I know, I know, I’m not the film’s target demographic, so instead of showing my age and complaining about the noise and video game aesthetics, I’ll share three things I loved about the latest installment of the series, directed and co-written by George Miller.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the fifth installment in the Mad Max franchise, serving as both a spin-off and prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). What that means is that, in case you didn’t get to watch the previous installment, featuring the character of Imperator Furiosa, as played by Charlize Theron, you can still get to enjoy this film. And I did.
Granted, it’s not a film I would choose to spend $50 on, for a pair of tickets and popcorn and transportation — cinema ain’t cheap these days. But in Cannes, on a cool morning during the festival, I did choose to start my day with it and I’m very glad I did.
So what made this two and a half hour film such an enjoyable experience for me? Read on to find out.
The acting
I really loved the ensemble cast, lead by Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne as young and younger versions of Furiosa, alongside Chris Hemsworth and, my hands down favorite in this film, English actor Tom Burke. Burke is the son of David Burke, who played the original Dr. Watson in the Granada TV 1980’s series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which starred Jeremy Brett in the title role.
Burke son comes in halfway through the film, and plays Praetorian Jack, the principal commander of the Citadel's military forces. He’s dressed in distressed leather and is enough of a good guy to make his bad boy persona shine. I sat up in my seat as soon as Jack showed up and the film picks up on chemistry and humanity for the duration of his performance.
Taylor-Joy is just one of the most exciting actresses out there these days and her multi-cultural background, born in the US and brought up between Buenos Aires and London, makes for an interesting accent and cool demeanor. She looks part alien part human and her performance as Furiosa — complete with a charcoal grey painted forehead — is phenomenal. I also liked Hemsworth as Dr. Dementus, even if at times it seemed he was acting in another film — a comedy.
The landscapes
I know Miller and his production designer Colin Gibson were going to post-apocalyptic, dystopian futuristic wasteland here, but I really kinda like the surroundings of the film. No wonder, as it was filmed across New South Wales in Australia and ever since I watched Ivan Sen’s Limbo, and interviewed him and his star Simon Baker in Marrakech, I’ve been into all things Aussie and Outback. The red soil, the bright blue skies, the dusty mountains all conspire to create a landscape like no other and Gibson, whose credits also include one of my favorite films of all time Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has really outdone himself here. I love the tribal references and there is even a throwback to old Hollywood epics about Ancient Rome with Dr. Dementus riding a motorcycle chariot, complete with reins and pulled by three horses. Oomps, sorry, I meant bikes.
The costumes and makeup
No, you won’t find me sporting a blackened forehead anytime soon. And biker boots hurt my feet, yet there is something very elegant about the costumes and make up of this Mad Max installment. Maybe it’s all those white painted War Boys and their chrome spray painted teeth (as they prepare to go on the “road to Valhalla”), or the Greek robed Five Wives with their distinct looks and soon to be on your screen special film… What I do know is that I’m not alone and there are whole videos on TikTok and YouTube dedicated to the make up of Furiosa and the Mad Max aesthetic.
Oh and don’t even get me started on that cool vest worn by Hemsworth, which is actually available for sale here. To be or not to be accessorized by a small, beige teddy bear ornament, worn on a chain. You choose.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga opens in the UK on Friday, May 24th. Check out where to find tickets, here.
All images courtesy of Warner Bros and the Festival de Cannes, used with permission.