Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Alyla Browne, Tom Burke
Directed by George Miller
Years after a global catastrophe, Australia is a barren wasteland save for a few small pockets of vegetative areas known as Green Places, and in one of those places a young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is abducted by scavengers who work for the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Determined to save her daughter and protect the location of the Green Place, her mother Mary Jo Bassa (Charlee Fraser) tracks down the marauders and kills most of them before Furiosa is taken to Dementus. Remaining mute as to not identify her home, Furiosa becomes Dementus's surrogate daughter as he comes into conflict with warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), and while the two form an uneasy truce, it threatens to literally send both of their lands into fire.
Years later, a now-grown Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) seeks revenge against Dementus for taking her, and begins working with Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), the commander of Immortan Joe's War Rig, becoming his right hand. Their adventures lead them to conflict between Immortan Joe's Citadel and Dementus's Gas Town factions, giving Furiosa the chance she always longed for: vengeance.
There's a scene in the trailer that serves as a great thematic piece for "Furiosa" as a whole: "Do you have it in you to make it epic?" That question is asked by Dementus to Furiosa, but it might as well have been a challenge audiences demand of George Miller, and I could just hear his simple retort: "hold my beer." Not only did he indeed make it epic, he made it into something wholly his own, wholly imaginative, and wholly bonkers in every beautiful sense of the word. At two and a half hours, it might feel like a daunting task, but thanks to the visuals, the action, and the performances, you wouldn't mind sitting through it again, and again.
The film is split into five chapters that span Furiosa's life as a child to an adult, centers on her quest not just for vengeance but for getting home, as well as the futility of war overall. There's a narrator who talks about how wars have existed throughout existence, as humanity is prone to fighting one another over every resource instead of talking things through, which usually never ends well for one side - if not both. "Furiosa" takes this theme to full effect in showing the battle between Immortan Joe and Dementus, It's fascinating to see the politics as well as the fighting side-by-side, and serves as the backdrop of Furiosa's own quest.
It's interesting that Anya Taylor-Joy is top-billed, yet she's not seen for over an hour into the film. Many people have said this is a detriment to the movie, but to me it was anything but, due to Alyla Browne's portrayal of young Furiosa. She performs with the skill of an actress three times her age, showcasing Furiosa's fire and determination at a young age, and she's someone who commands the screen. When Taylor-Joy finally takes over the role, she's more than prepared to blend into the character so it seems flawless that the two actresses become one. Now an adult, Taylor-Joy's Furiosa is fierce and powerful, a woman who's resourceful and strong, and captivating to boot.
Chris Hemsworth sheds his good guy persona as Thor and takes on the villainous mantle of Dementus as if he just switched hats due to the effortless nature of the progression. He plays Dementus with a gleeful mix of messianic swagger, quotable lines and some aloofness that makes him all the more endearing which is surprising considering his ruthless nature. You can't help but love him, even as you hate him, and that makes for a compelling, amazing villain.
Miller doesn't just incorporate the best actors in front of the camera, but provides a huge crew that made sure everything went flawlessly. There was even a segment in the film code-named "The Stairway to Nowhere" that took over seventy days to shoot for a fifteen minute scene implementing over 200 people working on it daily. He brought back Margaret Sixel (who won an Oscar for "Fury Road") and Eliot Knapman for the film's editing, which was breathtakingly seamless from chapter to chapter, as well as bringing in Simon Duggan as the director of photography that showcased the desolate landscapes with vivid visuals, with Tom Holkenborg's pulse-pounding score. Once again, the technical aspects of the film are highlights, and if anything it'll prove for a very tough awards year between this and "Dune: Part Two," proving that desert action sequences are here to stay.
George Miller is the king of car action set pieces, and once again he crafts unforgettable action sequences that might not be as practically done as "Fury Road" but still blends the VFX in a way that doesn't come off as cheap. He utilizes the barren landscape to his advantage as numerous chases on desert roads and literal deserts dazzle the viewer with awe-inspiring wonder, offering spectacular violence and pulse-pounding suspense in equal measure. Each moment is a pure delight of the senses, and more than lives up to its mantle as a summer popcorn blockbuster. The scene of the War Rig coming under attack alone is well worth the price of admission (even doubled), but that's just one of many exciting chases in this movie.
Words cannot express the pure magic of "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," a prequel that more than stands on its own merits and is easily of of the best prequel films ever made, thanks to George Miller's expert directing, his massive crew, and the on-screen talents of Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemworth, and everyone in-between.
The Score: A+
Comments
Post a Comment