies from both sides, all while trying to navigate her way back home to the Green Place.
Decades ago, many unsuspecting international audiences were first treated to the world of Australian cinema through the "Mad Max" series. This set of films, which follows the story of the wandering nomad Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson), has since gone on to become one of the most influential post-apocalyptic forms of media, attracting a loyal fanbase worldwide. In 2015, the belated fourth film in the series "Mad Max: Fury Road" was successful in bringing the franchise back into public relevance after a 30 year long absence. One of the most notable supporting characters in "Fury Road" was Furiosa, a tough-as-nails amputee played by Charlize Theron who teams up with Max (Tom Hardy) to bring down their mutual enemy. Nine years later, Furiosa's origins are told to us in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", which not only works as a great action film on its own, but also as an excellent study of the title character's motivations and the situations that moulded her into the fierce warrior she was forced to become.
Taking place several years before the events of "Fury Road", the film introduces Furiosa as a naive young child living among the inhabitants of the utopian Green Place. In this idealistic paradise, Furiosa lives a peaceful existence with her mother, remaining blissfully ignorant of the apocalyptic conditions that lie beyond her familiar home. However, Furiosa's innocence is soon shattered after she is kidnapped and used as leverage by a Biker Horde, which in turn becomes her first real exposure to the outside world. After she refuses to help their leader Dementus, he cruelly forces Furiosa to watch as he kills her mother, never allowing her to shut her eyes throughout the whole process. It is here the film begins to show us the interesting relationship between Furiosa and Dementus, with the two taking on the roles of adoptive daughter and authoritative step-father, respectively.
As she grows older, Furiosa works hard to adapt to the harsh environment she is subjected to against her will. Since this is a world where fuel, food, weaponry, and even basic human intellect are hard commodities to come by, proving yourself useful to the specific group you belong to is the most important asset for survival. For instance, to prevent herself from standing out as a woman among a crew of mostly men, Furiosa shaves her head bald, becomes selectively mute, and masquerades as one of the male Horde members using a cloth to cover most of her face. But most notably, we see how she has become desensitised to the brutal nature of her new reality, often staring death in the face multiple times.
Over the course of Furiosa's time in the Horde, Dementus develops something of a paternal fondness for her. After forcing her to watch him execute her mother, Dementus offers the young Furiosa the gift of a plush toy rabbit that once belonged to his biological daughter, hinting that he now considers her part of his close family. Naturally, Furiosa rejects this gift, refusing any kind of comfort from the man who murdered the one person that mattered to her the most. Nevertheless, Dementus recognises the young girl's resilient nature, later using her as a crucial member of his Horde as they conquer and annex other settlements throughout the wasteland. Unbeknownst to Dementus, Furiosa is secretly planning her own revenge plot, biding her time for the correct moment to bring him and his Horde to their knees.
In addition to this engaging story, the film also contains plenty of the signature vehicular chase scenes the series is known for. George Miller frames every one of these fast-paced action sequences like they were crucial to the plot, and not a single second of them went to waste. All kinds of vehicles ranging from high octane motorcycles, large fuel trucks, and even parasailing scooters rush through the desert at top speed with precision that even rivals "Top Gun: Maverick". The stunt work is also commendable here, with characters leaping to and from vehicles with only a matter of centimetres driving a wedge between them and certain death. According to producer Doug Mitchell, one of these stunt sequences actually took 79 days to shoot properly, which is quite incredible the more you think about it.
Visually, the film also features some gorgeously shot scenes that immerse the audience in the atmosphere of this post-apocalyptic world. Whether it's Furiosa standing silhouetted among the landscape of the empty wasteland or the clever framing of Dementus as some kind of deity, the cinematography makes it easy to feel like you are a part of this story where basic human civilisation has collapsed. One shot I particularly loved was when Dementus's large convoy are invading another settlement and the camera zooms out to show how isolated this sizeable encampment is from other inhabited colonies. The sheer size of the location juxtaposed with how insignificant the Horde looks in comparison reminds the audience of how much work will need to be done if humanity were to rebuild after such a cataclysmic event.
