Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

 

6/10

 

Starring

Anya Taylor-Joy

Chris Hemsworth

Tom Burke

Alyla Browne

 

Directed by George Miller

 

There comes a point where I believe a franchise has had its time, and for Mad Max, I think that time is long gone. George Miller seems to have pushed this series to its limits. While Mad Max: Fury Road was fun to watch, this prequel lacked the same spark, it had too much fluff. The film dragged the story for too long, just dancing around the main plot without hitting the nail on the head.

I found myself trying hard to stay alert and had to stretch occasionally just to stay awake. Some scenes felt entirely unnecessary, and the conversations in some scenes were not needed and it would have been best if it were summarized. I felt Miller is too much in his own head about this franchise and thinks everyone is just as hooked in the long talks and wasted scenes as he is when he is building his franchise. Despite solid performances from the leads, the plot was a letdown, and the makeup and props, especially the one on Chris Hemsworth, was glaringly off. You will be able to spot that he had a fake nose.

The action sequences were decent, though they didn’t measure up to the visual brilliance in the previous movie, Mad Max: Fury Road. My main biff with this movie is, why did the plot take so long to converge on the warlords’ plan to eliminate Dementus?

This prequel explores Furiosa’s backstory, revealing how she came to be in the Citadel with Immortan Joe and why she has a deep hatred for him. The story begins with Furiosa’s capture by Dementus’ men from a green haven, unlike the surrounding wasteland. Her mother went after her to save her from her captures but failed and was killed, but not without first killing everyone who knew where this place was. Furiosa after seeing the death of her mother, refused to divulge the location of her home to protect its people.

Dementus, a deranged warlord leading the Biker Horde, forces Furiosa into his fold, hoping she’ll eventually disclose her origins, but Furiosa was mostly quiet. When Dementus targets the Citadel but failed in capturing it. He then captured the town where gas is mined and cuts off the supply to the Citadel. He then sets up a treaty where he is the one who supplies Immortan Joe. It’s during this treaty that Furiosa ends up at the Citadel.

As for how she lost her hand, escaped, and became a relentless force against Dementus well, that’s for you to discover in this two-hour-plus film.