---
title: "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga"
year: 2024
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga"
fi1m_id: "furiosa-a-mad-max-saga"
imdb_id: "tt12037194"
tmdb_id: 786892
wikidata_id: "Q100361125"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 23
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:59.259405+00:00"
region: "JP"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Directed by George Miller · 2h 29m · Eirin PG12 · Action, Science Fiction, Adventure

## Identity

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** furiosa-a-mad-max-saga
- **IMDb ID:** tt12037194
- **TMDB ID:** 786892
- **Wikidata ID:** Q100361125
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12037194/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/786892, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100361125

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 75 from 23 reviews

*In a sentence:* Everyone in the wasteland has a grudge and a vehicle, and Chris Hemsworth has a toga and a speech

> George Miller goes back fifteen years before *Fury Road* to explain a woman who needed no explaining, and does it with real invention and a good deal of digital sand. Taylor-Joy is fierce, Hemsworth talks too much, and the middle hour is as good as the series gets.

## Synopsis

Years before the events of *Mad Max: Fury Road*, a child called Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place, a hidden pocket of orchards in a poisoned continent, by bikers riding for a warlord who calls himself Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Her mother, Mary Jabassa (Charlee Fraser), rides after them. What follows covers fifteen years, told in chapters, as the girl grows into a woman (Anya Taylor-Joy) passed between Dementus’s horde and the Citadel of Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), learning to drive, to fight and to wait. Tom Burke plays Praetorian Jack, the driver of the war rig who takes her on. George Miller directs, nine years after *Fury Road*.

## Review

George Miller made [*Mad Max: Fury Road*](https://film.one/film/mad-max-fury-road) in 2015 as one long chase with almost no backstory, and it did not need any. *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* is the backstory. It goes back fifteen years to find the woman Charlize Theron played as a child, snatched from the Green Place by bikers, and follows her through five chapters into the Citadel and on to the war rig. Miller and his co-writer Nico Lathouris have built something larger and slower than *Fury Road*, with more talk, more places and more years. It is good, often better than good, and it is the lesser film. We enjoyed most of the 149 minutes and would happily have lost twenty of them.

The first hour is the best of it. Alyla Browne plays the young Furiosa with almost no lines and a face that gives nothing away to the men who have her, and the film watches her watching them. Her mother, Mary Jabassa (Charlee Fraser), rides out of the orchards after the bikers alone, and the pursuit across the salt is shot by Simon Duggan in hard white light that turns every rider into a smudge of black. We were more frightened for the child than we expected to be. The reason is simple: Browne never cries, and so we did it for her.

Then Dementus arrives properly. Chris Hemsworth plays him in white robes, on a chariot pulled by three motorbikes, with a teddy bear strapped to his belt and a prosthetic nose, and he talks. He talks to his men, to his prisoners, to the girl, to the horizon. It is a real performance, funny and self-pitying and now and then frightening, and Miller loves it more than is good for the film. Every time the picture builds up speed, Dementus stops it to explain himself. The speeches get longer as the film goes on, and the film has already said what they say without him.

Colin Gibson’s production design gives us three cities this time: the Citadel with its hanging gardens, Gastown with its flare stacks, and the Bullet Farm, and each is sooty and specific, with pulleys and ladders you could climb. Jenny Beavan dresses the horde in rags and goggles and gives Dementus his robes. Tom Holkenborg’s score thunders as before, with a wordless choir under the chases. Margaret Sixel and Eliot Knapman cut the action so that you always know which vehicle is where, which sounds simple and is not.

The set piece at the centre, a war rig attacked by men on motorbikes and men in the air on kites, is the equal of anything in *Fury Road*. It lasts a long time and never repeats itself. We gripped the armrest and laughed at the same time, which is what this series does when it is working. Tom Burke, driving the rig as Praetorian Jack, is the calmest thing in the film and gives it what warmth it has; his scenes with Taylor-Joy are done mostly in glances.

Anya Taylor-Joy does not arrive until well into the film and then barely speaks. She is fierce, and her eyes do the work; she is also given less to play than the child was, because the plot has decided what she will become and she must simply become it. That is the prequel’s trouble. We know where she ends up, and so the film cannot make us fear for her. It can only show us what it cost.

The other trouble is the sand. Where *Fury Road* put real trucks on real desert, this film puts them in front of a great deal of digital sky, and the wide shots have a painted look, the horizon too clean, the dust too tidy. The fights staged inside those shots look lighter than they should.