Taking over from Charlize Theron, Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job stepping into the shoes of Furiosa, one of the best written female heroes to grace cinema screens in a long time. Though Furiosa is a character of few words, Taylor-Joy's ability to act using her facial expressions and body language are able to speak more than any verbal dialogue ever could. There are so many instances where you can see the pain in her eyes as she endures one hardship after another, yet she painstakingly fights through it all despite how much it hurts. Her struggles draw comparison to other notable female film heroes, like Ellen Ripley from "Alien" and Sarah Connor from "The Terminator", in that we can actually see her grow as a person throughout the course of her suffering. Other film studios should take note that this is how you're supposed to write a strong female character, by putting her through real, believable challenges and learning how to come out on top in the end.
As the villain of the story, Chris Hemsworth is highly effective in the role of Dementus, who seems perfectly tailored to a character like this. I really enjoyed watching how Dementus is able to maintain control over his followers, to the point where he is even worshipped by some members of his Horde. He does this by instilling a sense of fear into others while simultaneously maintaining a level of respect towards those he can find some use for later. It is through Dementus's relationship with Furiosa where he starts to show his softer side, viewing her as the daughter he never had the chance to see grow up. Hemsworth previously played a manipulative cult leader in 2018's "Bad Times at the El Royale" so it's not too much of a stretch to see him portraying a character like Dementus, who has similar objectives.
Being a "Mad Max" film without Mad Max, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" deservedly earns its place as a fantastic addition to the franchise by reminding us all of why this series has remained so popular for over four decades. It finds ways to explore the already established universe with a completely different character but without ever disrespecting the original hero in the process. I would be more than happy to see Furiosa's character in other "Mad Max" related media, as there is potential for her story to continue beyond this one and "Fury Road". Personally, I think it would be in George Miller's best interests to redirect his focus back to the series' namesake, since there is even more of his story that still needs to be told. Regardless, the future certainly looks bright for both Miller and the "Mad Max" series as a whole.
I rate it a very high 9.5/10.
In a post-apocalyptic Australia, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is forcibly taken from her home in the Green Place of Many Mothers by members of a large Biker Horde. The Horde's leader Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) tries to extract the necessary information about Furiosa's origins, but she remains tightlipped throughout her ordeal. For failing to cooperate, Dementus then executes Furiosa's mother right in front of her and later decides to adopt her as his own surrogate daughter. Over time, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) works her way up through the ranks of Dementus's Horde, eventually becoming a valuable asset to his entire team. One day, Dementus's Horde stumble upon a large citadel operated by the ruthless Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), whose refusal to give up dominance results in a large scale war erupting between the two factions. Amidst the chaos, Furiosa finds herself fighting back against various enemies from both sides, all while trying to navigate her way back home to the Green Place.
Decades ago, many unsuspecting international audiences were first treated to the world of Australian cinema through the "Mad Max" series. This set of films, which follows the story of the wandering nomad Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson), has since gone on to become one of the most influential post-apocalyptic forms of media, attracting a loyal fanbase worldwide. In 2015, the belated fourth film in the series "Mad Max: Fury Road" was successful in bringing the franchise back into public relevance after a 30 year long absence. One of the most notable supporting characters in "Fury Road" was Furiosa, a tough-as-nails amputee played by Charlize Theron who teams up with Max (Tom Hardy) to bring down their mutual enemy. Nine years later, Furiosa's origins are told to us in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", which not only works as a great action film on its own, but also as an excellent study of the title character's motivations and the situations that moulded her into the fierce warrior she was forced to become.
Taking place several years before the events of "Fury Road", the film introduces Furiosa as a naive young child living among the inhabitants of the utopian Green Place. In this idealistic paradise, Furiosa lives a peaceful existence with her mother, remaining blissfully ignorant of the apocalyptic conditions that lie beyond her familiar home. However, Furiosa's innocence is soon shattered after she is kidnapped and used as leverage by a Biker Horde, which in turn becomes her first real exposure to the outside world. After she refuses to help their leader Dementus, he cruelly forces Furiosa to watch as he kills her mother, never allowing her to shut her eyes throughout the whole process. It is here the film begins to show us the interesting relationship between Furiosa and Dementus, with the two taking on the roles of adoptive daughter and authoritative step-father, respectively.
