Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
2024
***
Director: George Miller
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, George Shevtsov, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman, Charlee Fraser, Dylan Adonis
The young Furiosa is kidnapped from the Green Place of Many Mothers and thrown into the harsh wasteland ruled by warlords. In the years that follow, she grows up to be a fierce and determined woman who plots revenge on her kidnapper. The final scene of this prequel, which begins some 15 years earlier, brings us right back to the opening of Mad Max: Fury Road. The enthralling 2015 film was a critical and commercial hit, but it didn't leave me curious as to how Furiosa lost her arm or why she cut her hair. In terms of story, that is pretty much all this poorly scripted, needlessly long, and occasionally dull and confusing spin-off has to offer. The action set pieces are once again exciting, even if they now rely more on fake-looking CGI and do not provide anything I have not seen before. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne are strong in the title role, but Chris Hemsworth is far too camp as Dementus.
