George Miller’s series gets its fifth part, telling us the story of Furiosa.
We all know Furiosa from the last installment, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which was portrayed by Charlize Theron. Now, we see the origin story of Furiosa, and the younger version is played by Anya Taylor-Joy.
Since “Fury Road” is one of the great films of the last decade, we expect a lot from this prequel. Miller knows how to be raw, beautiful, brutal, and entertaining at the same time.
This film follows 10-year-old Furiosa, played by Alyla Browne. She lived in a small paradise-like place called Green Place of Many Mothers. That place is kept secret, and people of the Wasteland have only heard rumors about it. After picking up fruits, she is captured by a biker gang, and her mother, played by Charlee Fraser, tries to save her. Her mom is a very skilled fighter and killer, and we now know where Furiosa got her fighting skills.
Furiosa’s story is brutal, and she wants to escape, but there are only a few opportunities. He first ends up living with Warlord Dementus, played by Chris Hemsworth. He is disgusting and fascinating at the same time, with maybe a humorous twist, too. He wears a white flowing cape and drives a chariot drawn by motorcycles.
We see his absurd character throughout the film; it is interesting how Miller put this personality together. Furiosa ends up living in Citadel, familiar from “Fury Road.” This young woman does everything not to get abused and killed. This Chaotic journey takes her, and the viewer to very dark places, and George Miller gives us exactly what we expected. Some of the scenes are disgusting, and some are just very empowering. AND without spoiling this film, we finally find out why Charlize Theron has only one hand in “Fury Road.”
Furiosa has only 30 lines in this film, which tells you that action is elsewhere. Anya Taylor-Joy does an incredible job, and it is interesting to see how much you can act with body language and eyes. All the actors in the key roles are good choices, and if you get over some of the grossest scenes, you are fine with your popcorn.
This film is a must-see this spring, and If you are a “Mad Max” enthusiast, this is a no-brainer. It is hard not to compare this to “Fury Road.” Maybe we shouldn’t. These films have a different premise, so go to the theatre with an open mind.
Review 4 out of 5
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Warner Bros.
2h 28 min
Rated R
Director: George Miller
Writer: George Miller, Nick Lathouris, Prateek Bando
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Charlee Fraser, Lachy Hulme, Tom Burke
