The fifth installment into the Mad Max universe arrived into theaters on May 24th. While the box office numbers were disappointing, the film definitely delivers fireworks from start to finish. Furiosa is a direct prequel to 2015’s Fury Road which went on to win multiple academy awards, making expectations high for the legendary director of the preview Mad Max films, George Miller.
Separated from her mother and home, a young Furiosa must find her way back despite being fueled with determination and revenge.
Knowing that the visual effects and numerous wild stunts that made Fury Road so spectacular to watch, Miller knew this rendition had to be just as crazy. Something that stood out about this film is that the director decided to make his story darker and introduce more violence than he’s ever had in his past films. Add to that some exceptional chase scenes that kept your heart pounding for most of the film and on the edge of your seat.
Another huge difference that stood out to me was the depth of the dialogue in Furiosa compared to Fury Road which leaned heavily on its visuals and action sequences. Furiosa provided more of a passionate atmosphere from the Australian cast. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) stole the show despite his ridiculous prosthetic nose with a poor make up job. Nonetheless, Hemsworth served as the anchor of the movie, giving the audience arguably his best acting performance of his career thus far. Newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu, Dune: Part Two) lands her first ever leading role as a younger version of Furiosa, played originallly by Charlize Theron in Fury Road. Taylor-Joy continues to impress with every role she earns in Hollywood. Furiosa showcases her ability to portray emotion and passion in her acting.
It wouldn’t be a George Miller film without some random head scratching moments like he’s done in the past but the impressive visual effects that leave audiences feeling excited by all the intense action sequences. Furiosa also showcases the brave and jaw dropping stunt work that hopefully will be a wake up call to the academy to add stunt ensemble to the list of awards they give out. While Furiosa may not surpass Fury Road’s expectations but the prequel does deliver fun and entertainment for movie goers.
Check it out, it’s worth a watch.
Directed by George Miller.
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
My Rating: 8/10.
Now in theaters.
Nick Michaels
Nick’s Flicks/VSBN