Whilst Furiosa isn’t a bad action film, I suspect its lacklustre response from audiences, reflects not whats on offer but whats absent.

On the upside is loads of heart stopping action, amazing cinematic’s, great sets, plus strong performances from the cast.

A lesser aspect of the downside is the unnecessarily drawn out back story, replete with details about the key character, no one cares about, which, in turn, leads to the main fault in this film…….ITS NOT ABOUT MAD MAX Rockatansky.

Lets be honest, no one’s really interested in peripheral characters or their back story, they want the REAL DEAL. That’s where this film was always going to fall flat with viewing audiences.

If this film had been about Mad Max with a back story covering as yet unrevealed aspects of the life of the younger and older Max, in the latter case played by the actor who made the franchise famous, Mel Gibson, then I suspect Hollywood would have a real HIT on their hands.

In summary, you don’t make a major film about the back story of a peripheral character from a franchise, you make the film about the MAIN character, its as simple as that. I’m amazed this wasn’t obvious.

I enjoyed ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, which is a rightful addition to the ‘Mad Max’ franchise.

I personally would say that the run time is way too long, like this does not need to be a 2hr 20min+ movie. With that said, I still got the desired amount of entertainment from this 2024 flick. Chris Hemsworth is outstanding, easily the most I’ve wanted to see a character onscreen from this series; he fits the role perfectly.

Anya Taylor-Joy puts in a very good showing as well, her character doesn’t say much so a lot of the performance is reliant on her visual emotions – which Taylor-Joy portrays on point. The rest of the cast are on the same level to me, all support the show well without rising near the lead two; similar-ish story for the whole franchise, in truth.

Visually the movie looks cracking, while the action matches prior installments in providing the vast majority of what makes these films so worth the watch. This prequel/spin-off is one I’d put in the top bracket from this series, it’s up there with ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ – which does just slightly edge ahead.

15 years of Wasteland
It would be folly to try and outdo Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is smart enough to not even attempt that. It’s a completely different film in its structure which allows it to be a prequel that tells a complete story on its own whilst still enhancing Fury Road with its world building. The fact that George Miller is still telling stories in the wasteland at this scale is a real gift.

Alyla Brown gets a lot more screen time than child versions of pre-established characters usually get and with next to no dialogue she is superb at communicating everything without words. Carrying that on for the second half, Anya Taylor-Joy does a phenomenal job and was right to fight to keep the scream in. If you need someone to act exclusively with their eyes, she is as perfect as they come.

Chris Hemsworth is clearly relishing the opportunity to play a properly mad villain with Dementus and has so many chill inducing moments. This is easily the best he’s been so far, completely unhinged with just enough depth to explain everything he does. He’s a complicated figure who always seeks power but is never able to truly hold onto it.

George Miller truly is a genius when it comes to exploring this franchise. Getting to see a fully realised Gas Town and Bullet Farm allows this world to cohere like never before and the action crafted here is so epic with gorgeous imagery that refuses to slow down. Just like John Seale achieved last time, Simon Duggans’s cinematography can keep the action clean no matter what’s thrown at it.

It makes sense that the only way Tom Holkenborg could come close to his best work on Fury Road was to return to the wasteland and his score here continues to compliment the kineticism of the action so well. The only downside is the CGI which looks pretty bad at various points and stands out further because of how well Fury Road implemented it.

Different from fury road
I loved this movie. I didn’t love everything about this movie, but I absolutely loved it.

I loved fury road and I loved this one. They are quite different, and I personally enjoyed Furiosa more.

Fury road is like one, long, action-fuelled, fever dream of a music video,where the plot is tertiary. Furiosa is more like a post-apocalyptic western/opera.

The story telling is top notch, the actresses portraying Furiosa are outstanding and Chris Hemsworth is phenomenal.

What really stood out to me was how masterfully the movie was shot and edited. The cinematography is absolutely top-effing-dollar! I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this movie. I left the cinema feeling euphoric.

George Miller definitely had it him to make it epic.

I hadn’t seen Fury Road since it came out, so I took the liberty to watch it and finish it an hour before I went to go see Furiosa, and personally, I liked Furiosa more.

The antagonist felt a lot more connected to the plot and the world building was better, you were able to get more of a scope of the world.

Anya Taylor-Joy is one of my favorite actresses, everything she’s in is good and this is no exception.

The cinematography of this movie was also more creative.

The only drawback for me was that the vehicle designs did not seem as special as Fury Road’s. They just seemed like the basic motorcycles and 18 wheelers, which isn’t that bad, it’s just a little sad.

Overall a great watch, better than any of the fast and furious movies for sure.

