In 2015, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ exploded onto the big screen in an inferno of dust, steel, sweat, chrome, fire, and the most iconic guitarist to ever strike flaming chords across Hollywood. Now, nearly a decade later, Miller returns to the wasteland to craft a new epic that is wholly different from what came before but every bit as exhilarating with ‘Furiosa.’
The iconic Imperator first embodied by Charlize Theron in ‘Fury Road’ takes center stage as her origin unfolds in a story that blends the madcap sprint of the previous film with the more narrative, character-driven stories of the original Mel Gibson-starring trilogy. What results is effectively a biopic of our favorite dust-coated, one-armed heroine, but without a doubt the most explosive biopic ever made.
We follow the life of Furiosa (played as a child by Alyla Browne and as a young adult by Anya Taylor-Joy) as she is stolen from the Green Place by a roving horde of bikers led by the unhinged but charismatic Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Carried far from her lush home into the cruel world of the wasteland, young Furiosa finds herself thrust into the center of a brutal struggle for power over what is left of post-apocalyptic Australian society. There, she fights her way into legend, all the while never giving up hope of finding her way back home.
For those primarily familiar with the breakneck rhythm of ‘Fury Road’’s non-stop chase, this approach for Furiosa may come as a shock. But Miller has never felt confined to expectations with his work on this world, boldly taking each film in whatever direction he feels is best for the story he is trying to tell. And for ‘Furiosa,’ it is no different. It is a slower-paced story, taking its time to examine each chapter of its hero’s life as her character grows into the warrior we first met ten years ago. That is not to say it feels slow. Margaret Sixel is back in the editing bay, this time assisted by Eliot Knapman, and her Oscar-winning eye for the cut is as keen as ever. The action is perfectly mixed with the quieter moments, creating a natural ebb and flow that rewards patience and keeps the audience eager for more.
With such a tightly woven film, it is easy to be sucked into Furiosa’s story, as if we needed any excuse to tear into the secrets driving her. Anya Taylor-Joy is a powerhouse in this role, stepping into the imposing legacy left by Theron with a commanding grace. By the end of the film, the two versions of the character are nearly inseparable, but it is so much more than mere imitation. We see Taylor-Joy slowly build Furiosa from the ground up, reconstructing the adult we know through each triumphant and traumatic step along the way, all with a slender selection of dialogue. It is a rawly physical performance, showing growth through the body and face in ways that could never be so clearly exposited with words.
Special credit must also be given here to Alyla Browne, who carries the first third of the film with every bit of ferocity and control as her older counterparts. The transition between the two actresses is seamless thanks to the lived-in symmetry pulled off in the performances; especially impressive for such a new talent - sure to have a promising career ahead.
Opposite the two Furiosas is Chris Hemsworth in a tour-de-force villainous turn, shaking off the God of Thunder’s cape to become a living embodiment of the Wasteland, in all its cruel unpredictability. Dementus is Hemsworth’s greatest work as an actor yet - beneath the wild wig, prosthetics, and murderous braggadocio, Miller has constructed a deeply-layered framework, and seeing Hemsworth weave these divergent strands of a broken psyche into the quiet moments of such a loud performance is a delight to watch. He is a man wholly consumed by despair, the perfect foil to Furiosa’s indomitable hope, so broken by loss and guilt that he seeks to bend the world to his own demented worldview.
It is through this battle of wills that Miller takes advantage of the more patient narrative form to deliver some of the most in-depth world-building the Wasteland has seen yet. The curtain is pulled back on the political strings that keep these eccentric warlords in control of the remains of civilization. And here more than ever it’s clear why the Wasteland remains such a relevant picture of the apocalypse - Dementus, Immortan Joe, the Bullet Farmer… It’s not hard to see their reflections in the so-called “manosphere” influencers pawning their power and building influence in the digital age. In a world where all norms and laws are stripped away, this is the society that those tech bros and fitness gurus would build - violent cults built on performative machismo, showmanship, and a vague memory of Viking culture they misunderstood in Junior High Social Studies.
And in the same way that we see how these men have exacted and maintain control, we also see the seeds of their downfall. Dementus’ free-wheeling style can only carry so far when faced with the reality of governance. The Immortan impulsively falls for the same trick that will doom him in ‘Fury Road.’ Blinded by petty feuds and pride, their power can only last so long, leaving hope for those in their thrall that a better way can be forged. And the forger of that way is Furiosa.
For those willing to let Miller tell a more patient, reflective odyssey in this madcap world, they will be rewarded with all the mayhem they expect mixed with a whole new side of the Wasteland to enjoy. ‘Furiosa’ is wholly a part of the Mad Max saga, but proudly different. Miller refuses to repeat himself, and so delivers another brilliant work, thanks to a crew and an ensemble of actors fully committed to this world, unashamed of their audacity, and demanding of an audience. This new journey into a mad, masterful mind is well worth the wait.
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