Nine years ago, Mad Max: Fury Road set high standard for the pure action Summer Movie and won six Oscars for its incredible look and sound (you can read my review here). Now, after being delayed by the Pandemic, the prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road showed up at my local AMC Theater and I watched it.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a curious movie. The star, Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays a younger version of Fuuriosa in this film, doesn’t show up until after the first hour. Alyla Browne plays the 10-year-old Furiosa who is kidnapped from her village and “adopted” by Dementus (Chris Hemsworth, aka Thor). I like how Mark Kennedy of the Assoicated Press characterized Hemsworth’s role: “Hemsworth wears fingerless gloves, a codpiece, leather pants, a sleeveless leather vest and flowing hair, like he was a member of Motley Crue circa 1983.”
Although Hemsworth lacks the powers of Thor in this film, he’s a badass with hundreds of motorcycle psychos willing to commit mayhem at his command. The best part of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga are the incredible battles. The worst parts of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga are merciless torture scenes and cruelty of the post-apocalyptic world. Not a lot of dialogue in this movie, I doubt if Anya Taylor-Joy says 100 words. But, if you’re looking for an action movie with breath-taking stunts, give Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga a look. GRADE: B
MAD MAX MOVIE SERIES:
FILM RELEASE DATE DIRECTOR SCREENWRITERS STORY BY PRODUCED BY
| Mad Max | April 12, 1979 | George Miller | James McCausland and George Miller | George Miller and Byron Kennedy | Byron Kennedy | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Max 2 | December 24, 1981 | Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant | ||||
| Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | July 10, 1985 | George Miller and George Ogilvie | Terry Hayes and George Miller | George Miller | ||
| Mad Max: Fury Road | May 15, 2015 | George Miller | George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris | Doug Mitchell, George Miller and PJ Voeten | ||
| Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | ||||||
I’ll see this. I’ve watched all the Mad Max multiple times. George Miller is already working on another script.
Why is there so much gasoline available in a post-Apocalyptic world? Shouldn’t they have run out half-way through the first movie?
Jerry, I thought the same thing! There’s only one source of gas in The Wasteland, but everyone is driving around like there’s an endless supply!
Running pretty dry in MM(1)…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YhmH5IWlaY
I’ve seen the first two or three and appreciated the stunts and breathless action! I don’t get to the cinema anymore, though, so I’ll have to catch it on TV, perhaps!
Bob, I’m sure FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGE will show up on TV in a few months. Well worth watching for all the action!
That’s a pass. Hours of torture are not my thing.
Jeff, the Post-apocalyptic world is nasty and brutish.
I doubt if I’ll see unless I get desperate for something to do. I do hope it does well and saves the movie industry though.
Patti, I suspect FURIOSA: A MAD MAX MOVIE will win at the Box Office this weekend. About a dozen people were in the 12:15 matinee showing with me. I think you’d enjoy the dazzling action sequences George Miller puts on the screen!
THE ROAD WARRIOR is one of my top action movies ever. MAD MAD and BEYOND THUNDERDOME still hold up. FURY ROAD was a replay of THE ROAD WARRIOR but way less witty and not enough Tom Hardy. I’ll wait for FURIOSA on video; the theater where we saw FURY ROAD had cranked up the speakers to ear-splitting levels.
Fred, I’m a big fan of THE ROAD WARRIOR, too! When FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGE shows up on streaming services, you’ll going to like it! And, apparently, three more MAD MAX movies are in production.
While I liked the first three Mad Max movies and have seen The Road Warrior I don’t know how many times, I didn’t like Fury Road and its reveling in grotesquery to what seemed not much point. So, this is another movie franchise I’ve lost interest in.
Randy, the relentless need to amp up each sequel can cause interest fatigue. But George Miller, still active as a director at 80, captures his version of a Post-apocalyptic world brilliantly.
MAD MAX damned nearly killed my interest w/casual Hilarity about rape (at least in the Yankee cut). I’ve mildly enjoyed subsequent outings.
Todd, before FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA I watched a dozen previews of upcoming movies. I’m interested in DEAD POOL AND WOLVERINE, but not much else. FANDANGO announced that DEAD POOL AND WOLVERINE presale tickets set a new record.
The Bikeriders with Tom Hardy, Austiin Butler and Jodie Comer looks interesting.
Steve, I like Tom Hardy, Austiin Butler and Jodie Comer but I’ll wait for some reviews (or perhaps a recommendation from you after you’ve seen the movie).
Film studios whining on ABC NEWS that they foresee an Only $3.2 billion tickets summer, vs. 4.1 last summer, the first post-lockdown summer. I can barely contain my sympathy.
Todd, it’s all about the Money.
SF Chron writer Drew Magary (some may remember him as the most interesting writer on the now defunct Deadspin site) posted this more-or-less rave review of the film. Me, I couldn’t care less about anything Mad Max.
https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/furiosa-review-19470241.php
Can’t read it without signing up. No will do.
Art, thanks for the link!