I liked “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” but I didn’t love it.
This is a prequel to George Miller’s amazing “Mad Max” original in 1979. Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Queen’s Gambit” streaming series) takes on the role of Furiosa introduced by Charlize Theron in “Mad Mad: Fury Road” in 2015. Taylor-Joy portrays Furiosa as a kidnapped teen in this prequel.
It’s a solid movie, but it’s missing part of the enjoyment mixture. It just isn’t as great as “Fury Road.” The sound mix is amazing, however. The speakers were rumbling all over the theater because of the same kind of big battle rigs that revved and roared across the screen in “Fury Road.”
It is weird to see Chris Hemsworth as Dr. Dementus, the antagonist, after seeing him so much in the hero role in the “Thor” series.
Those unfamiliar with this futuristic series might miss some of the backstory involving the characters and their dilemmas. Director Miller toned down the bombastic action a bit in this one to leave room to follow Furiosa’s story line.
Sporting black face paint, Taylor-Joy steps into Theron’s combat boots quite well. “Mad Max” regulars will enjoy finding out how Furiosa got her prosthetic arm.
The dusty Outback becomes a character in itself in the latest installment. It’s similar to the orange hues Miller used in “Fury Road,” although it’s not as prevalent in this sci-fi actioner.
Grade: B+
