FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, Nathan Jones, and Josh Helman
Director: George Miller
QUENTIN
Given the (unexpected?) modern-day masterpiece that is Fury Road, there was some concern on my end that returning with a prequel would result in a disappointing cash-grab of a movie. Thankfully, Furiosa is anything but. It might be a bit too long, but you hardly care when the acting (Chris Hemsworth, especially), action, and writing are this good and compelling. It’s the rare prequel that stands on its own merits while expanding on the lore of everything that came before it and improving the depth of its immediate predecessor. Only time will tell if it’s better than Fury Road, but it deserves genuine consideration.
AMARÚ
Furiosa is a wondrous journey that ebbs and flows beautifully between heart-pounding action and thrilling character moments. Director George Miller’s master craftwork flawlessly bends magnificent set pieces to the furious will of Anya Taylor-Joy and the demented id of a career-defining Chris Hemsworth performance. It works both as a stand-alone singular epic and a world-building companion piece that enhances on the only thing Fury Road was missing: a discernible plot. Making a fantastic film that improves on a damn-near perfect one is a feat that few others than Miller could accomplish.
ADRIANO
Following up Fury Road is no simple task, yet Furiosa does so in glorious fashion. Director/co-writer George Miller returns to the wasteland in a similarly gritty and action-packed style, but what separates this from the previous Mad Max films is the way Miller builds and uses the world to enrich the character of Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy). What could've easily been a lazy prequel winds up being a necessary companion piece that stands on its own while also enhancing its predecessor. Furiosa was my most anticipated movie of 2024, and it did not disappoint.
PAIGE
With Furiosa, director George Miller embarks on yet another extraordinary journey through the wasteland. Even though this origin prequel may not be as heavy metal as Fury Road, it’s still just as epic in scale. The jaw-dropping set pieces remain untarnished, although there are glaringly clumsy visual effects on occasion. Chris Hemsworth may have given his best performance to date, and Anya Taylor-Joy honors the legendary Furiosa. Furthermore, this coming-of-age revenge movie does a fine job of expanding the lore of the Mad Max world and reminding us why we root for this badass.
KATIE
Furiosa is a worthy follow-up to Fury Road, delivering everything that makes the original great and more, whilst working equally as well as a stand-alone thriller. The sprawling, action-packed epic is a non-stop thrill ride with jaw-dropping set pieces, breathtaking stunts, a fantastic cast (particularly Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa), and a delightfully unhinged performance from Chris Hemsworth. The film is long, but takes the time to deepen our understanding of the character and, ultimately, every second spent in George Miller’s brutal wasteland is a pleasure. See it on the biggest screen possible and enjoy the carnage.
PRESTON
Supposedly, the Furiosa script was done prior to the filming of its predecessor (Fury Road), but still somehow comes across as something very much forced. The five sections of the film accurately recount the corresponding important plot points while the rest of the film meanders its way from here to there through a somewhat muddled storyline that includes some, admittedly, sweet action and stunt sequences. The green-screening fits with prior installments, but takes some grit to accept its ridiculousness at times. Overall, it's good, but much longer than it needs to be and not nearly as good as Fury Road.
CALEB
Furiosa isn’t as intense as Fury Road, but it’s still a wild ride; the action sequences aren’t as frequent this time around, but they’re just as ingenious. The high-octane set-pieces are giddily chaotic, and it’s clear that director George Miller is still at the top of his game. I was expecting fantastic action from a Mad Max film, but the great world-building caught me off guard. This prequel expands upon the wasteland in fascinating ways, fleshing out the warring factions and adding some standout new characters. Max may be absent from this entry, but Furiosa proves that this franchise is still plenty badass without him.
This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.