From the outset, it’s probably best to admit that I wasn’t an ardent, devoted fan of Mad Max: Fury Road. I know that’s kind of a sacrilegious thing to admit as I know how obsessed the fan base really is. And while Furiosa has its moments, it doesn’t quite reach the heights that Mad Max: Fury Road did. While visually striking in its production design and action set pieces, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga feels narratively fragmented and fails to allow the film’s namesake her chance to really shine.

 

Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.

 

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga can be best summed up in one simple, seemingly insignificant scene. A human skull lies dry and bleached on the desert floor, flies buzzing around it. A lizard pops out of one of the eye holes in the skull, collecting flies with his tongue. Then, out of the blue, a crazed, heavily modified vehicle runs it over. While this scene is visually stunning, it's unfortunately oh so predictable.

 

And this is present throughout the film; everything feeling a little too familiar, a little too safe. The narrative itself unfolds in big, beautiful brush strokes, without that much detail or real emotional investment. This flat narrative is punctuated by bombastic and entertaining action sequences that really dial up the stakes as the film heads for its conclusion. 

 

But the biggest disappointment of Furiosa is what they do with the title character and the supposed lead of the film. We’ve seen with her previous work that Anna Taylor Joy is not only a charismatic, highly talented actress but she can definitely lead a film or TV show. Unfortunately the focus falls away from her due to lackluster character development and Hemsworth’s cringeworthy performance.

 

While visually striking in its production design and action set pieces, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga feels narratively fragmented and fails to allow the film’s namesake her chance to really shine.