-Written by John Cajio.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a film that does not suck. It does not match the breathless velocity of its predecessor, and it occasionally bows under its own weight, but this is still a George Miller masterpiece with lots on offer in terms of breadth, depth, and spectacle.
Taking place over the course of an unspecified period of time before the events of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga tells the story of the titular character originally portrayed by Charlize Theron (and brilliantly in my opinion), but here portrayed by both Alyla Browne (playing Furiosa as a child) and Anya Taylor-Joy (playing Furiosa as a young adult), as she is kidnapped as a young girl and struggles to survive in the brutal post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland.
It was considered a controversial choice by many that Miller opted to recast Furiosa instead of bringing Theron and using de-aging technology. For my part, I reserved judgment until I could see the results for myself. The internet thrives on outrage and there was no small amount of it with this choice. The internet also lost its mind when Santa Monica Studio opted to recast the role of Kratos for 2018’s God of War, but that is now considered unquestionably a great decision on the part of the studio. I’ve learned not to put much stock in the latest outrage porn on the Internet. Getting back on track, I think recasting Furiosa was certainly a good call and, probably, the right one. Theron was terrific as an experienced road warrior in the service of Immortan Joe. She portrayed both the weariness and the wariness of someone who’s driven the mighty War Rig countless times over an endless period and survived each time, while finally allowing a long-simmering and carefully concealed plan to come to fruition. But the version of Furiosa in this new film required something different: a quiet boldness and the intensely energetic rage of someone freshly scarred, which Taylor-Joy provides in abundance. Could Theron have successfully played a younger version of Furiosa? Maybe. Probably. But, you know what? It doesn’t matter. Taylor-Joy owns this younger version of Furiosa, and that’s what counts here.
Chris Hemsworth portrays the primary antagonist, Dr. Dementus. He is usually delightful on screen. He gives a generally over-the-top performance that is typical of Mad Max villains, but there is an inconsistency to his performance that I found jarring, where he is occasionally and strangely subdued. He does, more or less, shed any remaining vestiges of his longtime portrayal of Thor in the MCU.
The surprise performance of the film belongs to Lachy Hulme as Immortan Joe. Previously portrayed by Hugh Keays-Byrne in Mad Max: Fury Road (he also portrayed the villain Toecutter in the original 1979 Mad Max film), there is hardly any perceptible difference in appearance or performance between what the two men provided on screen.
The relationship between The Citadel, Gastown, and The Bullet Farm is highlighted here in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. It was something that was casually explored in Mad Max: Fury Road, but here the surprisingly cooperative nature that each fortress has on the other is highlighted in full, especially as Dr. Dementus ramps up his campaign to disrupt their alliance.
Spectacle is in no short supply here in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The cinematography by Simon Duggan is absolutely stunning, effectively displaying the vast emptiness, the bleak beauty, and the haunting desolace of the Australian wastelands. At the same time, the few green places (The Citadel and the aptly named Green Place) are lush and gorgeous (with the latter conveying a sense of safety the former lacks, even as the shattering of that sense of safety kicks the plot into gear).
There is significantly less action here in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga than in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. The 2015 film was effectively a two hour action film occasionally broken up by pockets of simmering drama. This new film, on the other hand, opts for a slower, more drawn out pace. It’s also significantly longer at 148 minutes. That combination hinders the film a bit, but not enough to pull one away in the end. It’s just not as tightly told as Mad Max: Fury Road. And while there may be less action in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, that action is mostly confined to two truly astounding set pieces that make the action sequences in Mad Max: Fury Road seem like it was done by a couple of five-year-olds with Hot Wheels.
The sound design is stellar, except when it’s not. Engines roared, bullets shattered, and explosions boomed terrifically. The surround sound mix was impeccable. As a car would cross from left-to-right, so would its corresponding engine and road noises. The film is a masterclass in foley design and cross-channel mixing. Tom Holkenborg returned to compose the music, and it was great to hear themes from Mad Max: Fury Road return along with a smattering of new themes. His music knows its role: enhance but don’t take over. Occasionally, however, dialogue would be overwhelmed by ancillary foley sounds. Unfortunately, these weak moments in the audio mix stand out because the rest of it is really great.
Director Miller, also co-writing with Nico Lathouris, did something many thought nigh impossible to do: make a worthy successor to what’s oftentimes considered the perfect action film. It’s a bit longer, and it’s a little slower, and, to be fair, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga does fall just short of the high watermark made by Mad Max: Fury Road. Which means it’s still a damn good film—one unquestionably worthy of spending the time and money to see (and a trip to the theater will only bolster the experience).
Directed by George Miller.
Written by George Miller and Nico Lathouris
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Alyla Browne, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, etc.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
