Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action films of all time and definitely one of the best films of the last decade. At 79 Years old, Director George Miller aims to give us another action packed romp through the apocalypse through the eyes of Furiosa. I was initially unsure as to why the focus on her, given her complete character arc in Fury Road. But Miller proved me very wrong, this film, despite not quite reaching the insurmountable heights of what came before, blew me away from minute one.
To start with the obvious, the action is superb. Each sequence feels unique, creative and the sound design is top notch. The film doesn't try to imitate Fury Road, instead content to carve out its own identity. This film also does a great job at expanding the Wasteland and the characters within. It does what any good prequel does, expand the scope of the world. Things that were mentions in Fury Road are fully realised here and characters such as Immortan Joe are given enough screen time to flesh them out further.
My main hang up about the film was Furiosa herself. I was ambivalent at Anya Taylor-Joy's casting since I was worried she would exist in the shadow of Charlize Theron. But boy was I wrong. In fact, both actors who play Furiosa do a remarkable job. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne both do a fantastic job, the transition between the two feels seamless. Anya definitely captures the essence of Theron's performance and masterfully uses her facial expressions to convey the characters thoughts and emotions. She excellently fits into Miller's show don't tell style of filmmaking. Her arc is excellent and will likely enhance her story in Fury Road.
But the absolute standout in this film is definitely Chris Hemsworth as the main antagonist, Dementus. This is a career-best performance by the man and he chews up every scene he is in. He perfectly fits into this magnificent world and acts as an excellent foil to Furiosa. He is amazing.
If there are any issues, it's that there are a few moments in the plot that don't quite add up. There are also and characters ideas that I wish were explored more, but who knows, if Miller makes another one, maybe we'll see them fleshed out too. The only major issue that may take one out is the CGI on occasion. The green screen at times looks really obvious. These moments are few and far between but given the previous films' seamless VFX, this does feel like a step down.
Overall, Furiosa is exactly the film I wanted it to be. It delivers a thrilling revenge story that fleshes out the manic world which the characters inhabit. The action is great, the characters are wonderful and it seamlessly connects with Fury Road while also enhancing that film's payoffs. A perfect prequel, but a great standalone film too. Witness it in theatres if you can.
To start with the obvious, the action is superb. Each sequence feels unique, creative and the sound design is top notch. The film doesn't try to imitate Fury Road, instead content to carve out its own identity. This film also does a great job at expanding the Wasteland and the characters within. It does what any good prequel does, expand the scope of the world. Things that were mentions in Fury Road are fully realised here and characters such as Immortan Joe are given enough screen time to flesh them out further.
My main hang up about the film was Furiosa herself. I was ambivalent at Anya Taylor-Joy's casting since I was worried she would exist in the shadow of Charlize Theron. But boy was I wrong. In fact, both actors who play Furiosa do a remarkable job. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne both do a fantastic job, the transition between the two feels seamless. Anya definitely captures the essence of Theron's performance and masterfully uses her facial expressions to convey the characters thoughts and emotions. She excellently fits into Miller's show don't tell style of filmmaking. Her arc is excellent and will likely enhance her story in Fury Road.
But the absolute standout in this film is definitely Chris Hemsworth as the main antagonist, Dementus. This is a career-best performance by the man and he chews up every scene he is in. He perfectly fits into this magnificent world and acts as an excellent foil to Furiosa. He is amazing.
If there are any issues, it's that there are a few moments in the plot that don't quite add up. There are also and characters ideas that I wish were explored more, but who knows, if Miller makes another one, maybe we'll see them fleshed out too. The only major issue that may take one out is the CGI on occasion. The green screen at times looks really obvious. These moments are few and far between but given the previous films' seamless VFX, this does feel like a step down.
Overall, Furiosa is exactly the film I wanted it to be. It delivers a thrilling revenge story that fleshes out the manic world which the characters inhabit. The action is great, the characters are wonderful and it seamlessly connects with Fury Road while also enhancing that film's payoffs. A perfect prequel, but a great standalone film too. Witness it in theatres if you can.
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