The newest installment of the Mad Max series shows audiences that high quality characterization doesn’t need to be sacrificed for stylization and visual appeal.
By Laari Ruby
July 1, 2024
My fear for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” going in was that its purpose would be unclear. I knew this film would have very little dialogue and nearly constant action due to the director’s style, so would enough character development happen to warrant calling this film an “Odyssey”? Yes, it would.
This film is a master class in visual storytelling, and a balance of action and forced stillness that allows the character to prepare herself for the next journey and show development, and for the audience to breathe and prepare themselves. These pauses help demonstrate how tough the characters must become due to the persistent violence of their universe and come few and far between in this film.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is an example of how an action driven movie can be a visual spectacle without sacrificing complex characterization. Director George Miller has a distinct filmmaking style in which dialogue is used only when absolutely necessary, causing the visuals to carry the weight of almost all the storytelling. Miller sees film as a visual medium and believes that dialogue slows down a story. Given that the Mad Max universe is meant to be an action-packed and high paced universe, it makes sense that dialogue would take the backseat. However, Miller doesn’t allow his aversion to dialogue stop him from creating complex meaningful moments and connections between his characters.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” goes into great depth discovering Furiosa’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) character and her life, but Miller lets the action speak for itself and allows Taylor-Joy’s performance to carry the weight of her character’s evolution, demonstrating through action or expression rather than speaking her thoughts. Taylor-Joy’s performance in this film is captivating, balancing intense emotions and a suppressed natured character. Chris Hemsworth demonstrates his ability to play a deranged and unlikable character, moving outside of his known roles, while maintaining his comedic charm. Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth had palpable chemistry in this film acting as foils to demonstrate the hatred and violence that lives in the wasteland when someone is at the top of the food chain versus the bottom.
The stylization of the Mad Max saga is expertly maintained in the latest installment while also staying innovative. The action scenes have inventive vehicles and attacks that create the action / adventure wow factor that many people love these movies for. The fight scenes that make this series so iconic continue to evolve and show the creativity of the minds behind this film, they maintain iconic battle strategies from previous movies while giving the viewer new visuals. The characters from “Mad Max: Fury Road” were nearly identical in their roles today, which is very impressive and lends praise to the costume and makeup department. The continuity between actresses playing Furiosa was very well preserved and the audience can easily visualize the two women being the same person, especially with attention to continuity in every other aspect of the movie.
The CGI in this film however was not to the standard of previous films. “Mad Max: Fury Road” was known to have intricate practical shots and well crafted digital frames whereas while watching “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”, there were some moments of obvious green screening and poor CGI that took me out of the experience.
One of the greatest parts of Furiosa as a character is how well rounded she is. Furiosa seems to be one of the most well written and realistic female characters audiences have in action films. The way the writers and Anya Taylor Joy are able to show the humanity in Furiosa while maintaining her strength defies so many “strong female” stereotypes. When Furiosa finds Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke) she is able to experience romantic love and have moments of femininity and gentleness. Viewers are able to see what genuine love looks like in the wasteland without abandoning the characteristics that it already forged in Furiosa. Then, when the two get stuck in a life or death situation, Furiosa chooses to cut herself free and leave him to make sure she survives. Having a female character written with her humanity and femininity in mind but her survivalist instinct at the forefront is very uncommon in action, but Furiosa reminds audiences that well rounded female characters can be done, and that it is very compelling when it happens.