2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road is one of my favorite films. Never before had I seen a racing film with such a distinct style. Combine that with some truly exceptional action set pieces and some fantastic stunt work and you have one of the best western action films on top of that. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a prequel to Fury Road which expands upon the foundation while delivering more of what worked in the previous films. The film is directed by George Miller, the architect behind the entire series which first began in 1979.

The universe of Mad Max is set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Australia, with anarchy and chaos ruling this world. The scraps of humanity that remain battle over scarce deposits of water, food and gasoline. Within this desert exists a scarce patch of abundance. Our protagonist Furiosa is taken by scavengers leading to a lifetime of violence driven by revenge.

There is a sense of profound melancholy that hides under the surface of the epic action that drives our story. We explore the debauchery of man and the abandonment of morality out of a need for survival. However, despite all the carnage and brutality Miller always injects just a hint of hope.  Many of these themes were present in Fury Road and I’m glad to see them make a return and given further exploration here.

Like in the previous film, you can expect some outstanding set design, costuming, makeup, and cinematography within this story. I love how the character designs reflect the damaged nature of the setting. Miller fills his world with grotesque monstrosities of flesh, steel, and leather who ride across the landscape in vehicles embodying the aspects of excess, destruction, and death. Symbolism is also an essential element that feels quite appropriate in a world that foretells a grim future for modern civilization.

The color palette is ruled by red, black, orange, grey, and bone white. Miller then introduces other colors to emphasize key narrative points or illustrate character arcs. For example, Furiosa is garbed in blue, the color of water and thus life at the beginning of the film. However, in the end, she is overtaken by the primary palette illustrating how the harshness of the outside world has changed her.

In terms of the performances, I quite enjoyed Chris Hemsworth who takes on the role of the antagonist, Dementus. He brings a sickening charisma to the role that works especially well for the storyline. Anya Taylor-Joy is also pretty solid here and I enjoy how she is able to convey a lot through physical acting rather than relying on dialogue.

In terms of weaknesses, I feel I should point out that sometimes the script can give characters too much plot armor. I was initially put off by this but after reflecting I find it can add to the mythic quality of the story given it is a frame narrative. Still, some viewers might be taken out of the story by this aspect so I feel it’s important to mention.

Additionally, at times the story can meander a bit. It can feel awkward when compared to Fury Road, which constantly had you on edge with a barrage of sounds and sights. Here we take things a little slower and this makes the film slightly less consumable but does allow it to expand on the worldbuilding.

Now make no mistake the action scenes that are here are still exceptional. There’s an extended truck sequence about midway through the film that is nothing short of masterful. Miller utilizes the camera in a way that feels as though you are riding along with the characters on these vehicles constantly shifting and flipping angles along the cars.

It’s hard for me to decide if I like Furiosa’s story more than the original film as it certainly improves within a few areas. For instance, the main characters feel much more fleshed out here. However, the overall narrative structure isn’t one that I haven’t seen before within the action genre, and in fact, it’s probably the most common plot for action films. Regardless, Miller still executes this tried and true formula exceptionally well while delivering a better atmosphere than any other. It’s not often when you can leave a theater and be surprised that the world you’ve just spent two hours or so within is still just a fantasy.

Just like it’s predecessor, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga delivers a memorable tale and left me so immersed within this desert world of gas, guns, and warped religious zealotry that I couldn’t get it out my mind. If you’ve ever enjoyed the core series or action films in general this is a must-watch.

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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Outstanding set design and costumes
• Great action
• Setting and worldbuilding
• Good performances
• Strong themes

Cons

• Not as concise as Fury road
• Revenge is nothing new here