Anya Taylor-Joy stars in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."
Rebecca's Take
One of the best action movies ever made, 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” stepped on the gas and never let off. Visionary director George Miller’s adrenaline-fueled thrill ride picked up six Academy Awards for its stunning depiction of a post-apocalyptic future.
Reviving the “Mad Max” franchise, the dystopian epic introduced a new female heroine for the ages. Bald-headed and one-armed warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) emerged as one of the most exciting movie characters in the last decade. Theron’s resilient yet sensitive War Rig driver deserved a film of her own.
Nine years later, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” a prequel to “Fury Road” and the fifth “Mad Max” film, delves into the heroine’s backstory. The game Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the plum role from Theron.
“Furiosa” boasts strong performances and the quality craftsmanship Miller is known for. But the prequel may have been doomed by high expectations following “Fury Road.” With its predecessor’s tall shadow hanging over it, “Furiosa” never shifts into the same gear. The bloated actioner feels more like a Sunday drive than a high-octane chase.
Set nearly two decades before “Fury Road,” “Furiosa” follows its titular heroine as she is kidnapped from the Green Place, an abundant oasis, by ambitious warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). After witnessing tragedy, Furiosa (first played by Alyla Browne, then Taylor-Joy) learns how to survive in the Australian wasteland and works her way up the ranks.
The resourceful survivor finds herself caught between two warring factions: Dementus and his dominion over the coveted oil refinery of Gastown, and cruel tyrant Immortan Joe (Lachey Hulme) and his stronghold of the Citadel. The determined heroine embarks on a path of vengeance as tensions escalate between both sides.
Forty-five years after 1979’s “Mad Max,” “Furiosa” continues Miller’s unique vision for the franchise. The film thrives on a technical level, and the special effects are solid. The prequel features a parade of decked-out vehicles, including an early version of the War Rig from “Fury Road," tailored to withstand the barren desert. The gritty film is bathed in sandy browns and earth tones, mimicking the unforgiving landscape. The cinematography by Simon Duggan, taking over from John Seal of “Fury Road,” pops onscreen.
But “Furiosa” lacks the constant thrills of its predecessor. Miller is one of the best at directing action. But the prequel’s drawn-out, two-and-a-half-hour runtime focuses more on setup than action. Taylor-Joy doesn’t join the film until an hour in (you read that right).
Only a few sequences come closest to replicating the thrill of “Fury Road.” About half-way through, “Furiosa” springs to life during an exciting chase involving the War Rig. Taylor-Joy must maneuver herself up, down and around the moving vehicle. A spectacular attack later on includes some memorable moments, including fiery vehicle crashes, Furiosa rising up from a pile of ashes and dozens of bullets falling around Dementus. However, there’s nothing in “Furiosa” that surpasses the vibrant sandstorm chase and climactic battle at the Citadel in “Fury Road.”
Miller takes chances with the prequel. The director/co-screenwriter tries to subvert the action formula in “Furiosa” with a dialogue-heavy climax that focuses on talking instead of action. It’s a bold choice, but it doesn’t pay off. In between the action, the film borders on dull. The end credits may make moviegoers wish they were watching “Fury Road” instead.
The prequel coasts on the strength of its lead performances. The ultra-talented Taylor-Joy dives into the role of Furiosa, stepping into Theron’s shoes with ease. The actress plays a believable younger version of the popular character. With limited dialogue, Taylor-Joy reveals Furiosa’s emotions through her eyes and expressions. The actress deftly handles the challenging physicality of the role. “Furiosa” shows how its heroine was driven by revenge, much like how Max Rockatansky was motivated in the original film. The prequel also shows how Furiosa developed a sense of justice, which ties into “Fury Road” and the kinship she formed with Max.
Playing against type as the villain, the committed Hemsworth shines as Dementus. The “Thor” and “Extraction” actor hams it up while also appearing menacing as the egotistical leader. A showman at heart, Dementus embraces his theatricality and uses it to his advantage. Hemsworth and Taylor-Joy play off each other well as they confront and battle one another. Dementus is not as smart or manipulative as Immortan Joe, though. The commanding Hulme excels at taking over the role of the shrewd tyrant from the late Hugh Keays-Burne.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is well-shot, well-crafted and well-acted. But it falls short of the high bar set by “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The prequel is not the mile-a-minute action masterpiece that its predecessor was. The action is good, but not as memorable as in “Fury Road.” It’s too long, dragged down by its anticlimactic showdown. However, its cast is all in for the ride. Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job of taking over the role from the popular Theron. The versatile Hemsworth shows he has more tools in his wheelhouse.