As she grows older, Furiosa works hard to adapt to the harsh environment she is subjected to against her will. Since this is a world where fuel, food, weaponry, and even basic human intellect are hard commodities to come by, proving yourself useful to the specific group you belong to is the most important asset for survival. For instance, to prevent herself from standing out as a woman among a crew of mostly men, Furiosa shaves her head bald, becomes selectively mute, and masquerades as one of the male Horde members using a cloth to cover most of her face. But most notably, we see how she has become desensitised to the brutal nature of her new reality, often staring death in the face multiple times.
Over the course of Furiosa's time in the Horde, Dementus develops something of a paternal fondness for her. After forcing her to watch him execute her mother, Dementus offers the young Furiosa the gift of a plush toy rabbit that once belonged to his biological daughter, hinting that he now considers her part of his close family. Naturally, Furiosa rejects this gift, refusing any kind of comfort from the man who murdered the one person that mattered to her the most. Nevertheless, Dementus recognises the young girl's resilient nature, later using her as a crucial member of his Horde as they conquer and annex other settlements throughout the wasteland. Unbeknownst to Dementus, Furiosa is secretly planning her own revenge plot, biding her time for the correct moment to bring him and his Horde to their knees.
In addition to this engaging story, the film also contains plenty of the signature vehicular chase scenes the series is known for. George Miller frames every one of these fast-paced action sequences like they were crucial to the plot, and not a single second of them went to waste. All kinds of vehicles ranging from high octane motorcycles, large fuel trucks, and even parasailing scooters rush through the desert at top speed with precision that even rivals "Top Gun: Maverick". The stunt work is also commendable here, with characters leaping to and from vehicles with only a matter of centimetres driving a wedge between them and certain death. According to producer Doug Mitchell, one of these stunt sequences actually took 79 days to shoot properly, which is quite incredible the more you think about it.
Visually, the film also features some gorgeously shot scenes that immerse the audience in the atmosphere of this post-apocalyptic world. Whether it's Furiosa standing silhouetted among the landscape of the empty wasteland or the clever framing of Dementus as some kind of deity, the cinematography makes it easy to feel like you are a part of this story where basic human civilisation has collapsed. One shot I particularly loved was when Dementus's large convoy are invading another settlement and the camera zooms out to show how isolated this sizeable encampment is from other inhabited colonies. The sheer size of the location juxtaposed with how insignificant the Horde looks in comparison reminds the audience of how much work will need to be done if humanity were to rebuild after such a cataclysmic event.
Taking over from Charlize Theron, Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job stepping into the shoes of Furiosa, one of the best written female heroes to grace cinema screens in a long time. Though Furiosa is a character of few words, Taylor-Joy's ability to act using her facial expressions and body language are able to speak more than any verbal dialogue ever could. There are so many instances where you can see the pain in her eyes as she endures one hardship after another, yet she painstakingly fights through it all despite how much it hurts. Her struggles draw comparison to other notable female film heroes, like Ellen Ripley from "Alien" and Sarah Connor from "The Terminator", in that we can actually see her grow as a person throughout the course of her suffering. Other film studios should take note that this is how you're supposed to write a strong female character, by putting her through real, believable challenges and learning how to come out on top in the end.
As the villain of the story, Chris Hemsworth is highly effective in the role of Dementus, who seems perfectly tailored to a character like this. I really enjoyed watching how Dementus is able to maintain control over his followers, to the point where he is even worshipped by some members of his Horde. He does this by instilling a sense of fear into others while simultaneously maintaining a level of respect towards those he can find some use for later. It is through Dementus's relationship with Furiosa where he starts to show his softer side, viewing her as the daughter he never had the chance to see grow up. Hemsworth previously played a manipulative cult leader in 2018's "Bad Times at the El Royale" so it's not too much of a stretch to see him portraying a character like Dementus, who has similar objectives.
Being a "Mad Max" film without Mad Max, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" deservedly earns its place as a fantastic addition to the franchise by reminding us all of why this series has remained so popular for over four decades. It finds ways to explore the already established universe with a completely different character but without ever disrespecting the original hero in the process. I would be more than happy to see Furiosa's character in other "Mad Max" related media, as there is potential for her story to continue beyond this one and "Fury Road". Personally, I think it would be in George Miller's best interests to redirect his focus back to the series' namesake, since there is even more of his story that still needs to be told. Regardless, the future certainly looks bright for both Miller and the "Mad Max" series as a whole.
I rate it a very high 9.5/10.
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