“Do you have it in you to make it epic?”
A question that Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) utters in the film, and it’s a question that we were asking George Miller when a prequel focusing on Furiosa was first announced. With Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Miller manages to answer that question, and the answer he provides is a resounding yes, as he manages to bring to us a film on par with Fury Road’s scale, putting our worries to rest.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a prequel to George Miller’s 2015 hit, Mad Max: Fury Road that focuses on its deuteragonist, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy). It follows her from when she was a child, as we see her get snatched by her mother by Demetus. As time goes by, they come across Immortan Joe (Lacey Hulme). The two tyrants wage war for dominance, while Furiosa must survive many trials as she looks for way her way back home, also plotting revenge on Demetus.
If Mad Max: Fury Road was one of the best action films of all time, then I can say with great confidence that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is easily one of the best prequels we’ve ever laid eyes upon; it’s arguably not even one of the best, but the best. This is the fifth film in the Mad Max franchise, but Miller manages to open up the world some more, providing background and great detail to the films that came before, primarily Fury Road. It acts as a great connecting piece to its predecessor but is also written in such a way that allows the audience to watch it without any prior knowledge of its characters or the world.
Everything about this film is breathtakingly stunning, and none of it would work if it weren’t for George Miller, the way he wrote these characters, and the way its cast took those words and brought them to life. Furiosa is one of the best-written characters that have come out of cinema this year. Her story is tragic, and it only gets worse before it remotely starts looking up for her. Even then, we know she still suffers because of her story in Fury Road, but for someone who has been through so much, she speaks so little. This impacts the film heavily as it means that every line Furiosa speaks holds a lot of weight, power, and meaning, unlike a character like Demetus, who, well, just talks a lot of nonsense.
Anya only speaks about 30 lines in the entire runtime of the film, and it’s not only her that pulls off an amazing performance—probably one of her best—but her young counterpart, Alyla Browne, who sets the pace and tone for her character and what’s in store for the rest of the film.
Demetus was personally a villain that I enjoyed more than Immortan Joe, as he had a larger presence in the story and was just a whole lot of fun to watch. Chris Hemsworth brings his personality into the role in a unique way where it doesn’t just feel like you’re watching Chris Hemsworth; you’re watching this entirely different person with a sprinkle of Chris in him. It is without a doubt Chris Hemsworth’s best role, and he shows with it that he knows how to handle a villain role.
The film reaches heights that seem impossible but clearly aren’t, as you’re witnessing them with your own eyes. The use of CGI is heavy, but without it, the film wouldn’t be able to be as outlandish and crazy as it is. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is less of an action film than Fury Road was, but that doesn’t mean it lacks action. The film spends its time building on the character of Furiosa, which is its main priority, but every time there is an action sequence, it’s met with an out-of-this-world set piece with unspeakable actions taking place on the screen. There are fewer action sequences, but George Miller makes sure that each one that we come across is something worth talking about once you’ve left the theater.
The cinematography is stunning, and it’s just something that you can’t forget after watching this film. The use of colours such as red in certain scenes where a wicked and twisted idea pops into Demetus’ head is just masterful work from both George Miller and the cinematographer Simon Duggan, and just like with how Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth have reached an all-new height with their careers, the same can be said for Simon Duggan as he provides his best work yet for this grand, epic, and mythological tale.
The soundtrack, scored by the talented Tom Holkenborg, also known as Junkie XL, who also worked with Miller on Fury Road, returns to bring us another outstanding score that further brings the world of this film to life. It’s a crime not to experience Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga in a theatre with the best sound systems; in fact, it’s a crime not to experience this film on the biggest screen possible with the best sound system there is. If you’re in London, then take yourself to the BFI IMAX. No matter the country, just make sure you witness this new chapter of the Mad Max saga in the best way possible.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the best prequel film that has ever released, it connects itself like a jigsaw puzzle with Fury Road and fleshes out characters we’ve met previously while also introducing us to new characters that cement their place in the wastelands of Mad Max.
The cast and crew all put their hearts and souls into this project, and it all shows on the screen, with Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth reaching new heights in their careers. The cinematography is a striking eye-catcher, and the score itself is cinematic. Whether this is your introduction to the Mad Max world or not, do yourself a favour and watch this film as soon as it releases.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga releases in theaters on May 24.
