Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga delivers relentless action and striking visuals

In the 80s, George Miller didn't plan to make a second movie in the Mad Max universe. Meanwhile, 45 years later, he already has five under his belt, and there's a good chance he hasn't said the final word on the subject. "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" has just appeared in Canadian theatres and will go down in film history as a rollercoaster ride.

The latest action-packed spectacle is a prequel and spin-off of "Mad Max: Fury Road" from less than a decade ago. Although the trilogy from the late 70s and 80s starring Mel Gibson is in the background, the primary point of reference is the six-time Oscar-winning production starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Shortly after its premiere, it was said that Miller's next project would focus on the star's character. Work on the project was significantly delayed due to a conflict between the creator and the studio.

Despite widespread acclaim, Warner Bros. was not pleased with the final result. They expected a 100-minute film with a PG-13 rating (some elements were deemed inappropriate for viewers under 13, who could watch it with parental guidance). Still, they received a two-hour brutal spectacle improperly labelled as an "R" rated film, suitable only for adults. The studio's payment of overdue funds and the conclusion of the judicial process in 2019 allowed Miller to focus on returning to the expanded but (story-wise) collapsed world.

The story, divided into five chapters, covers 15 years of Furiosa's life. Kidnapped by the Biker Horde, she will first make every effort to protect information about her native village and later harbour hatred for the wrongs done to her loved ones for years. The Green Place of Many Mothers, a safe haven in this hopeless world driven by a primal need to survive, will appear in the film only once. The long establishing shot starkly contrasts the relentless action that follows; it seems to encourage viewers to take a close look at the mythical El Dorado, to which there is no return.

Grow into a brutal warrior, and Furiosa's revenge-driven actions intertwine with the constant struggle for dominance on a sand-covered, resource-poor chessboard. With the obsolete mechanisms of dependency and power structures, only survival matters, which is hard to achieve without water, food, and gasoline. The post-apocalyptic-cyberpunk world is portrayed by the authors Miller and Nick Lathouris, not through elaborate dialogues or extended plots but through intensified to-the-limit action.

The first impressive chase sequence, notable for its screenplay and choreography, begins within the film's first few minutes and lasts for another hour. In one of the most memorable scenes of a tanker hijacking, all elements – quick reactions and decisive actions of characters, as well as their pace and synchronized order – work like clockwork. Most of the action happens within the frame, not "on the edit," which, despite the breakneck pace, allows viewers to immerse themselves in the situation and even feel the grit of the sand in their teeth.

In the so-called "picture," "Furiosa" looks stunning. The yellow desert contrasts sharply with the blue sky and this contrasting combination "clashes" with the dark and fundamentally depressing plot. Sand pours down the steep dunes (the comparison with another hit this year is intentional), and the grains stirred up by speeding motorcycles turn into an impenetrable fog, flooding the screen like an orange filter.

The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences primarily appreciated "Mad Max: Fury Road" for the work of those responsible for creating a believable world and its emerging heroes. In the case of "Furiosa," it's no different, and the efforts of production designer Colin Gibson, costume designer Jenny Beavan, and set decorator Katie Sharrock are invaluable. Bodies covered with solid pigment, weapons with unusual finishes, motorcycles with skulls, terrifying masks, or even small padlocks attached to clothing – the appearance of the characters inhabiting the Mad Max universe is meticulously crafted.

This wouldn't be possible without the almost constant roar of motorcycles, which noticeably quiet down only once – in an unexpected silence after a particularly exhausting action scene. Furiosa herself hardly opens her mouth for most of the screening (it was said before the premiere that Taylor-Joy had only a few lines to learn); for her younger version, silence is a method of survival and preserving her most important values. For the adult version, it manifests her stubborn drive to achieve her goal and execute her secret plan.

Although it was initially planned to use a digitally de-aged Charlize Theron, Miller ultimately chose Anya Taylor-Joy, and he wasn't wrong. The star of Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" plays with her intense gaze as usual, reflecting determination and a thirst for revenge against Dementus. Chris Hemsworth, who plays Dementus, fits well into the role of the insane and ruthless leader, although he sometimes borders on self-parody. Some of his gags, like clichés (a falling teddy bear) and elements that stand out awkwardly, unintentionally provoke laughter.

However, the showdown, to which the plot leads, leaves a sense of dissatisfaction. The meeting of the victim and their tormentor (now, of course, in reversed roles) turns into a typical protagonist and antagonist conversation titled "We are the same": we act the same way and for the same reasons. However, Furiosa's helpless demand for retribution sounds exceptionally genuine and painful.

The scene lacks the right pace, and the shortcuts are visible to the naked eye (Taylor-Joy suggested cutting out Hemsworth's character's tongue, which was ultimately edited out due to its excessive brutality). The film ends unexpectedly and too soon, which cannot be said about the Mad Max universe. The prequel project focusing on Tom Hardy's character hasn't been shelved yet.