Most critics have landed near where we have, though the reviews split unusually wide, from five stars to two. The admirers are right about the middle hour and the sceptics are right about the last one. Against Miller’s own series it sits below *Fury Road* and comfortably above *Beyond Thunderdome*. See it on the largest screen you can find; the middle hour deserves it.

*Fi1m score 72, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like it, and the spread is wide. Seventeen of 23 reviews are positive, but several give it full marks while four dismiss it, and almost every review measures it against Fury Road. The praise clusters on the action, above all the early chase, and on two performances: Anya Taylor-Joy, who carries the title role with little dialogue, and Chris Hemsworth as the villain Dementus, whom several critics single out as the film’s liveliest element. Admirers also credit Miller with giving Furiosa an inner life the earlier film only sketched.

The reservations are about the prequel itself. Critics on both sides say knowing where the story ends drains it of suspense, and that the 15-year span and chapter structure make the pacing uneven. The Times finds repetition setting in after the opening chase; the Los Angeles Times objects to the digital effects and a downbeat, self-regarding tone; Sight and Sound thinks the action itself is flatter than before.

## Straight answers

**How long is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and what is it rated?**

*Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* runs 2h 29m and is rated PG12 by the Eirin in Japan. It is an action and science fiction film.

**Where can I watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga in Japan?**

*Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from ¥440. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga?**

After *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga*, try [*Mad Max 2*](https://film.one/film/mad-max-2) (1981, Fi1m 88): Miller’s leaner original template: one tanker, one siege, and no explaining whatsoever. Then [*Once Upon a Time in the West*](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west) (1968, Fi1m 91): Another wordless avenger, another villain who cannot stop talking, and a longer runtime; and [*Kill Bill: Vol. 1*](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1) (2003, Fi1m 72): Revenge told in numbered chapters, with the same appetite for pulp and prosthetics.

**What order should I watch the Mad Max films in?**

Release order is the safe choice for Mad Max, and it is the order [our collection page](https://film.one/collections/mad-max) lists them in. *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga* is the most recent of the 5 Mad Max titles on Fi1m; before it comes [*Mad Max: Fury Road*](https://film.one/film/mad-max-fury-road). [The full order.](https://film.one/collections/mad-max.md)

