I saw Furiosa

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a prequel to George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road. It reveals the background of Charlize Theron's titular cyborg, now portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy, and in the movie's preluding phases, Alyla Browne. 

For this origin fable, Miller and cowriter, Nico Lathouris, install the required, Maxian elements to ensure the chapter fits into the post-apocalyptic, modern-western mythology. Much like Miller painted Max Rockatansky as a victim, who then rose to right the wrongs done to him (and his loved ones), the same goes for Furiosa. No one would argue, she has good reason to seek righteous revenge. 

For Taylor-Joy's version, there's more pathos at play, since we see her closer to her idyllic foundation before it gets ripped to shreds by the marauding entitled. (Many viewers may find the scenarios reflective of what's happening in today's world.) In this respect, Furiosa loses her valiant mother, Charlee Fraser's Mary, in addition to her innocence, optimism and complacency after being kidnapped by a monstrous, biker army. An unexpected warrior soon blooms, who must hold her own in a locale where two, ruthless leaders brawl for dominance, in order to dominate others.

The preponderate villains are Chris Hemsworth's Dr. Dementus and Lachy Hulme's Bane-ish Immortan Joe. They're both dastardly, but we know from Fury Road, who'll endure. However, that doesn't steal from the dogged reckoning that unfolds. 

Though Furiosa often comes out on top, she's no Mary Sue. In fact, this earlier version of the character resembles Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft of Tomb Raider 2018, with Furiosa surrounded by virile, vile specimens, with whom she must mingle and combat to survive. (Tomb Raider took flack for being too male-oriented and for Croft having to develop into her admired character, as opposed to being fine-tuned from the start; I suspect Furiosa might meet the same derision from certain, foolish sects, but screw them.) Furiosa earns her station within this bizarre nation (and it really starts with wee Browne): a swell departure from the current abundance of fleckless, movie heroines.

Beyond the movie's competing chieftains, Furiosa is accompanied by Tom Burke's tanker-hauler supreme, Praetorian Jack (who, even if a semi-conformist, has a Rockatansky vibe about him); George Shevtov's interpretive History Man; Nathan Jones' lumbering Rictus Erectus; Josh Helman's overeager Scabrous Scrotus; John Howard's bureaucratic People Eater; Angus Samson's doctorly Organic Mechanic; and many others who populate Miller's world in a way that sticks to the series' established look and feel. 

As with Burke's Praetorian Jack, who holds considerable, stoic charisma (and could/should get a movie of his own), Hemsworth proves a pervading scene-stealer, looking a tad different due to a nose prosthetic and heavy beard, but within this dystopic niche, he's nearly as formidable as the Mighty Thor, even if nowhere near as reasonable. Keep in mind, a protagonist is only as worthy as his/her antagonist, so Hemsworth's imposing kingpin acts as a worthy adversary to Taylor-Joy's small, resilient grappler, thus creating a David-and-Goliath parable, with the persistent Immortan Joe and his Citadel acolytes nudging in. (BTW: The girthy, exchangeable-part vehicles and mind-blowing chases fuel the Furiosa/Dementus/Immortan triangle with growling gusto, as does Simon Duggan's Homeric photography and Tom Holkenberg [aka Junkie XL]'s rumbling score.)

Granted, the movie's main, reactionary principal is female, but Furiosa is really a guy's flick at heart, which gals have every right to enjoy. It carries Miller's tradition to the max by assembling a well-oiled, action-adventure machine, with a reasonable analysis of good and evil, but more importantly, how standing up for oneself and fighting back are always the best antidotes for any upheaval.