Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Written by George Miller and Nick Lathouris
Directed by George Miller
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke and Alya Browne
Running time 2 hours and 28 minutes
MPAA Rating R for Sequences of Strong Violence, Grisly Images
In theaters May 24

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport and Editor in Chief

“Be invisible.”

After watching Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, I peeled out of the parking lot with a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. George Miller’s latest picture is not just incredible, it is absolutely thrilling.

Before I get ahead of myself, there are some things that I feel are important to note in terms of my specific viewing experience. I am extremely passive in terms of this franchise. In fact, my fellow MovieJawner had to remind several times during our press screening that there were indeed four films. I kinda sorta remember watching Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), due to insistence from my partner in crime that it was worth a view simply for Tina Turner’s character. Additionally I did catch Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) in the theater when it was released and well… I was lukewarm on the whole thing.

There are two reasons in particular that are cause for my disappointed sentiments. Firstly, I went in expecting my eyes to be melted from the grandiose cinematic extravaganza and instead I left the theater feeling tired. I saw Fury Road as nothing more than a really loud popcorn flick that had me endure a two hour chase through sand and Jim Rockford didn’t even show up. The hype train also takes some of the blame for my bloated expectations and promise of liquefied eyeballs. I had not viewed the flick until it had already been playing in cinemas for several weeks and feel this may have been cause for my letdown. My second point of contention, and I am very much serious, is… this guy:

Each time this guitar player graced the screen I lost myself in a fit of hysteria. Individuals have informed me that the point of the guitar player is something called “fun”. I respectfully disagree and wholeheartedly admit I do not like this “fun”. For me, seeing this character on the silver screen takes the flick down a peg. I say all this because my anticipation going into Furiosa was in the musty basement. Yet, here I sit now, the day after my initial viewing, still abuzz and scheming on when round two will occur.

The main reason Furiosa worked for me was the storytelling. Split into five chapters, the film takes the viewer on a journey of this character’s past and ends right where Fury Road begins. The filmmaking itself does not waste any time as, within the first moments, young Furiosa is snatched up by a gaggle of wasteland wayfarers. From there the first hour is spent with young Furiosa who is portrayed remarkably by Alya Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing). Much strife and misery is inflicted upon Furiosa via the menacing Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) until she eventually winds up in the hands of Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) at The Citadel.

I connected with this story much more than Fury Road due to actually getting to know these characters on a deeper level and being given an understanding of the motivations behind their actions. Unlike in Fury Road where Furiosa’s character is mysterious and there is a lot of uncertainty as to the catalyst for what appeared to be an impulsive action. Even after a recent rewatch, I was still left with a feeling of style over substance. With the prequel, director George Miller expertly tells a story woven through meticulously sequenced action that were made with seeming ease. As a filmmaker myself, movies such as this are not in the realm of something that I personally aspire to make. However, I am in total awe of all that goes into creating the illusion. Miller is a magician who expertly pulls off dozens of cinematic tricks that appear to be effortless. Yet, behind the curtain, each decision was painstakingly hatched. George Miller is the textbook definition of auteur.

In terms of acting, the entire cast is stellar and delivers terrific performances that ultimately are unforgettable. Chis Hemsworth leans into the super baddie so well. There is something absolutely menacing about a guy that wears a plush teddy bear around his waist while watching a human’s limbs being ripped from their body by a horde of accelerating motorcyclists. Hemsworth’s depiction gives truth to the term nightmare fuel. A plush should never be part of such nefarious activities but, for the terrible Doctor, nothing is sacred, not even the innocence of a child. Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa proves that her stardom is not a mistake. Simply put: she is a powerhouse and shows that she was up for the task. One of my favorite parts of the character dynamics on screen was between Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke) and Furiosa. I’ve only caught Tom Burke in a few other pictures and always find his presence to be a delight. For me, two of his most memorable stints are his portrayal of Orson Welles in David Fincher’s Mank and as Anthony in Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir. In Furiosa, I enjoyed his team-up with Anya Taylor-Joy’s character and felt invested in their partnership.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I gave a damn about this. Blockbusters are not typically my cup of tea, but in this case I can’t stress it enough: see Furiosa on the biggest screen possible with sound so loud that it rattles your bones.