MangoMeter:
8/10

This installment of the Mad Max saga was disappointing. Personally, I would have preferred a continuation of Furiosa’s story with Charlize Theron rather than an origin story. However, once Anya Taylor-Joy was cast, my excitement returned. Her performance in The Menu is one of my favorites, and she has never given a bad performance. Despite my anticipation, I walked out of this movie feeling underwhelmed.

The film feels a bit detached from the franchise. Returning to an origin story, especially in this series, feels like a misstep. The strength of the first four movies lies in their forward momentum and the development of their characters. We’ve already seen the beginning in Mad Max; what the audience craves is progress, ideally with Max at the forefront but I would like to see ‘Furiosa’ along for future rides.

While the cinematography is undeniably gorgeous, the editing leaves much to be desired. The film spends too much time on areas that don’t align with what makes a Mad Max film great. For example, the original films excelled in their high-octane action sequences and tight pacing, whereas this installment meanders, losing the kinetic energy that defines the series and limits an entire war to a montage.

Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Dementus is a mixed bag. He brings a certain fun to the role, but his character often feels frustratingly inconsistent. There are moments where Dementus’ choices seem out of character or simply don’t make sense, disrupting the narrative flow and diminishing the overall impact of the film. Some could argue that his demented nature is the reason for his decisions but even that idea falls flat.

One of the most disappointing aspects is that this movie lacks the fun, rewatchable quality of its predecessors. The previous films in the series are known for their relentless pace and compelling characters, making them enjoyable to revisit. This installment, however, doesn’t capture that same magic, leaving it feeling somewhat deflated in comparison.

While ‘Furiosa’ offers some stunning visals and strong performances, it ultimately fails to live up to the legacy of its predecessors. The decision to focus on an origin story rather than continuing Furiosa’s journey feels like a missed opportunity. Fans of the franchise may find some enjoyment in the film, but it doesn’t possess the same exhilarating spirit that made the earlier movies iconic.

Moving forward, it would be more satisfying to see the series return to its roots, focusing on character-driven narratives that push the story forward. A continuation of Furiosa’s journey or a new chapter with Max would likely resonate more with audiences, capturing the essence of what makes Mad Max an enduring and beloved franchise.

15 years of Wasteland
It would be folly to try and outdo Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is smart enough to not even attempt that. It’s a completely different film in its structure which allows it to be a prequel that tells a complete story on its own whilst still enhancing Fury Road with its world building. The fact that George Miller is still telling stories in the wasteland at this scale is a real gift.

Alyla Brown gets a lot more screen time than child versions of pre-established characters usually get and with next to no dialogue she is superb at communicating everything without words. Carrying that on for the second half, Anya Taylor-Joy does a phenomenal job and was right to fight to keep the scream in. If you need someone to act exclusively with their eyes, she is as perfect as they come.

Chris Hemsworth is clearly relishing the opportunity to play a properly mad villain with Dementus and has so many chill inducing moments. This is easily the best he’s been so far, completely unhinged with just enough depth to explain everything he does. He’s a complicated figure who always seeks power but is never able to truly hold onto it.

George Miller truly is a genius when it comes to exploring this franchise. Getting to see a fully realised Gas Town and Bullet Farm allows this world to cohere like never before and the action crafted here is so epic with gorgeous imagery that refuses to slow down. Just like John Seale achieved last time, Simon Duggans’s cinematography can keep the action clean no matter what’s thrown at it.

It makes sense that the only way Tom Holkenborg could come close to his best work on Fury Road was to return to the wasteland and his score here continues to compliment the kineticism of the action so well. The only downside is the CGI which looks pretty bad at various points and stands out further because of how well Fury Road implemented it.

Fun but utterly forgetable subpar sequel
I managed to enjoy this movie for what it was, bit man, it wasn’t much. Anja Taylor-Joy is a fierce action badass as long as she doesn’t speak. So it’s fortunate she only has about 30 lines of dialogue in the whole film. Some of the action set pieces are fun. But there is no story to speak of (Furiosa gets captured by gang, gets sold to other gang, escapes, fights all the gangs and ultimately has mediocre showdown with main villain, that’s it), the CGI and green screen work is at times so bad that it takes you completely out of the movie (don’t watch in Laster Ultra, IMAX or other high def format. The blurrier the picture, the better) and Cringe Hemsworth and his fake nose are horrible as the main villain, finding no ballance between cartoony and manacing. He totally misses the mark and is neither imposing or threatening. We’re supposed to believe he’s this warlord that all the gangs follow and fear, but he’s just…not. Fans of the franchise and the Furiosa character will find something to like here, but you’ll have forgotten most of this movie as soon as you leave the theatre.