Eschewing narrative economy for an epic five-act saga, this prequel to Fury Road is a different beast of a film, focusing first on drama and then action, effectively deepening the mythos of the Wasteland.
Review #2,806
Dir. George Miller
2024 | Australia, USA | Drama, Action, Adventure | 148 min | 2.39:1 | English
NC16 (passed clean) for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
Plot: As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe.
Awards: Official Selection (Cannes)
Distributor: Warner
Accessibility Index
Subject Matter: Moderate – Post-Apocalyptic World; Survival & Exploitation
Narrative Style: Slightly Complex
Pace: Normal
Audience Type: Slightly Mainstream
Viewed: Shaw Waterway IMAX
Spoilers: No
No one knows better than George Miller himself that it is near impossible to top Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which is arguably the greatest Hollywood action blockbuster of the last two decades.
So instead of working on an even more spectacular sequel, he has opted for a prequel that goes back to the origins of Furiosa, a character that frankly overshadowed Max in Fury Road.
With Anya Taylor-Joy replacing Charlize Theron in the driver’s seat, Furiosa is a different beast of a film in many ways as compared to its predecessor.
First, it eschews narrative economy for an epic five-act saga (perhaps one chapter too many though) that somewhat bloats its runtime. Miller traces Furiosa from child to young adult, as she is captured and exploited by Dementus (Chris Hemsworth in a rare villainous role).
“Lady and gentlemens! Start your engines.”
Secondly, the post-apocalyptic wasteland may look familiar but Miller does much more world-building here. For instance, we see Gastown and Bullet Farm, two locations that were only mentioned in passing in Fury Road.
Thirdly, while the vehicle chase sequences remain impressive, they aren’t quite the show-stopping attraction of old. That’s probably because Miller has consciously flipped his approach, which focuses on drama first and action second.
As a tale about freeing oneself from the shackles of oppression, Furiosa continues Fury Road’s thematic trajectory. Some might say that Miller doesn’t offer anything new but even if that may be true to some extent, what Furiosa does is deepen the mythos of the Wasteland.
An inhospitable place it may be, it is still Earth, and one that is sadly all too recognisable to us—be it the hoarding of finite resources by the ruling class, the countless brainwashed ‘yes-men’ of certain political persuasions, or the insidious military-industrial complex that is responsible for sparking the wars of yesteryears and tomorrow.
Grade: B+
Trailer:
Music:
Eternality Tan 
An excellent review. I am definitely looking forward to watching this film soon. I may be in the minority, but I wasn’t a huge fan of “Mad Max: Fury Road”. I thought it was an impressive technical achievement offering awe-inspiring action. While I appreciated its breathtaking action sequences, I wasn’t too impressed with the storytelling. I recently rewatched it and found it hard to care for any of the characters. Miller focused upon spectacle leaving little room for character development. I’m curious to see whether this latest sequel which focuses on Furiosa’s origin story improves upon the first film. Your review has definitely given me hope that it succeeded.
Here’s my thoughts on “Mad Max: Fury Road”:
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I think you might like Furiosa more…
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Great review once again. As it turns out you were absolutely right. I appreciated this film far more than “Fury Road”. It’s a powerful prequel that found great ways to improve on the first film. Loved Anya Taylor Joy.
Here’s my thoughts on the movie:
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