This Movie IS For:
- People who want to see insane mechanical creations crash into one another with fiery results
- Fans who wanted a deeper look at the wasteland after Fury Road
This Movie is NOT For:
- Those who can’t handle unsettling frame rates
- Anyone expecting another Fury Road-level masterpiece
Almost a decade has passed since Fury Road was released in 2015 (yup, that hurts), but George Miller has not lost his touch. For better, and sometimes for worse, Furiosa is a completely different film from its predecessor. It’s relatively slower and breaks the story into discrete parts but still retains the car-smashing action Mad Max is known for. Following a masterpiece was never going to be easy, but Furiosa has managed to carve out its own space in the franchise. There are some missteps, but the result is enjoyable.
My hopes were sky-high when I heard George Miller would be returning to the wasteland. The original Mad Max films are great in their own right (Thunderdome had some interesting ideas), but the 2015 reimagining of Fury Road was next level. That film is iconic and stands as one of the best examples of what can be done when practical effects are pushed to their limit. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Furiosa. From frame one, it was clear that things were done differently this time around. CGI is apparent throughout the film, and it takes away from the visceral nature of the car chases that Fury Road nailed so well. While action sequences are still there in abundance, none of them feel as grounded. There are still plenty of ‘holy shit’ moments with cars blowing up in style, war boys on back-mounted helicopters, and bizarre squid things, but they just don’t look as good.
Furiosa also ends up feeling slow despite all the crazy shit happening on screen. The film is broken into distinct chapters, which serve as both a help and a hindrance. Furiosa’s origin could not be told in a single, continuous narrative, but the result is choppy. In some ways, the film feels like it could have been a mini-series, with each part standing well on its own. I don’t dislike any of the chapters individually, but the way they were cut together didn’t feel cohesive.
Thankfully, the world that Miller has built is still fun to watch, and I wasn’t bored for a single second of the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Fury Road never let the audience catch their breath; Furiosa allows time to sit with the world and see some of the greater pieces of the wasteland. The attention to detail in the world design, vehicle construction, and batshit characters is apparent and a joy. New characters and old characters all hit their marks with great performances and casting all around. Initially, I was sad to see someone other than Charlize Theron as Furiosa, but Anya Taylor-Joy was phenomenal and brought the same gravity to the role. Opposing her, Chris Hemsworth provided an unhinged villain that felt right at home in the wasteland.
While uneven, I enjoyed Furiosa. No matter what the story is, it’s good to get another chance to go back to the wasteland and see what new madness George Miller has cooked up. Hopefully, box office results will pick up and we’ll get to return soon. I won’t be seeing Furiosa three times in theaters like its predecessor, but it’s still a worthy follow-up.
4/5 – Teddy Bears, Chastity Belts, and Helicopter War Boys, Oh My
Like action and adventure? My book series, The Nick Ventner Adventures, is all about action spectacle, monsters, and a good whisky. There’s even a novella available in audiobook and included in Spotify Premium to help you get started. You can also buy signed copies on my site to support charity.
Ashton Macaulay 