Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ★★★½

Mad Max was introduced to cinema audiences decades ago, the character growing in reputation with each action-driven film in the series. Max is portrayed as a mythical figure and the subject of folklore – he is heroic and seemingly one of few to still have a sense of justice in the post-apocalyptic world he inhabits. In George Miller’s highly acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road, the character of Imperator Furiosa was introduced and central to the development of the story and themes of the film. The character of Furiosa, then portrayed by Charlize Theron, exhibited the physicality of an action heroine yet was motivated by her desire for peace and to return to the Green Place, her childhood home with fresh water and agriculture, a stark contrast to the desert wasteland of the Mad Max films. She is equally strong and capable as the tyrants and warlords of the Wasteland, but shares none of their cruelty or depravity.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga tells the story of Furiosa (Alyla Browne, Anya Taylor-Joy) leading up to the start of Fury Road and acts both as prequel and origin story. The film begins during Furiosa’s childhood where she is kidnapped while attempting to sabotage a group of Raiders who have discovered the Green Place. Instead of retreating to alert her elders and risk the Raiders fleeing, Furiosa confronts the Raiders herself and this scene becomes the first of numerous where Furiosa puts the safety of others before her own. The opening of the film is tense, we fear for Furiosa’s safety, and our unease is warranted as we meet Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Dementus examines Furiosa, marveling at her health and soft skin, and is less dirty and miserly compared to his underlings. Furiosa’s captors are to be feared, yet Dementus’ presence is more imposing, even with a stuffed bear strapped to him at all times. Like Furiosa, Dementus had his childhood ripped away from him and the bear is a token of his past life and a harsh contrast to his cruelty as a leader.

Dementus takes Furiosa under his wing, keeping her close to him at all times. To some extent, he perceives himself as a protector for her yet does not shield her from his brutality. Though Dementus is not as polished of a villain as we see in many Hollywood films, there’s something terrifying to him. He will sacrifice his own people if it means a chance to grasp more power and Furiosa witnesses firsthand the glee Dementus experiences from his tyranny. Her resolve to escape from him and return to the Green Place grows by the minute.

After Dementus invades Gastown, the oil refinery that provides the Citadel with gasoline, Dementus returns to the Citadel and demands increased supplies from warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) as well as authority over Gastown. Upon seeing Furiosa, Joe requires Dementus relinquish ownership over her so that Furiosa can become one of his wives. Dementus is somewhat reluctant, but he won’t let this get in the way of his negotiation for more power. He grants Joe this provision, and Furiosa must now find a means to escape from wifehood in the Citadel.

It is at the Citadel where the legend of Furiosa takes form. Furiosa demonstrates her wit, grace, and handiwork as a mechanic, eventually becoming an engineer. She and her team are tasked with an ambitious project: to build a War Rig designed to withstand attacks and filled to the brim with weaponry. The War Rig is classic Mad Max ingenuity and is a sight to behold in battle. Furiosa elevates her standing yet again in a particularly dangerous mission and though she becomes an accomplished fighter, her sights aren’t set anywhere else other than finding a way to return to the Green Place. 

As Furiosa grows in reputation, she is allowed more freedom and opportunity. Even so, in the Wasteland any journey is a test of stamina and resources. Furiosa is also motivated by revenge, not forgetting that it was Dementus who tore her away from her family. Furiosa is played by Alyla Browne in childhood and Anya Taylor-Joy in adulthood, and in this prequel we see how Furiosa came to be the heroine we saw in Fury Road. Miller takes advantage of technical advancements in filmmaking using face-merging between the two actresses to gradually transition Furiosa’s appearance from childhood to adulthood. This approach allows multiple actors to play the same role yet not be jarring when a different actor is playing the same character moments apart. If you blink, you’ll miss the scene when Anya Taylor-Joy’s face is fully used for Furiosa.

With plentiful action sequences, car chases, and a compelling character, Furiosa is an exciting entry into the Mad Max series. Miller leans into folklore, Biblical, and mythological references to place Furiosa in context of some of the greatest stories ever told, elevating Furiosa in stature above typical Hollywood prequel stories while setting the stage for Fury Road. Forty-five years following the debut Mad Max film, Furiosa reminds us why the series has retained its relevance after all these years.