George Miller redefined the Mad Max franchise with his 2015 Oscar-winning film Mad Max: Fury Road. An action-filled marvel with rich characters, impressive visuals, and creative worldbuilding combined to make one of the best action movies of the decade. Making a sequel to a movie so loved and successful is a daunting task, but making a prequel on the other hand seems to be in Miller’s wheelhouse.
Furiosa kicks off about 25 years before the events of Fury Road when a young girl is snatched from her home and imprisoned by the warlord Dementes as he travels the wasteland on a quest for power. Chris Hemsworth undoubtedly gives the best performance of his career as Dementes. So full of charisma he demands the audience’s attention any time he’s on screen. In most action movies Dementes would come across as a madman with a quest for power, but Miller dedicated time to develop him into something much more complex. Miller uses this time to not only build up our main characters but more impressively the world around them. The first act filled in the gaps left by Fury Road without ever feeling forced. It lays out the Wasteland and where the power resides within it and sets the stage for Furiosa’s eventual revenge tour.
In a world dominated by roaring V8 engines, war cries, relentless flamethrowers, and an adrenaline-filled soundtrack, Furiosa’s silence speaks louder than it all. Furiosa’s entire character is a master class in “Show Don’t Tell”. Anya Taylor-Joy manages to communicate everything going through her head while only talking about 30 times. Her presence in every scene is subtle yet so powerful. Every aspect of her character from the way she walks to the clothing she wears helps build up a character it’s hard not to love. Anya Taylor-Joy showcases an impressive range of acting skills throughout the movie, making it impossible not to be deeply invested in her character. Her performance adds so much depth to Furiosa, which only elevates her character in Fury Road.
Interlaced with these incredible character moments, Miller gives us even more jaw-dropping action sequences. Each sequence unfolds like a mini-story, with every shot building upon the last. It’s never action for the sake of action; instead, it’s a continuous ascent, like a roller coaster that keeps climbing until a grand payoff. Every character and prop in each scene is grounded in the worldbuilding done in the first act, making even the most imaginative and outlandish elements feel fitting. Filmed in Miller’s signature contrast-filled and fast-paced style combined with a raw and powerful score, Furiosa will constantly have you on the edge of your seat.
George Miller proves once again that a film with breathtaking action, stunning set pieces, exceptional production design, and impressive visual effects can still tell a compelling story through incredible character work. The Wasteland is vast and we can be hopeful there are more stories to tell within it. If so, get George Miller behind the wheel and let him craft another masterpiece.
