Year: 2024

Runtime: 148 minutes

Director: George Miller

Writers: George Miller, Nick Lathouris

Actors: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Ayla Browne, George Shevtsov, Charlee Fraser, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Simpson

It’s officially summer and we’re ready for some fun (and popcorn) at our local cinemas so join us as we share our thoughts on the latest outing into the post-apocalyptic wastelands of Australia with “Furiosa.”

By Caz Armstrong

I joined the Mad Max saga with the 2015 release of “Fury Road,” so as a newcomer it’s helpful to get a prequal that could explain who all these people are in the desert and why this woman is knocking about with them.

While being short on the bigger questions a newbie might have (where are all the women, why are those dudes in white body paint acting like lemmings…?) the backstory would certainly help me to enjoy “Fury Road” a lot more.

It’s a shame that a saga would pivot towards a woman’s angle then give her so little to say. Essentially Anya Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa is kidnapped as a child and her mum is fridged*, that much is obvious from the trailer. But to me she felt overshadowed by much more charismatic characters.

As Dr Dementus, Chris Hemsworth was exuberant and unhinged with hints of a softer side, which shone brightly during scenes where Furiosa simply glowered. Tom Burke’s Praetorian Jack was a hardened soul, skilled in combat but with a warm underbelly of humanity which I didn’t get from Furiosa’s mute anger.

Taylor-Joy did pop off with the action though. Shooting, punching, stabbing, rocking around on top of all kinds of speeding machinery with just as much strength and skill as any of the men. Those scenes were incredibly well choreographed, and the Heath Robinson-like inventions kept my interest from waning entirely as some dragged on. (Editor’s Note: For our readers who may not know who Heath Robinson is, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Heath_Robinson.)

Kudos to the visual effects team as well. Different post-apocalyptic cities rose up from the wastelands, with entire deranged and half-starved communities living in them. Moving parts of complex machinery all had to work practically while being visually powerful. This film would have been no small feat.

As a standalone, “Furiosa” would frustrate those looking for a completely female-focused action film. It’s just not set in the right world for that, and Furiosa is restricted to mute anger for much of it. A couple of moments show that women are abused commodities in this wasteland of a future and that sets the scene for “Fury Road.” But it is a helpful backstory with a badass woman front and centre.

*Where a woman is killed purely to advance the narrative of a (usually male) character

By Brian Skutle

While I would not put “Furiosa” on the same level of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” one of the best elements of George Miller’s latest post-apocalyptic action film is that it shows that Max Rockatansky does not need to be front-and-center in this series. In telling the story of young Furiosa, Miller is showing that anyone can be driven mad in the Wasteland, not just a man whose lost his family.

 As Furiosa, Anya Taylor-Joy is electric, and effortlessly dovetails into Charlize Theron’s performance in “Fury Road.” Her journey is vengeance-based, as well, but we see the seeds planted in her desire to help others, namely, Immortan Joe’s “wives,” which will drive her actions in “Fury Road.” While it gets too wrapped up in prequel storytelling, especially in the second half, watching this origin story continue Miller’s Wasteland world-building, with a great character at its center, was another thrilling experience for fans of kick-ass women, and action movies in general.

By Joan Amenn

I couldn’t help but feel a pang of horror while listening to the voiceover at the beginning of “Furiosa” which echoes the beginning of “Fury Road” in realizing how much closer the real world seems to be to the collapse that the Mad Max saga reveals. George Miller’s latest installment takes us back to the titular character’s origins and while it’s a total thrill ride, it is not as compelling as “Fury Road,” nor, in fairness, should it be expected to be. What is a little disappointing is that Furiosa herself is eclipsed by the villain of this story, played with such ferocious scene chewing by Chris Hemsworth you’ll wonder who starved the poor man. He is riveting but Anya Taylor-Joy has a hard time meeting his almost operatic monologues with mostly scowls.

She is wonderful in keeping up with all the mind-blowing stunts that Miller’s epics are known for with her fair share of fighting and vehicular mayhem. While a little more fleshing out of the plot would have been nice, this is clearly just meant to be the appetizer to the feast that is “Fury Road” and fans will be digging in with both hands and lots of napkins.