It’s hard to believe that it's been 45 years since Mel Gibson as Mad Max, a rogue cop taking on a biker gang, directed by George Miller, first hit the screens in 1979 and became a runaway global cult hit. Set in a dystopian future in Australia, the mix of road rage, violence, and odyssey of retribution turned Max Rockatansky and the film into a Guinness record for ‘most profitable film! Filmed on a budget of A$400,000, it grossed over US$100 million worldwide. 

Three sequels followed, including the 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road, where we first encountered Furiosa (then portrayed by Charlize Theron). And now we have a spin-off prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, with Anya Taylor-Joy, and as a still younger version, Alyla Browne, taking on the role of Imperator Furiosa. It’s an origin story, and the film had its world premiere at Cannes just last week, May 15. Furiosa opens in Philippine cinemas on May 22.

Unlike Fury Road, where everything in the film happens in 36 hours, this Furiosa spans 15 years of Furiosa’s early life. The bigger surprise is that it’s still George Miller, now 80, directing. 

Hailed in Cannes as ‘one of the best prequels ever made’; critics were in love with the emotional heft of the screenplay and how the film became a melange of trenchant human-focused drama (a character study), expansive world-building of The Wasteland, and the anticipated action sequences that still possessed the capability to surprise - even if this is effectively, a fifth Mad Max film. 

Anya Taylor-Joy doesn’t even appear until we’re about an hour into the film. Still, to the credit of Alyla Browne, you won’t miss her, as Browne’s plucky portrayal of the young girl Furiosa entertains us. When Anya does come on, her steely action heroine attacks all comers and convinces us she was born for the role. With a paucity of lines to utter, Taylor-Joy has to rely more on her eyes and facial expressions to convey her thoughts - and she manages this superbly.

Chris Hemsworth as Dementus, warlord leader of the gang that abducted Furiosa; is pitted against Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), as to who will be the most hated villain of this film. But without a doubt, Hemsworth almost steals this film with a stuffed teddy bear pinned to his chest and traveling in a fuel-injected Roman chariot. Despite his being such a heel, there is dark humor and a lot of charisma. Kudos to Hemsworth for pulling this off.

So yes, there is sadistic violence, and the sand and sound of the motors revving can be numbing, and there are narrative blips when events seem rushed, but there is something magnetic about Furiosa. You’ll appreciate that it isn’t Fury Road rehashed but a more character-driven film outing. It helps us better appreciate the Furiosa of Fury Road, so it’s like a companion piece to that film. 

Mad Max: The Wasteland is reportedly in the works as the sixth installment, so that’s a comfort for those who don’t want to see this film franchise end. Meanwhile, feast your senses to Furiosa, and know that even at 80, George Miller still has the mojo.