Michael's Movie Grade: B+
An excellent Mad Max prequel.
What really makes this movie work is the Furiosa herself. This is simply a wonderful character. Though she only says a few words throughout the whole film, we identify with and sympathize with her. We only grow to care more about her as the film goes on and we find that she has more depth than one might first expect. Anya Taylor-Joy (adult Furiosa) and Alyla Browne's (kid Furiosa) great performances as this character truly help make this character something special as well.
Chris Hemsworth is also wonderful as an over the top and very fun villain. There is nothing subtle about this character but the is exactly what makes him work. However, no matter how over the top he gets, the character always feels like a major threat that is not to be taken lightly. No matter how over the top he gets he never becomes a joke. This makes him the perfect villain for a larger-than-life action movie that also has a bit of depth to it.
When you watch a Mad Max movie, you know you are in for a visual treat. That is definitely the case here. The whole look of the Wasteland is wonderful. It creates an incredible atmosphere that makes this post-apocalyptic future seem completely real to us. Of course, the action scenes are jaw droppingly well done. They are larger than life in the best way ever. While there is CGI, George Miller (who has directed all the Mad Max movies) also mixes in a good deal of practical effects, which adds a weight that many modern-day action films don't. Yet the use of CGI is also fantastic as is the timing and choreography on these scenes. These action scenes also have a wonderfully stylized look that makes them stand out from your standard action flick.
The movie is however longer than it needs to be. For a mostly simply revenge storyline, there is no need for this to be nearly two and a half hours. This can cause it to really drag at times, especially during the early scenes. The man whom Furiosa teams up with is a very bland and forgettable character and his relationship with our heroine never feels really devolved.
This movie's flaws are easily overcome by the last few scenes of this movie. These scenes take what has been a rather simple revenge story and add some real depth to it. They are fully of very clever and smart dialogue and a wonderfully gruesome and demented punchline.
While it has its flaws this movie also provides all you could want from a Mad Max film.
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