Furiosa finally gets her time to shine in “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” But the film needed more polishing to do total justice by its iconic heroine.
3 out of 5 stars
Chris Hemsworth stars in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."
Joe's Take
Visionary director George Miller waited 30 years to add 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” to his franchise. The masterpiece earned six Academy Awards among its 10 nominations. With the popularity of the Furiosa character, originally played by Charlize Theron, Miller decided to tell her origin story nine years later with “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” It led the weekend, pulling in about $32 million domestically, the worst Memorial Day opening weekend No. 1 since 1995’s “Casper” earned $22 million. That’s a shame because it’s definitely worth the theater experience.
I saw “Fury Road” in the theater twice, an incredible film only elevated by the big screen. “Furiosa” brings that same kind of spectacle. As with many sequels, it tried to go bigger than its predecessor. Because of that, “Furiosa” required more CGI. As a result, the scenes that looked so real with the incredible practical effects of “Fury Road” felt a little cartoonish in “Furiosa.” However, that’s more of a compliment to “Fury Road” than it is a knock on “Furiosa.” The prequel boasts some incredible scenes, especially a war rig chase sequence. It’s only when compared to its predecessor that “Furiosa” seems less than.
“Furiosa” works beautifully as a companion piece to “Fury Road.” The prequel takes the intense sequences that made “Fury Road” so great and adds more plot. The inciting action in “Fury Road” comes when the war rig turns left. “Furiosa” tells more of a story. There’s more dialogue and chapters. I definitely prefer the approach of “Fury Road.” The way Theron and Tom Hardy (Mad Max) built their relationship through respect of their abilities as warriors and common goals instead of dialogue proved masterful. However, “Furiosa” proved effective, too. While the audience naturally gravitates toward Furiosa in “Fury Road,” the prequel shows how she was hardened by life through great storytelling, a charismatic villain and an unlikely mentor.
“Furiosa” reveals what the title character had — a land of “abundance,” a tight-knit community and a loving mother. All is lost to The Wasteland and treacherous leader Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Hemsworth shines in a departure from his usual roles. The "Thor" actor captures the character’s charisma and blends it with brutality. He’s easy to underestimate, but doing so is not in his enemies’ best interest. Tom Burke (Praetorian Jack) plays Furiosa’s mentor. He does an excellent job hiding his emotions and remaining stoic during intense chase sequences. However, his body language breaks slightly when it comes to Furiosa. They build a believable chemistry and they gain each other’s respect in the same way she gains it with Mad Max in “Fury Road.” They’re smart, skilled in combat and fear nothing. The war rig chase sequence is a nice callback to the “Fury Road” war rig/motorcycle chase scene where the main protagonists build relationships without saying a word. It also adds to why Furiosa so quickly gained respect for Mad Max because he reminded her of Praetorian Jack.
Anya Taylor-Joy is great in everything and that doesn’t change here. Portraying a character originally played by the great Theron is no easy task, but Taylor-Joy nails it, capturing her look and planting the seeds of who she would become. However, she also makes it her own, showing the emotions the Theron Furiosa hides and displaying the recklessness of her younger adult years. We also spend a lot of time with the young Furiosa, played well by Alyla Browne. She captures that childhood invincibility and shows how Furiosa’s heart goes dark with her glare when her world is turned upside down.
The prequel is two hours and 28 minutes, about a half hour longer than “Fury Road.” Again, this is a difference in approach. “Furiosa” has intense sequences, but it also has the down time to give the audience a chance to relax. It’s just a difference of pace, but both work. What did take a big step back was the score. The Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL score is phenomenal in “Fury Road,” but felt nonexistent in “Furiosa.” I think that had to do with the slower pace. “Fury Road” boasted a consistent, relentless score and it needed it for the two-hour thrill ride with little dialogue.
Ultimately, the thing that hurts “Furiosa” the most is its predecessor. “Fury Road” is a masterpiece and any movie trying to match its greatness is fighting a losing battle. But, this is a great companion piece with strong acting, impressive action and an engaging origin story of a beloved character. Sadly, the box office numbers are underwhelming. Here’s hoping word of mouth can boost the profits because these are the kind of movies meant for the big screen.
4 out of 5 stars
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