Explosions, crazy warlords, metal machines of death, and a blighted landscape. The Mad Max franchise returns with its latest instalment – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – giving us more post-apocalyptic action with vehicles and dieselpunk. And it doesn’t disappoint – once it emerges, the frenetic energy of the movie never stops.
Synopsis
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (referred to as Furiosa henceforth) is a post-apocalyptic science-fiction action movie that’s the fifth in the Mad Max franchise. It is a prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. The film follows the adventures of the title character, as she finds herself plucked from an idyllic life and thrust into a mission of revenge.
Director: George Miller
Writer: George Miller and Nico Lathouris
Cast:
- Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa)
- Alyla Browne (young Furiosa)
- Chris Hemsworth (Dementus)
- Tom Burke (Praetorian Jack)
- Lachy Hulme (Immortan Joe, Rizzdale Pell)
- Nathan Jones (Rictus Erectus)
- Josh Helman (Scabrous Scrotus)
- John Howard (The People Eater)
- Angus Sampson (The Organic Mechanic)
- Charlee Fraser (Mary Jo Bassa)
- Lee Perry (The Bullet Farmer)
- Goran D. Kleut (The Octoboss)
Running time: 148 minutes
Crazy glorious action befitting of a Mad Max movie
While the eponymous hero of the franchise makes a brief cameo in the movie, the insane action is everpresent in all its magnificent glory. Spectacular stunts and sprawling set pieces abound, ensuring that every inch of the Wasteland is an unforgettable. Desolate as the setting may be, it’s definitely not boring – thus living up to its name by infusing mad energy into every scene.
Chris Hemsworth truly “hems” it up
I have to confess – I did a double take when I first heard Chris Hemsworth’s character, Dementus, speak. Did I misidentify him? That is Chris Hemsworth, right?
As the movie progressed, I saw Dementus getting bigger and bigger (dramatically), chewing up more and more scenery (the Wasteland is huge), until I realised this wasn’t a mistake – Hemsworth was truly playing the part of the overblown, bombastic villain. It’s definitely against type, but in this movie, it worked. I liked it.
Ham it up more, Chris “Hamsworth”!
Furiosa leads a truly cursed life
Except for a few moments of bliss in the beginning, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) faces misfortune after misfortune after misfortune in the film. It underscores just how terrible the wasteland is and miserable life is in this dystopian hell, especially when you see that Furiosa’s personal hell begin from childhood. Seeing how she acquires a horrible injury is really just the violent icing on the cake of Wasteland hell.
Fury Road‘s characters appear, but can’t participate much
Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), Rictus Erectus (Nathan Jones), The People Eater (John Howard), The Bullet Farmer (Lee Perry) and other characters from Mad Max: Fury Road make their appearance in the film, to further cement the link between the movies. But narratively, there’s little they can do – the meat of their plot belongs to Mad Max: Fury Road, and the events of this film can’t contradict that. So while it’s great to see them, there’s also little impact they can provide, and few direct conflicts they can take part in. Still, seeing Immortan Joe again made me snicker.
The names – a product of the 80’s
Mad Max is a franchise that was birthed in another era – the 80’s – and is a product of its time. It has been modernised and updated to the contemporary sensibilities (yes, the 80’s is no longer contemporary), but some aspects are iconic. Like the names. Oh, the names. I’m not a fan of the overwrought nature of the names, but I also can’t see how subtle (or even normal) names would fit into the film. Either you love the names, or you don’t.
A fine balance between the plot and action
If you watched Mad Max: Fury Road then you know where Furiosa has to end – in a place where the former begins. Between where Furiosa starts and where it has to end, there’s very little deviation that can be afforded, since it is a prequel, after all. It makes up for it with plenty of action, but sometimes the action gets in the way of the pacing. It’s only at the very end that Furiosa and Dementus wax lyrical, seemingly to make up for the dearth of dialogue in the rest of the movie. But then, we’re here for the insane action of the Mad Max franchise, which it delivers in spades.
Conclusion
If you loved Mad Max: Fury Road, then Furiosa is more of the same. It’s a sprawling, post-apocalyptic wasteland peppered with larger-than-life characters and mad stunts. It’s violence and action galore, replete with diesel punk vehicles seemingly dreamed up in a fever dream. Most importantly, it answers the question of Furiosa’s raison d’etre, while serving up another heaping serving of Fury Road. As a prequel to a movie that’s almost a decade old, it manages to carve out it its own place in the Mad Max franchise.
Score: 7/10
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