'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' review: Anya Taylor-Joy will give you chills in impressive action movie
Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth will have you at the edge of your seat in George Miller's prequel film, the latest instalment of the Mad Max series
There's something exciting about watching a movie that feels so powerful your heart starts pumping in the theatre. That's exactly how you'll feel watching George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth (now in theatres).
The Mad Max franchise has a reputation for being epic, oftentimes referred to as some of the best action movies in history. Furiosa does manage to stand out with a story that has more depth than a film like Mad Max: Fury Road, without compromising on the spectacle.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga release date: May 24
Director: George Miller
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
Runtime: 148 minutes
What is 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' about?
Furiosa is a prequel in five chapters, the origin story for the title character Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron in Fury Road, now played by Taylor-Joy.
With young Furiosa played by Alyla Browne, she is snatched from her mother and ends up with the biker warlord Dementus (Hemsworth), until Dementus' gang finds the Citadel, run by the Fury Road villain Immortal Joe (Lachy Hulme).
As she grows up, Furiosa pretends to be a man, working for Immortal Joe as a mechanic. When she finally makes her escape with Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), she has a strong sense of vengeance and is ready to take on anyone who stands in her way.
From completely bonkers visuals, to more emotional moments
To give a sense of the scope of Furiosa, at the Canadian premiere for the film in Toronto, Miller highlighted to the audience that the first Mad Max had 30 people on the credits, Furiosa has 3,000, including 1,200 on set. So to say that Miller has scaled up the operation is an understatement.
While Taylor-Joy doesn't show up on screen until about an hour into the movie, there's something particularly striking about her portrayal of the title character. Yes, she's a fierce fighter, but what really stays with you is how the actor is able to just use an expression to communicate to the audience. This is a character that doesn't say much, but she's physically expressing a lot. Watching Taylor-Joy's performance will give you chills.
Hemsworth playing this brash and sarcastic villain is the perfect match of opposites with Taylor-Joy. It's a really appealing balancing act to watch unfold, even if some of the beats feel inevitable from a narrative standpoint.
What many want to see is the action, the fire and the destruction in a Mad Max film, and Furiosa absolutely delivers. We were at the edge of our seats, completely transfixed by these relentlessly intense scenes.
With any prequel there's always the question of whether it's really a necessary addition to a story, but Furiosa absolutely makes a strong case to learn more about the film's lead character.
Just as you feel like you're almost suffocating from all the effects on the screen, Furiosa lets you breathe with intimate moments that are really about love and humanity, and the impact of a desire for power. More importantly, you get those messages in a way that still feel integrated into this pretty bonkers, but spectacular, visual experience.
One thing we have to stress with Furiosa is that you need to see this in a movie theatre. There's no compromising on that front, and you won't regret it.
