The concept of a prequel is always difficult to justify. What story value can be gained by going back in time rather than continuing forward? The ones that work (The Godfather Part II, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me) succeed by not only filling in the gaps of the material that came before it, but also existing on their own, separate entries that find a unique voice rather than remaining beholden to their predecessors. In that vein, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga finds its own unique perspective in George Miller’s expanding Mad Max universe as its own singularity.
Written by Miller and Nick Lathouris (and of course directed by the Mad Max auteur, Miller), Furiosa tells the story of its titular character (Alyla Browne, Anya Taylor-Joy), stolen from paradise (while reaching for an apple nonetheless) by a sadistic motorcycle gang led by the demented Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), who slays her mother, Mary (Charlee Fraser), in front of her. Seeking refuge in the equally violent settlement of the Citadel, run by the warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), Furiosa forms a bond with the expert driver Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), all while searching for a way to return to her home, however remote the possibility seems, all the while, dealing with the enormous rage that guides her towards vengeance against Dementus.
It’s been nine years since the last Mad Max movie, the instant adrenaline-fueled classic, Mad Max: Fury Road. Since then, Charlize Theron has aged out of her defining role as Furiosa (though it seems there was little chance of her coming back anyway), so the concept of a Furiosa prequel would require a new actress; Anya-Taylor Joy is more than up for the task. With barely any dialogue, she conveys so much of Furiosa’s emotional journey just through her eyes.
Hemsworth’s Dementus is a fun, deranged and altogether unsolvable villain. Rather than the stern and intimidating Immortan Joe, he’s over-the-top, quippy and certifiably bonkers. While some may take issue with his characterization, it works to give a different dimension to the story.
The attention to detail in regards to sets, costumes, locations and props is always astounding in the Mad Max universe. Every desolate refuge has trinkets that tell a story, every character carries or wears an item that ties into their mysterious backstory and every vehicle has a set list of purposes and contraptions that contributes to its overall purpose, from giant trucks with spinning metal whips to motorcyles with jettisoning glider backpacks. It’s hard not to admire such cinematic craftsmanship.
Furiosa is narratively a very different film from Fury Road. While the previous entry was a non-stop, action extravaganza, Furiosa is more subdued, focused on a testing plot of Furiosa’s character that brings vicious and dimensional actors into the greater arc. Overall, this is a very smart play, Furiosa able to ascend not as a clone of Fury Road but as its own story. The film drags at times, but not terribly so.
That’s also not to say that Furiosa is devoid of action scenes; it features multiple insane, dramatic set pieces of crashing cars, flaming motorcycles and barbaric combat. More CGI is used in Furiosa however, a disappointing development from a franchise that had eschewed from more fake-looking graphics in preference for real stunts.
Framed as a fable (more in line with Miller’s previous Mad Max films starring Mel Gibson), Furiosa can not reach the ingenious heights of its action-packed predecessor, but it also doesn’t try; it becomes its own tale in a greater universe, one that tells a story of how fury can break the soul, illustrated by little moments in a greater scope of warfare run amuck.
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