‘Furiosa’ a Spectacular Sequel to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’
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I’ll admit, I was a little apprehensive going into Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road is an absolute masterpiece and I wasn’t sure how George Miller would top or even match the exhilarating action, stunning visuals, insane stunt work, and impactful story beats of that film.
Similarly, I wasn’t sure that Anya Taylor-Joy would be able to bring the strength and power to the role of Furiosa that we saw from Charlize Theron, nor that Chris Hemsworth would deliver a villain that could live up to Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne).
But I’m happy to report that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga not only lived up to Fury Road but secured a spot among my favorite movies of the year.
This film gives us an origin story for young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) from her childhood in a land of abundance to becoming the hardened fighter we meet in Fury Road.
Along the way, her path crosses with Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), the leader of a growing gang of scavengers. He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he’s charming, the type to whip people up into a frenzy with a speech. Unlike Immortan Joe, Dementus is scrappy, a survivor more than a powerful leader.
Because Hemsworth is primarily known for Marvel, we tend to sleep on his talent as an actor. The dude is good. Really, really good. From Dementus’s broad Australian accent to the way his mental stability gradually declines throughout the story, this character is so immediately captivating. Both Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth knock it out of the park in Furiosa, but I loved every single frame of Hemsworth’s performance.
We’ve seen several films this year with amazing stunt work, but Furiosa feels like Miller is here to remind us what truly spectacular stunts look like. I had no idea how they would top the polecat sequence in Fury Road, but there are moments in this movie when my mouth was agape as I watched in awe.
Furiosa is truly a cinematic experience, a sight to behold on the big screen. Impressive from the first frame to the closing credits, it’s so nice to know that what is essentially a franchise film can still feel like an artistic vision.
