genre: action, adventure, science fiction
At a specific moment in the film, you have a little War Boy itching to come into action and wanting to unleash the Bommy Knocker. This had piqued my interest. Surely, this was going to be an epic way of discarding the enemies. And before I knew it, this moment had passed, and I didn't even realize. Fortunately, I rewatched most of the film and then was able to finally watch this awesome sequence. Sadly, if me missing this moment wasn't an indication, to actually witness the scene was incredibly underwhelming. All this build-up and pay off. At least a proper one!
Above is how you could describe the entire film. The film has a lot of build-up but with minimal pay off. And trust me, despite reading and hearing the news this film flopped couldn't sway me from watching this. George Miller up until this time has always delivered in some form or another. This must be the first time he didn't. To be fair, it's not super bad or anything. Compared to every other film in the franchise, though, it's lacking something. Apart from the obvious. I mean, How can you have a Mad Max film without Mad Max? But seeing how this film wants to expand on the universe, I could overlook this transgression. We are supposed to be rooting for Furiosa and we do. Problem is that I didn't find her arc that compelling. It easily could have been, but apart from the obligated dramatic plot points, there barely is any tension or emotion between villain Dementus and Furiosa. Dementus wasn't nearly as demented as one would expect. He is brilliantly played by Chris Hemsworth. Easily his best acted role in his career. But he is not helped story wise. He is supposed to be a disgusting and ruthless man who has murdered Furiosa's mother in a brutal way. Does this come across? Not really. I think it really would have helped had they shown the horrific acts instead of sugar-coating it. In this case, it would have been warranted. It's the main reason why Furiosa wants to take revenge. The Octoboss also had a good reason to double-cross Dementus on many occasions. But he never does. Octoboss seemed to be more capable and his men were far more loyal. Why wasn't he running things? I think a conflict between them could have pointed out that despite his mistakes, Dementus is not to be understimated. To me, it would have made things more compelling.
The acting is good. Visually, the film is stunning. People complaining about CGI and such keep forgetting that most of the effects are still practical, only a bit enhanced. If I had to complain is that the film looks too polished. The Mad Max films always had been raw. Vehicles looked menacing and rusty. But the giant rig looks like it came fresh out of a factory. It kind of takes you out of it. That being said, all the rigs, vehicles and people looked awesome. It's therefore a real shame that the spectacle is so disappointing. Don't get me wrong, some of the action is magnificent, only I didn't feel it. I wasn't excited. Because I wasn't made to care.
Overall, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is underwhelming and disappointing. I understand why it flopped. People, including me, were expecting more and what we got in return doesn't even come close.
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