Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Review: Anya Taylor-Joy Takes the Wheel in a Powerhouse Prequel

Maybe you were among the millions of people who loved 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Charlize Theron as a gloriously curmudgeonly post-apocalyptic heroine named Furiosa.

But in the years since, while casually washing lettuce leaves, Googling old high school rivals, or settling down for a nap, have you ever wondered, “What he was Furiosa’s background? What happened to that missing hand?”

Probably not. And yet, this prequel, directed Mad Max maestro George Miller, answers those questions with such wild, visionary invention, you’re grateful and — as with Theron’s film — thrilled that someone in Hollywood cares that you care.

A great movie, and this is one of them, can satisfy an emotional hunger you didn’t know you had.

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Furiousstarring Anya Taylor-Joy, is far more grandiose and perhaps even stranger than its predecessor. Wild roadThe open, direct narrative has given way to a more episodic structure and emphasis, similar to that in Dune franchise, to massive world building.

That’s the difference Dunefor all its desert scenery, it comes with the dust of a high, exotic civilization, like sugar on a very dry doughnut. Furious is a raging death-metal fantasy set in a steampunk wasteland of desperate, vicious survivors, many of whom are grotesque mutants that suggest a circus troupe of killer clowns. He is driven by primal hunger, rage, hatred and revenge.

And after 2 hours and 28 minutes, it can almost destroy you.

The only comforting point of beauty is found at the very beginning: a rare apple of Eden is plucked from a branch by 10-year-old Furiosa (Alyla Browne). Half an hour later – after a spectacular series of breathless action scenes – she is captured in the despotic company of warlord Dementus. He is played by Chris Hemsworth with a large prosthetic nose (seems borrowed from Lord of the Rings troll) and tongue-in-cheek humor which, in the long run, means he probably enjoys his performance more than you do.

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Anya-Taylor Joy, Tom Burke and Chris Hemsworth.

Jasin Boland

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Taylor-Joy doesn’t appear as the grown-up Furiosa for almost an entire hour, and even then she has very little dialogue — the role is practically silent. But that’s not a surprise Mad Max movie, it doesn’t matter. (Would you have been happier if Aaron Sorkin had written the script?)

The actress’s huge eyes serve as high lights that break through all the dirty chaos. In the end, her performance connects almost imperceptibly with Theron’s: They are wicked goddesses.

Under more classy circumstances, the film could be described as an education story, something like that David Copperfield but with endless explosions, chases, fires, mutilations and murders. Furiosa experiences constant cruelty as she moves from one hellish compound to another, but she learns, adapts, fights and wins. She enchants.

Furious it’s in theaters now.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education

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