Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Director: George Miller
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Alyla Browne, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, George Shevtsov, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman, Charlee Fraser, Dylan Adonis, Elsa Pataky, Daniel Webber
Running Time: 148 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

It makes sense that the very idea of Mad Max: Fury Road getting a prequel would cause instant skepticism among fans who consider it one of the finest action movies of the decade. But we know nothing's off limits in Hollywood, as the history of this particular franchise has already proven. There were Mad Max movies before Fury Road, and despite the inexplicably poor box office performance of Furiosa, it's still a safe bet we'll see even more. Few thought this property could survive without Mel Gibson, until Charlize Theron came along and with a single outing established herself as equally irreplaceable in viewers' eyes. Now, it's someone else's turn. 

Rotating leads notwithstanding, the real key to the series' success has always been visionary director George Miller, who believably shoots action and spectacle better than just about anyone. A revenge story through and through, Furiosa's broken into five titled chapters filled with spectacular action sequences, incredible Simon Duggan cinematography and award worthy costuming and production design. So while audiences were busy basking in the enormity of Dune: Part Two, they somehow  missed out on the year's other huge sci-fi event.    

In post-apocalyptic Australia, a young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is captured by wasteland Raiders on motorcycles while picking peaches. After being taken to their leader, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), he demands she lead them back to her home, The Green Place of Many Mothers, which is one of the last remaining areas with fresh water and agriculture. But when Furiosa's mother Mary (Charlee Fraser) is crucified by Dementus when attempting to rescue her, he adopts the girl as his own, agreeing to trade her to Citadel warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) in exchange for valuable supplies. 

When Furiosa runs from the clutches of Joe's son Rictus (Nathan Jones), she disguises herself as a mute teen boy, rising up the ranks of Joe's army for over a decade while helping to build the massive War Rig tanker. Still haunted by the past, an older Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy), eventually trains under driver Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), making plans to ambush Dementus at the dilapidated Gastown. With her sights set on finally confronting the man who murdered her mother, Furiosa has no intention of showing him any mercy. 

If the decision to go with an origin story removed Theron from the equation (save a brief cameo via archival footage), it's fair to say Taylor-Joy silences any doubters with an intensity that more than makes up for how little she physically resembles the actress preceding her. And recasting this role rather than testing the limits of iffy de-aging technology was a wise play from one of the few big budget filmmakers who's effectively balanced practical effects and CGI. 

Miller further proves this by implementing what's might be the crispest use yet of AI technology, subtly modifying young Alyla Browne's face into Taylor-Joy's as the character ages. This results in very little daylight between the two portrayals, helping to make the film's jump ahead in time look and feel seamless. It almost works too well since it's hard to pinpoint when exactly the older actress takes over the role. 

Since most of the first hour focuses on the child counterpart, many have complained Taylor-Joy's part is merely a supporting one. But if that's true then you may as well apply that same false logic to Browne, who plays young Furiosa with a steely determination that sets the stage for that second half. In actuality, each carry equal weight for their section of the story, making it easier to buy both as one in the same.

Unrecognizable behind his wig and prosthetic nose, Hemsworth's never been better as the dastardly Dementus. On one hand, his scheming character is entirely unserious, delivering one liners and dry, witty soliloquies to disarm adversaries, even as own underlings disrespect him. But Hemsworth eats this up, as his over-the-top mannerisms and facial expressions conveying a ruthless, sleazy streak that not only makes him a formidable opponent for Furiosa, but a wildly entertaining villain. 

The movie feels most alive when Hemsworth's on screen, but there's more than enough to take in while he isn't, like some awe-inspiring chase scenes and battles that make its two and a half hour run time fly faster than the considerably shorter Fury Road. Much of that could also be due to a story that, while steeped in allusions to religion, myth and politics, is solely about this girl's evolution from impressionable child to hardened, world weary badass warrior. Taylor-Joy isn't given much dialogue, but doesn't need it, her eyes telling us all we need to know about Furiosa's quest for revenge and potential journey back to the Green Place via that star map tattooed on her arm.

Dementus unintentionally set the wheels in motion for his own potential demise, even if he's too arrogant to notice. But before we get there, Furiosa fights alongside and bonds with Jack, who's probably the film's closest equivalent to usual franchise protagonist Max Rockatansky. And it's impressive just how much mileage Miller and co-writer Nico Lathouris get out of a pairing that leads to this sensational Gastown attack, as spraying bullets, high speed desert chases and flipping tanks culminate in the confrontation we've all been waiting for. 

Whether Dementus remembers what he did to Furiosa's mother, and how it does or doesn't change what's on her mind for punishment, leads to a compelling test of wills that Miller keeps us glued to our seats for. The ending skirts that line between legend and lore, organically shaping the future Imperator while laying the groundwork for what we know comes next. Furiosa isn't intended to be a deep, philosophical treatise, but an epic, pulse pounding adventure best experienced on the big screen, only making its lack of commercial success even more perplexing.