Set before the events in Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga details the journey of its titular heroine in the post-apocalyptic Wasteland, leading right up to Fury Road. Like its predecessors, this new entry in the franchise is set in a future Australia where society has collapsed due to the depletion of critical resources, war, and ecocide 50 years from now. Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy as adult, Alyla Browne as child) grows up in the Pole of Inaccessibility, a rare piece of land still rich in greenery and resources. During an attempt to sabotage raiders who have discovered the place, the young Furiosa is kidnapped by a group of nomadic marauders known as the Biker Horde. After a lengthy pursuit, Furiosa’s mother, Mary (Charlee Fraser), is brutally killed by the leader of the group, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), in front of Furiosa. Fueled by vengeance, she is determined to avenge her mother and to find her way home.

I should prefix this review with a declaration: I really, really love Mad Max: Fury Road. It is, in my opinion, the proverbial ‘really good’ action film – the comparison here is 2001: A Space Odyssey being the proverbial ‘really good’ science-fiction film. As such, I went into Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga with slight trepidation and even fear (honestly) that director George Miller was going to screw it up after a huge cinematic achievement in the franchise. I do have to say, I did let out a huge sigh of relief by the end of the film. Furiosa is a wonderful film in its own right, and a worthy prequel and entry in the high-octane franchise. There are a couple of things that I am most relieved about, with a crucial one being that Furiosa is not a remake of Fury Road.

Following the success of Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome attempted to replicate elements that worked in The Road Warrior without capturing its spirit and soul. The result was a climactic chase sequence that felt empty and unearned. While there are sequences and moments in Furiosa that are reminiscent of Fury Road, the prequel is its own creature. Spanning 16 years of adventure, the film chronicles the meandering journey of Furiosa navigating the Wasteland and learning the ropes of being a road warrior. It builds upon the world created in previous films and enriches the history and landscape of the Wasteland. Despite revisiting familiar locations like the Citadel, rocky canyons etc., the film never once feels self-referential and full of itself. It is a prequel that does not close the world in and does not feel the incessant need to provide backstories for everything that we saw in Fury Road - there is no needless explanation for the origin of her name, for instance (looking at you, Solo: A Star Wars Story).

With nearly two decades of stories to tell, the film is surprisingly concise and effective in its storytelling. Following the franchise tradition of minimal dialogue and allowing characters to shine and develop relationships through its action sequences, Furiosa embraces show-don’t-tell masterfully, much like its predecessor. Though not as tightly paced as Fury Road, Furiosa does have ample breathing space between its propulsive action sequences that allow the film and audience to breathe and pause, even just momentarily. In the end, the 150-minute runtime feels like a breeze despite the expansive and sometimes aggressive nature of the story.

I have always been a huge fan of Anya Taylor-Joy since watching M. Night Shyamalan’s Split, and Furiosa is yet another spectacular performance by the actor. With apparently fewer than 30 lines in the film, she manages to communicate and express the wants and needs of her character effectively through her expressive eyes. Alyla Browne is also great as young Furiosa, though I wish they hadn’t used AI to blend her looks with Taylor-Joy’s, as I value the importance of a raw performance more than consistency in a character’s face, especially when the character is portrayed over 16 years. Complementing Taylor-Joy are Chris Hemsworth as the pompous and theatrical Biker Horde leader, Dementus, and Tom Burke as the gentle yet fierce Praetorian Jack. Hemsworth was clearly having a great time playing the character, and so was I, watching him deliver Shakespearean lines about tears and vengeance. Tom Burke, on the other hand, matches Taylor-Joy’s energy and expressiveness with his eyes, particularly during the film’s central chase sequence titled The Stowaway.

Furiosa matches Fury Road in its colour, cinematography, and music, even if it never quite reaches the same height. Junkie XL returns as the film composer following his magnificent work in Fury Road, and I was slightly disappointed by the lack of new themes that could rival his previous efforts for the franchise. As far as sound design and sound mixing are concerned, the film is spectacular to listen to, especially in a huge theatre with a big sound system. To quote Miller, this is a ‘silent film with sound’. The cacophony of noises, engine roars, shrieks, and explosions is deafening and incessant at times, yet they always serve a purpose and never become needlessly present. The production design is marvellous, just like in Fury Road. The vehicle designs are always a hoot to feast your eyes on in these films, and the details to the craft are endearing to watch.

All in all, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a splendid prequel and a worthy entry in the adrenaline-fueled post-apocalyptic franchise. It is no Fury Road, and thankfully, it does not try to be, nor does it need to be. With engaging performances, edge-of-the-seat action sequences, and enriching world-building, Furiosa cements itself as a must-watch for action lovers and is definitely worth a visit to the cinema for a rip-roaring cinematic experience.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)