Netflix Sci-Fi Blockbuster Sequel Is A Flawed Masterpiece
Hollywood has a mania for prequels and sequels, but this creates a vicious cycle in which successful films warrant another movie but the follow-up is often much worse than what came before (looking at you, Star Wars). And when the movie is part of a sprawling franchise, the sequel might not actually be that bad, but it’s different enough from what came before that it turns audiences off. That’s what happened with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. At first, I was disappointed by how different this prequel was from Fury Road, but after rewatching it on Netflix, I’ve decided Furiosa is a flawed masterpiece.
The Plot Of Furiosa
In case you’ve been living under a rock (or in an apocalyptic wasteland), here’s a brief rundown of Furiosa that can help you determine whether you’ll stream it on Netflix. We follow the adventures of the titular Furiosa as she gets caught in the violent power play between Dementus and Immortan Joe, each of whom wants to be the supreme leader of a world fueled by water and gasoline. She eventually grows in power and prominence as a member of Joe’s army, with the film fully explaining her character’s unexpected heel turn in Mad Max: Fury Road.
If you’re a Fury Road fan, watching Furiosa on Netflix might be confusing at first because of the casting changes: Anya Taylor-Joy replaces Charlize Theron as Furiosa in this prequel film, and Lachy Hulme replaces the late, great Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe. While he’s hardly in the movie, Jacob Tomuri replaces Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky, and the cast is rounded out by other memorable newcomers, including Chris Hemsworth in a wonderfully off-kilter performance as Dementus.
The Reaction Is Apocalyptic
Mad Max creator George Miller returned to helm this prequel, and after the success of Fury Road (which earned $380.5 million against a budget of $154.6–185.2 million), hopes were very high for another cinematic success. Unfortunately, Furiosa crashed and burned well before it ended up on Netflix: this $168 million movie barely made its budget back, earning a relatively paltry box office of $173.8 million. The general consensus was that the film failed because it was too different from Fury Road (more on this soon), but it won a minor theatrical victory: winning over the critics.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Furiosa has a 90 percent critical rating, with critics generally praising the film’s unexpectedly emotional core as well as how it provides juicy background lore for Fury Road. It also has a Popcornmeter rating of 89 percent, with audiences generally digging this prequel for being an action-packed entry in Hollywood’s weirdest franchise. This goes to show that those who watched Furiosa mostly loved it…unfortunately, unless the film picks up a cult following on Netflix, the sad fact is that far too many people will skip this movie altogether.
That’s a shame, though it took me a while to realize that. Full confession: I was one of the many Mad Max fans who were disappointed with this prequel because it is very different from Fury Road, offering a sprawling, character-centric origin story when I was expecting another nonstop, high-octane car chase. Once I watched Furiosa on Netflix, I realized I was the problem. I was judging this movie for not being a Fury Road retread when director George Miller clearly wanted to return to the ambitious world-building that he first kicked into high gear back in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.
Everybody remembers Thunderdome for things like the titular Thunderdome showdown against Master Blaster and the gloriously goofy overacting of Tina Turner. What it’s easy to forget, though, is how much that sequel was steeped in lore and world-building, showing us everything from how these post-apocalyptic towns create energy to how hero cults form around the fragmented memories of the pre-apocalypse. It’s uneven and admittedly not as good as the previous film, The Road Warrior, but it offers fans plenty to chew on.
Should you watch Furiosa on Netflix (especially as part of a double feature involving Fury Road, which is also on the streaming platform), you’ll likely feel the same way: the prequel simply isn’t as great as the earlier Tom Hardy/Charlize Theron masterpiece, but it’s still awesome. As long as you go in with an open mind (and, ideally, a healthy love of the Mad Max franchise), you’ll find this a movie full of fun performances and delightful surprises. If you go in expecting Fury Road: The Prequel, though, you’ll likely echo Immortan Joe and judge this film “mediocre!”
GFR SCORE
So, will you find Furiosa a flawed masterpiece like I did when you stream it on Netflix, or will you decide it’s time for George Miller to hang this franchise up like one of Immortan Joe’s blood bags? You won’t know until you stream it for yourself. If nothing else, consider this movie research…if our own world ever descends into water wars like the world of Max Rockatansky, Anya Taylor-Joy’s fight moves may mean the difference in whether you become a warlord or just another Warboy.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is available to stream on Netflix.
