As Mad Max: Fury Road became a rare late legacy sequel that delivered on all cylinders, Miller revisits the world with the story of Furiosa.
The time has come for audiences to start witnessing George Miller’s newest action epic to see if it takes them to Valhalla or leaves them scrounging for food in the desert. The latest installment of the Mad Max saga spins off from Mad Max: Fury Road and sees Anya Taylor-Joy taking up the role from Charlize Theron. It had recently been confirmed that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will also be the franchise’s longest film, with the Cannes Film Festival website confirming its 2 hour and 28 minute runtime. While that means the film is significantly longer (by a half hour) than Fury Road, it’s worth noting that this prequel tells a truly epic tale that takes place over decades. Fury Road only took place over two days.
The reactions to the new Wasteland fairy tale have now hit social media. Our own Chris Bumbray posted, “#Furiosa brings us back to The Wasteland with a stunning performance from Anya Taylor Joy. The excellent script, while still bombastic and thrilling, takes a slight detour from Fury Road. Once again, George Miller presents another visual masterclass to IMAX! It’s a glorious flick, and yes, Chris Hemsworth is insanely enjoyable as Dementus! Furiosa is yet another wild and unforgettable ride!”
Nick’s Flicks Fix posted a reaction that glowed about Chris Hemsworth’s performance as he plays the rare villainous character. “#Furiosa is EPIC in every sense of the word! The world building and lore expansion of the Mad Max universe is front and centre to a bombastic film that has some explosive, exciting action. Taylor-Joy is great, but Hemsworth truly shines in a way he hasn’t before!”
Doug Jamieson of The Jam Report has some significant critiques for the movie, which made it a mixed bag for him, “There’s a lot to admire about #FURIOSA. It’s gorgeously shot and the action sequences are mind-blowing. Anya Taylor-Joy is sensational and Chris Hemsworth chews every piece of scenery in sight. But the narrative lags considerably and the CGI is often ghastly. A mixed bag for me.”
Bill Bria of SlashFilm says that the film is myth-making at its finest, “LADY AND GENTLEMENS: #Furiosa is myth making at its finest. The most sprawling Mad Max Saga entry returns to the series’ roots: it’s a powerful, moving, gritty tale of revenge in the middle of a world gone wild. Also: windsurfing bombers. Anya Taylor-Joy owns, Hemsworth kills!”
John Nguyen at NerdReactor states that it’s one of the most brutal Mad Max films yet, “#furiosa is 2-and-a-half hours of colorful mayhem. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne both get their fair share of screen time as the title character. Chris Hemsworth is like a villainous Thor with his red cape and long hair. It’s one of the most brutal Mad Max films yet.”
Dr Luke Buckmaster also had issues with the narrative, which didn’t hinder his enjoyment of the action, but it rather became his saving grace, “It’s clear very soon that #Furiosa is no Fury Road. The timing is off, the structure shaggy. It’s a little shambolic – but out of a chaotic wasteland comes some characteristically (for George) visceral, dust-baked action, and a memorable showdown between Hemsworth and Taylor-Joy”
Peter Gray of The AU Review also glows about Hemsworth, saying he proves himself as a character actor here, “Now that I can say so, #Furiosa is a BLAST! Made in the spirit of FURY ROAD, it’s still its own beast that thrives on exaggerated action and characters. Anya Taylor-Joy makes the character her own, but this is Chris Hemsworth’s chance to prove his worth as a character actor.”
therese lacson also found issues with the pacing. Miller would seemingly attempt to distance this film from Mad Max’s tales by segmenting its story, “I would and could easily watch 15 hours of Anya Taylor Joy and Alyla Browne as #Furiosa, however much of her film struggles with inconsistent pacing due to the segmented story. This won’t match up to Fury Road’s splendor but it also doesn’t need to. #IMAX”
Erik Davis teases a War Rig sequence that blew his mind, “George Miller’s #Furiosa is powerhouse action filmmaking at its absolute best! A ferocious & relentlessly paced epic that expands the story of Furiosa and the Wasteland while delivering the craziest chases, the most bombastic characters & just plain stunning cinematography. Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth equally dive all the way into the Wasteland, and both deliver some incredible stuff. There’s one War Rig sequence that blew my mind – an instant classic. I love the #MadMax movies and I loved this film. Start your engines!”
Overall, it sounds like Furiosa is a blast, even if it seems to not be quite at the level of Fury Road. Then again, would that have even been possible? Look for full Furiosa reviews closer to the Cannes premiere.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will hit theaters on May 24th. FilmRatings.com reports the movie has been “Rated R for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images.“
Are you excited to see George Miller’s latest entry into the Mad Max saga? Let us know in the comments!