TL;DR – It is a film that roars to life and explodes on to the screen, captivating you with every turn.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit sequence.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review –

Well, this was always going to be an interesting film for me. The last entry in the Mad Max Saga, as we are now calling it, Fury Road, blasted onto the world and had a profound effect on me. It is one of those rare films that I have watched over and over again, and each time, I found a new detail I had missed before. It is in my Top 10 Films of All Time list for a reason. This means that there was some trepidation when I walked into the theatre wondering how a prequel to that film could stand up, but the second my seat reverberated with a motorcycle roar, I knew that I was in for something exciting.

So, to set the scene, a young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is living in the green land of many mothers when she comes across three bikers who have discovered their hidden sanctuary. Being captured, her mother (Charlee Fraser) chases Furiosa across the desert till they make it to the roving camp of Praetorian Jack (Chris Hemsworth). He sees her value as the one person who knows where the place of abundance is and brings her into his collection, which is where she first meets the leader of the Citadel, Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).

The first surprise that I found with Furiosa was its structure. I was expecting a very standard opening prologue, followed by our story hitting into full gear. However, what we get is a series of vignettes that hit key points of Furiosa’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) life as she grew up and became the Imperator that we know from the previous movie. It is because of this that I want to take a moment to congratulate Alyla Browne for nailing that role for young Furiosa. So much of the film is built on that opening sequence, and you need to believe that she would eat the tubing of a motorbike while it is in full flight for the rest of the film to work, and I did.  

Indeed, that opening captures you because it prepares you for the intensity that is going to happen throughout the film. There is a lot more ebb and flow to the pacing, so you are not in a full flight for the whole timeframe. However, when it goes to 110%, it does not mess around. It sucks you in with the beautiful visuals of the Australian deep desert, engages you with the special effects that it is known for, and then kicks it out of the park with each new scenario. Can I please recommend you see this film on the most giant screen you are able to because you will want to feel the roar of the motors reverberate in your seat as the chase begins.     

It is at this point that we must acknowledge that Chris Hemsworth exists and how this might be the best role he has ever done, or at least the best role I have personally seen him in. The prosthetic work and the costumes combine with his acting to create something truly remarkable. There is a character that exists purely on the strength of his bravado, a frail foundation, made more fraught but a deep sadness in his heart. We get someone who is selfishly evil while also being deeply complex. Also, with respect to Anya Taylor-Joy, she must jump into what is an iconic role and carry the second half of the film all by herself.

Each of the vignettes has a different energy, and I think which one you like the most will be very personal. For me, I liked the opening sequence as we raced across the desert. Even though you know how it will end, some of you still hoped it would work out. One of the small things was how everyone instinctively scavenged or destroyed everything that fell near them. From an action perspective, there is also the flying convoy which might be the most George Miller thing that has ever George Miller-ed. Also, Bullet Town showed how they learned from the experience of Fury Road what needs to be practical and what works as a visual effect.          

From a production perspective, it is just as good as the series has ever been. Tom Holkenborg’s musical score hit just as hard, but they also know when silence is just as important. The production design is better than just about everything out there at the moment; it feels like a real world, one very much grounded in its Australian setting. It also helps that every actor is here for it, and it shows. While it was great to see George Miller explore more character work in this series. One area where the film does suffer is in the pacing. The end feels oddly rushed, and there is a scene where I am slightly concerned about its construction and use of AI, which I hope I am wrong about. Also, it does take a bit to get going, but I don’t mind that.

In the end, do we recommend Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga? Yes, we would. Now, you need to go into the film not expecting it to be Fury Road. It is a different film. However, it captivated me from the opening zoom into Australia and never let me go. If you liked Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, we would recommend to you Dune: Part Two.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Directed by – George Miller
Screenplay by – George Miller & Nico Lathouris
Based on – Mad Max by George Miller & Byron Kennedy
Music by – Tom Holkenborg
Cinematography by – Simon Duggan
Edited by – Margaret Sixel & Eliot Knapman
Production/Distribution Companies – Village Roadshow Pictures, Kennedy Miller Mitchell, Universal Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring – Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, George Shevtsov, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Charlee Fraser, Elsa Pataky, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman, David Field, Rahel Romahn & David Collins with Goran Kleut, CJ. Bloomfield, Matuse, Ian Roberts, Guy Spence, Rob Jones, Clarence Ryan, Tim Burns, Tim Rogers, Florence Mezzara, Quaden Bayles, Peter Stephens, Sean Millis, Lee Perry, Dylan Adonis, David Barnett, Shea Adams, Daniel Webber, Josh Randall, Karl Van Moorsel & Jacob Tomuri
Rating – Australia: MA15+; Canada: 14A; Germany: 16; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R