Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

It is hard to believe that nine years ago I saw Mad Max: Fury Road for the first time and have since revisited my Blu-ray of the film on more than a few occasions since then. There's something about George Miller's style that just worked so well for me and that spurred me on to watching the Mad Max trilogy with Mel Gibson, which I generally enjoyed if not that rather disappointing third film. It was a shame though that despite the success of Fury Road, and a very strong video game, the franchise would sit dormant for nine years until Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga released in 2024, but that failed to meet expectations at the box office. Nonetheless, I was curious to see where Miller hoped to take the franchise and I hope this isn't his last opportunity to explore this universe.

Set years before Fury Road and as the title would suggest, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga follows a younger Furiosa from her childhood and all the way up until the events of Fury Road. We first see her as a child enjoying life in a small green oasis but this peace is destroyed when outsiders capture her and the warlord leader, Dementus, murders her mother. Held hostage while Demntus forms an uneasy alliance with a younger Immortan Joe, Furiosa sets course for revenge in the brutal post-apocalyptic Australian outback.

Much like with Fury Road, Miller's skill for visual storytelling is firmly on-point and fascinating to see unfold in a way that feels refreshingly different from other filmmakers. Every action sequence is thrilling to watch and I never really felt the 148 minute running time lose steam at any point. The cast with Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke are all great, and backed by a very lively supporting cast that feel a part of this dirty, rugged environment. The visuals are also very good but there is one problem that undermines much of this; CGI.

Fury Road boasted a striking colour palette but it felt real and that was due to it largely being shot on location to achieve that sense of believability. Unfortunately, much of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga smacks of greenscreen and it takes some getting use to as there a couple of moments that do feel clunky. Something as simple as someone riding a bike through a gorge feels floaty and it is disappointing to see the approach that worked so well in Fury Road being ditched here. 

Furiosa still gets by though on the strength of its storytelling and cast but I did still find some disappointment with how it doesn't quite setup Fury Road. Henchmen are introduced here and survive the film but are suspiciously absent in Fury Road, and the conflict between Furiosa and Immortan Joe that essentially drives the next film is never established here. Their interaction is minimal at best and this might sound nit-picky but a prequel to anything is always tethered to the next chapter by design. Utilise the formula well and you will satisfy the audience but to skirt around it implies the story is unfinished, and dare I say unsatisfying.

Despite my criticisms, I still found plenty to enjoy with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. It's not everything a prequel like this could have been but there is still plenty to admire in this engaging story of revenge. This isn't a prequel that undermines what came before and I will look forward watching Fury Road again to see how this enhances the overall story. It's not perfect but I will still recommend Furiosa to fans of the films and newcomers if you can approach with an open mind to embrace some of the quirkier elements of these films. I just hope this isn't the last we see of this universe with Miller.