A scene from ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’

It’s funny to think that George Miller debuted in 1979. mad Max (Starring Mel Gibson) and that even after 45 years, he is so enamored with his invention that he is swimming in its high waves.

In 2015, Miller rebooted the franchise mad max fury road, Arguably the greatest action movie of the last decade, thanks to Charlize Theron’s stellar performance as Furiosa. Now, the seasoned filmmaker brings us an origin story for his one-armed badass female lead, with an absolutely thrilling epic that also serves as a fantastic companion piece; surely Miller needs to find a way to tie the two together Furiosa And fury road Will this be a six-hour double feature film at some point?

So much is different from last time, and yet, the two films are inseparably connected, as we re-enter the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Australia to finally understand what Theron’s Furiosa meant when she said her “mother died on the third day.” fury road took place over the course of a few days – a relentless, fast-paced action fest whose sole focus was, while Furiosa It’s a story spanning 15 years, divided into five intense episodes that give us time to breathe in between.

We first meet our titular heroine as a 10-year-old (Aleila Brown) in the Green Place of Many Mothers — a rare oasis in a dystopian, violent universe mad Max The films are set in – where she is kidnapped by the fearsome warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and his gang of angry bikers. Over the next few years, Furiosa has to equip herself with every possible skill to survive in the insane asylum as she soon meets the Citadel and Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) and is forced into their service; about an hour in, Brown makes way for Anya Taylor-Joy during a stunning full-throttle set-piece as she matures as a warrior.

In this battle, tangled between both of her fights, she finds an unexpected ally in Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), the leader of the battlefield, who sympathizes with her and the two almost form a friendship/romance(?), which is unfortunately short-lived, but still gives the film some much-needed heart amid the burning rubber and carnage all around. From there, it’s a non-stop thrill ride until Furiosa’s final confrontation with Dementus, which definitely sets events in motion Fury Road.

There is little dialogue, but Taylor-Joy’s endlessly sunken eyes – which stand out against her oil-blackened forehead – do most of the talking, fervently conveying Furiosa’s deepest emotions. Much will be written about the extreme close-ups of her expressive face, but Taylor-Joy also brilliantly copes with many of the physical challenges asked of her, her slender frame doing the heavy lifting for her eyes as well. Is.

A scene from ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’

But as much as she gives an incredible performance, she’s outshone by Hemsworth in what is surely a career best film for the MCU superstar. Unlike his character, he’s extremely charismatic and hilarious, playing his insane dictator avatar with absolute confidence and venom (shades of his more underrated roles). Bad Times at the El Royale To drag out). With a strange prosthetic nose and distinctive accent, Hemsworth plays the dastardly Dementus – who comes with a tragic backstory – riding in his royal chariot, stealing every scene he’s in, and becoming one of the great movie villains of our time. Become one with.

On that note, Miller hits it big with the rest of the casting choices too, whether it’s the brilliant Burke as Praetorian Jack, Brown as young Furiosa or the bevy of other colorful supporting characters who inhabit his frenetic world. Not to mention a series of frantic high-octane fights, mind-boggling stunts and visual effects that have to be seen to be believed; the three-day frantic chase across the desert is my favorite.

So, how does one follow up the greatest action movie of the decade?

Just like that.

Oh, what a day. What a lovely day.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is currently playing in theaters