Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an epic revenge tale in which both Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth deliver incredible performances.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an epic revenge tale that boasts two incredible lead performances, stunning visuals, and edge-of-your-seat action. The stuntwork is impeccable and it doesn’t shy away from the gore. That being said, it does suffer from pacing issues and could have easily been a two hour film, instead of nearly two and a half hours long.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga explores the backstory of the beloved character made famous by Charlize Theron. This time Anya Taylor-Joy embodies her, as she tells the story of how she became the way she is. We get see what Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) did to her as a child, and how that shaped her into the ruthless woman she is in Mad Max: Fury Road.
Director / Writer George Miller welcomes fans back into this post-apocalyptic world with open arms. Always delivering on the brutality of humans and leaning in on their desperation to survive. There are not a lot of resources any more, so there are constant fights between factions in order to get ahead.
The cinematography, especially during the “road warrior” scenes is incredible. There are stunning, sweeping, visuals, as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. The score also helps to heighten multiple scenes, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats, even though we more or less know where Furiosa ends up.
Anya Taylor-Joy Is Incredible As Furiosa
When taking on an iconic role that is connected in world to someone else’s portrayal of them, it is important to study their take on the character. Anya Taylor-Joy very clearly did her research. Her mannerisms, her posture, and the way she delivers lines feels exactly the same way that Theron embodied Furiosa. She absolutely crushes her performance, never leaving viewers doubting this is the same Furiosa.
Taylor-Joy’s chemistry with Tom Burke, who plays Praetorian Jack, brings something sweet and down to Earth to their scenes together — even when they are intense. They play off each other extremely well and you cannot help but root for them as a couple, even though those who have seen Fury Road can wager a pretty good guess as to how things turn out.
Chris Hemsworth Almost Steals The Show
While Anya Taylor-Joy is the clear standout in the title role, Chris Hemsworth does a pretty good job of nearly stealing the show from her. Dr. Dementus is an over the top, mustache twirling, villain, who provides a lot of the comedic relief throughout the film. He is hilarious and quirky, and it is pretty obvious that Hemsworth is having the time of his life.
When Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth meet each other on screen, they are electric. This is the meat and bones of the revenge tale, and they absolutely deliver. There is one scene in particular, towards the end of the film, where viewers will get lost in the story of these two. It is equal parts exhilarating and compelling. They both deserve award nominations for their performances.
The Pacing Is Off At Times
Alyla Browne plays young Furiosa for nearly half the movie. She does a wonderful job, truly letting the audience in on what she has been through. We feel her pain and understand why she so desperately seeks revenge when she is older. That being said, it was surprising that it takes so long for Anya Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa to enter the picture.
The beginning and end of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga are nearly perfect, but it is the transition between these two versions of Furiosa that the movie loses its way for a moment. The pacing is off, and it starts to drag on, becoming far too slow in comparison to the heart pounding and intense moments.
Still, it does find its way back and once things settle into Taylor-Joy’s story, the movie goes full throttle, never slowing down.
Overall Thoughts
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is not as good as Fury Road, but it is up there. Anya Taylor-Joy perfectly embodies this iconic and beloved character, breathing new life into her while also honoring Charlize Theron’s version of her.
The visuals are stunning, the stunts are epic, and the revenge story is propelled by pure hatred. Chris Hemsworth delivers an incredible performance as the over-the-top villain Dr. Dementus.
Be sure to stay through the credits, as clips from Fury Road are played, connected the two films in a way that truly brings it all together.
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About Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth star in Academy Award-winning mastermind George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with the seminal “Mad Max” films. Miller now turns the page again with an all-new original, standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the multiple Oscar-winning global smash “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
The new feature from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures is produced by Miller and his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Babe”), under their Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga comes to theaters everywhere on May 24th.
