Movie Review: 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' Starring Anya Taylor Joy

Furiosa A Mad Max Saga

Directed by George Miller

Written by George Miller, Nico Lathouris

Starring Anya Taylor Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke

Release Date May 24th, 2024

Published May 24th, 2024

Furiosa rocks. It's a really great movie. I have been struggling with writing this review for a few days because, I wasn't sure I had much to add to the Furiosa discourse. It's a killer movie and most critics have already told you that. So, to try and make my review a little difference, I am just going to pick a part of the movie I like and use that to illustrate why Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is so good.

So, a brief plot description and set up. As a child, Furiosa, yes that's her actual name, it's not something she adopted like a nickname, get over it. As a child, Furiosa was kidnapped by marauders. Her mother gave chase and nearly rescued her. Mom gets killed and child Furiosa begins a banger of a revenge arc. She will spend the rest of her life trying to find and kill the leader of these evil marauders, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth).

Years later, Furiosa gets traded to Immortan Joe. It's part of a deal with Dementus who has captured the kingdom of Gasland, where all the gas in this post-apocalyptic wasteland is produced. Dementus gives Furiosa to Joe as a gesture of peace. Soon after, Furiosa escapes and becomes a slave of the Citadel, pretending to be a boy to prevent being a wife of Joe. After years of this, she gets her chance to escape after she helps build the prototype of the War Rig, Immortan Joe's most important vehicle, a truck that carries supplies in trade for gas and bullets.

The best scene in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has Furiosa tagging along on the first run of the War Rig. She's hidden herself beneath the rig with a motorcycle tied to to the bottom. When the rig stops, she will escape on her motorcycle and try to find her way back to her childhood realm, a place of abundance that her mother died to protect. Furiosa's bold escape plan is foiled when the War Rig is attacked by marauders who deal some damage to the rig and Furiosa is forced to defend the rig to save herself.

This is the main sequence that evokes the memory of Mad Max Fury Road. It's a fast paced, constantly innovating, and invigorating action sequence involving wild stunts, violent deaths, and a suspense filled narrow escape for our heroes. The editing, cinematography, and pacing are exceptional. The acting is top notch, even as the performances are almost entirely silent, no time for talking when there is this much action. The scene demonstrates Furiosa's strength, determination and bravery. It also adds a wrinkle to her back story as she shares a few moments with the driver of the War Rig, Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke).

Is it a romance? Not really, but it is the first bond that Furiosa forged since the death of her mother so it has a great deal of meaning. She saves him during the War Rig sequence and he saves her. When they survive, he promises to help her escape. The time they spend together leads her to invite him to escape with her and return to her homeland. It's a symbolic rebirth, the relationship with Jack changes everything we think we know about Furiosa and his fate in the story will play a further role in making the final act of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga so much more meaningful.

This War Rig sequence is the star of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but it's far from the only great sequence here. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a relentless entertainment machine. It's also a hardcore revenge movie where the trailer poses the question to Furiosa: "Can you make it Epic?" And then, she makes it EPIC. The revenge of Furiosa is a heart pounding, pulse racing, unexpected jaw-dropper. The final moments of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga burn into your brain. It's shocking, it's eye-popping and, at the screening I saw, people audibly gasped. It was awesome.

Find my archive of more than 20 years and more than 2000 movie reviews at SeanattheMovies.blogspot.com. Find my modern review archive on my Vocal Profile, linked here. Follow me on Twitter at PodcastSean. Follow the archive blog on Twitter at SeanattheMovies. Listen to me talk about movies on the I Hate Critics Movie Review Podcast. If you have enjoyed what you have read, consider subscribing to my writing on Vocal. If you'd like to support my writing, you can do that by making a monthly pledge, or by leaving a one time tip. Thanks!