Film: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, George Shevtsov, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Charlee Fraser, Elsa Pataky, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman
Director: George Miller
Rating: 4/5
Runtime: 148 min
This prequel – an origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and team-up with Mad Max, is an extravagantly lush concoction of stunning action, splendorous settings and magnificent craft.
Furiosa( Alyla Browne) is first seen as a young girl child plucking an apple from the orchard in the Green Place of Many Mothers – where she falls prey to a biker horde from warlord Dementus’s (Chris Hemsworth looking dashing and acting demented with a prosthetic nose) stable. Her mother comes to her rescue but there’s no escaping the men from the wasteland seeking greener pastures. Once Dementus gets her in his clutches there’s no escape for the little one unless she reveals the location of her paradise…and it’s only when she is older ( this version played by Anya Taylor Joy), that she finds a way to exact her revenge on the many indignities she was subjected to.
This badass, impressive, sweeping saga of capture, escape and revenge in the midst of hulking tyrants fighting for preeminence, is by far the most brilliantly crafted epic we’ve witnessed in a long time. Sweeping through vast Wastelands, we come across incredible characters whose villainy go way beyond the rote sneer. It’s a non-stop battle of wits and acumen and only the one with the greatest resilience and capacity for enduring pain is able to survive the barrage.
The rousing mix of brutality and humor is a winner all the way. There’s no way you can get tired of the action as at every step, when barbarism is running loose, there’s self-deprecating humor thrown your way. Dementus is brutal but he is also funny and that makes him a villain that you most enjoy watching.
The sound of revving motorbikes, the putting together of a beast of a truck, Dementus’s chariot powered by bikes – the vehicles on display here are simply fantastic. Car chases, biker hordes in pursuit and innumerable inventive ways of heaping death on the enemy, this film’s bag of tricks is overflowing. Even more, there are simple moments of beauty that are so impressive they steal your breath completely.
The narrative is a thrill- seekers paradise replete with jaw-dropping action, strongly resilient men and women, equally capable of incredible savagery and visuals that could well threaten your existing belief in what is possible.
From start to finish, Furiosa has a strong captivating story line with many subplots that establish deep links to ‘Fury Road.’ The post-apocalyptic setting, heart-pounding action sequences, breathtaking visuals, and powerful cast of characters keep you glued to your seats for all of its 148 min runtime. The chase scenes and thrilling battles are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. The intensity never lets up as Furiosa changes allies and friends while she battles to survive and eventually escape. Alyla Browne & Anya Taylor Joy make Furiosa imminently believable. Browne who plays the younger version displays both vulnerability, great spunk, fierceness, initiative and intuitive fighting skills while Taylor Joy as the adult version showcases maturity, strength, determination, endurance and a never-say-die-spirit. Both have hardly any speaking lines but their eyes and body-language are so demonstrative that they completely embody the character they are playing. Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of the villainous Dementus is uniquely charismatic and ominous. He does well to keep us in splits even while undertaking the most atrocious of atrocities.
George Miller’s direction is completely assured as he steers this prequel – a desolate, visually stunning masterpiece, through a maelstrom of high-octane action and profound storytelling. The camerawork by Tom Holkenborg is outstanding. The film’s post-apocalyptic setting is brought to life with stunning cinematography and jaw-dropping practical effects. It just draws you in and never allows you to take your eyes off from the screen. Obviously CGI has played a major part in the production of this epic but it’s never obvious. It’s so beautifully streamlined and well-calibrated that you don’t realise its there until the movie is over and the credits roll on. The editing, the production, art and sound design, the make-up, costumes and prosthetics are all beautifully rendered. Furiosa may not be as pulverisingly anarchic as ‘Fury Road’ but it is a modern action classic in its own right and deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
