I had a chance to see Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) in theaters but for whatever reason couldn’t go. I watched it months later, and realized what a terrible mistake I had made. Fast forward about a decade and I was able to see Mad Max: Furiosa (2024) in theaters the day I wrote this article. I jumped at the chance to write this review, making sure that I secured the right to write about it a few months in advance.
For George Miller, the expectations for this film were enormous. The first film was both a critical and financial success, and received numerous Oscars nominations and wins. Besides that, it wouldn’t be hard for me to say that it is one of the best action films of this century, if not all time. I am happy he decided to make a prequel about Furiosa, who is one of the standout characters of the “first film”. Max is ok in the first film, but there is not much to go on with the character and I would be surprised if they continued his story either as a sequel or prequel to Fury Road. The film Furiosa adds to the lore of Mad Max, introducing the viewers to such places as ‘The Green Place’, ‘The Bullet Farm’, and ‘Gastown’ that had only been alluded to in the previous film. It was great to see such additions to the lore and this extends to the characters as well. We get to see more of Immortan Joe, The People Eater, and others that were in the first film. That’s probably my favorite thing, that it was able to expand and flesh out the universe of Mad Max.
Like Fury Road before it, the action need to be seen to be believed especially when no one else is working with this style, and to iterate further on a modern classic, we are talking about some thrilling action here.
Furiosa is a different animal than Fury Road, focusing less on action and more on the character, and the story. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of action but there is also time for the story to breathe. The first movie has almost no story, whereas Furiosa forges an exceptional one. While it is simply a revenge tale, it is able to work quite well because of the performances of the main two actors; Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Helmsworth. It is never too slow during the slower parts and is able to be a great contrast to the fantastic action scenes. The action of course is great. It would be hard to have messed up the action scenes and they are equal if not better than its forebearer. A lot of long shots in both action and still scenes show that both George Miller and editor Margaret Sixel are at top of their games. Like Fury Road before it, the action need to be seen to be believed especially when no one else is working with this style, and to iterate further on a modern classic, we are talking about some thrilling action here.
Anya Taylor-Joy is great as Furiosa, in a role where there needs to be more acting with eyes and facial expressions. I have seen her in The Witch (2015), Last Night in Soho (2021) and The Northman (2021) and this is different from all of those earlier roles. Here she barely talks, just like Max in the previous film. It’s obvious she does a lot of her own stunt work which gives the action a heightened realism and authenticity. Chris Helmsworth is also at his best in the role of Dementus, a biker gang overlord who is the reason for Furiosa’s quest for vengeance. While Immortan Joe is a villain centered around order and allegiance, Dementus embodies chaos and disorder. He never has a concrete plan and just likes to wield power. Helmsworth’s portrayal of him can be a little over the top to the point of being a little annoying, even so it’s up there with the best performances of his career. Another standout is Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack, the War Rig driver and mentor of Furiosa. Who I had only seen in the BBC’s Musketeer series before this, evidently, he is not the caliber of star that his fellow cast members are. But he’s able to handle the role quite well and was quite the surprise package.
It’s hard for me to determine which film I liked better, so I won’t. Both are great action films but are also somewhat different from each other. The ending of Furiosa can be a little underwhelming, if only because of how sensational the rest of the film is. It’s another exceptional entry into the Mad Max franchise by George Miller. The film has been rated highly by critics and audiences alike and yet it is having trouble in the theaters. And that’s exactly where you should see a film this bombastic and bold, in the theaters – even if you are a little deafened by the experience like I was. Even with that slight, passing impairment – it’s worth it.
Mad Max: Furiosa (2024) is playing at Cinemas Nationwide Now