### Reviews we read (32)

- **Radio Times**, James Mottram (5/5): This is a brilliantly executed Hollywood blockbuster that fires on all cylinders with staggering action sequences and exemplary aesthetics, setting a new standard for the genre. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/furiosa-mad-max-saga-review/)
- **The Telegraph** (5/5): Cinema at its most soul-pricklingly primal; a pile-driving, stunt-filled entry that feels like the past century of Hollywood has been a detour. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2024/05/15/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy/)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a rich, sprawling epic that deepens the Mad Max mythology over 15 years, with ambitious storytelling and exceptional stunts. They single out the emotionally driven action and the performances of Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth for particular note. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga/)
- **The AV Club** (A-): Miller succeeds in creating a highly regarded prequel that stands alone while deepening Fury Road through Furiosa's inner life, relationships, and losses. The soulmate bond with Praetorian Jack provides an emotional core. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-the-unexpected-exhilar-1851484166)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Robert Daniels (85/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as one of the best prequels ever made for its gravity-defying chases, expansive set pieces, and emotional depth in charting Furiosa's transformation. They single out the seamless editing, immersive photography, propulsive score, and standout villain turn by Chris Hemsworth. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/furiosa-movie-review-2024)
- **The New Yorker**, Justin Chang (85/100, inferred): The critic describes the prequel as a thrilling, sprawling epic that fills in Furiosa's dark fairy-tale origin with seamless performances and breathtaking action clarity. They single out the film's blend of end-of-days thriller and Edenic parable, along with its moral counterweight to the series' typical nihilism. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/06/03/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-movie-review)
- **Total Film**, Jamie Graham (85/100, inferred): The critic states that George Miller has done it again with a prequel that finds new ways to surprise. They highlight the film's ability to deliver fresh action and character depth within the established universe. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/action-movies/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review/)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Furiosa delivers a bombastic origin story focused on revenge that is one hell of a ride, cementing the character's place in the Mad Max mythology despite uneven pacing from its 15-year span. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-cannes-review/5193379.article)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film gory, thrilling and insane, matching the verve of Fury Road. They single out the intense action sequences and Anya Taylor-Joy's portrayal of a vengeful, amoral crusader shaped by her brutal environment. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/furiosa-mad-max-saga-review-3071067)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (80/100, inferred): Furiosa serves as a somber, twisted counterpoint to Fury Road's exhilaration, reminding viewers of the bleak end times. It excels in its personal angle on grief, character transformation, and fabulistic storytelling. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/furiosa-review-the-apocalypse-isnt-supposed-to-be-cool.html)
- **Evening Standard**, Jo-Ann Titmarsh (75/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as souped-up, high-octane and totally bonkers, a furious ride with watchable leads. They single out the improbable stunts and the strong performances of Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke for praise, while noting it does not quite reach the heights of its predecessor. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/furiosa-movie-review-anya-taylor-joy-b1158258.html)
- **Film Comment**, Jessica Kiang (45/100, inferred): The critic finds Furiosa well-crafted but ultimately lesser than Fury Road, with abundant spectacle but lacking the earlier film's narrative freedom, surprise, and character depth. She singles out the early chase sequence for its inventive action and emotional stakes while noting the prequel's inherent limitations rob it of suspense. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/sound-and-fury-furiosa-review-jessica-kiang/)
- **Sight and Sound** (40/100, inferred): Miller remains a master of petrol-punk visuals but this mythology-stuffed backstory cannot match Fury Road's momentum, with flatter action scenes and narrative drive sapped by its prequel status. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/furiosa-mad-max-saga-george-millers-ambitious-prequel-quickly-loses-steam)
- **The Times** (2/5): A thundering beginning and searing sense of place fail to compensate for wearisome repetition and empty theatrics that swamp the blockbuster after the opening chase. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/furiosa-review-great-stunts-shame-about-the-rest-of-this-mad-max-prequel-ddjbbbdsb)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (40/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a darkly bedazzling but overstuffed epic whose origin story and world-building ultimately fall short of Fury Road's home-run status. They single out the dazzling action sequences and two mega villains as highlights amid the inflated franchise overkill. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy-chris-hemsworth-george-miller-1236000189/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Joshua Rothkopf (30/100, inferred): The critic argues that the dutiful prequel loses the franchise's signature immediacy, forward momentum, and punkish glee despite some strong action. They single out the over-reliance on digital effects, self-regarding tone, and downbeat lack of euphoria as what makes it feel like a tale already told. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-05-15/cannes-film-festival-2024-furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-premiere)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★★☆): Taylor-Joy is the quiet centre of Miller’s giddy joyride of a blockbuster; an episodic but single-minded revenge story strewn with action at once ornate and purist. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/fc29acc1-7bd7-4c7a-837e-b74a9d480b68)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich: The film is hailed as one of the greatest prequels ever made, with Miller enhancing Fury Road through its backstory. It excels in building character depth and relationships that enrich the franchise. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-1235004341/)
- **The Guardian**, Wendy Ide: Miller’s world-building spectacle is an assault on the senses given a human heart by its remarkable star. Taylor-Joy is a pleasure to watch in the action sequences and a refreshing counterpoint to the lumbering muscle around her. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/may/26/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-renegade-warrior-anya-taylor-joy-ignites-thunderous-action-prequel-george-miller)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic finds Furiosa a step down from Fury Road, with a shapeless narrative and pretentious chapter structure that lacks tension and visual poetry. Performances by Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth are praised as fierce and fun, respectively. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy-chris-hemsworth-george-miller-1235896508/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic’s Pick): The critic finds the origin story a worthy complement to Fury Road that delivers grim, exhilarating dystopian imagery and inventive filmmaking. They single out the focus on a woman's brutal struggle to survive in a dehumanizing world as the element that differentiates it, though it never quite matches the earlier film's pop. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/movies/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy.html)
- **/Film**, BJ Colangelo (10/10): The critic hails Furiosa as a thrilling, bigger and better epic than Fury Road, with breathtaking action and world-building that makes it George Miller's magnum opus and one of the greatest prequels ever. It stands alone as a masterful blockbuster while enhancing the original film. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1581233/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy-chris-hemsworth-george-miller/)
- **NME**, Lou Thomas (5/5): The critic hails Furiosa as another mighty, petrol-soaked masterpiece that matches or exceeds its predecessor in immersive world-building and explosive sequences. Anya Taylor-Joy's expressive performance despite limited dialogue and the thoughtful underplayed conclusion are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-3756466)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it perhaps the greatest Mad Max film yet, an epic origin story that elevates the franchise with a strong screenplay and standout performances. He singles out Chris Hemsworth's complex, charismatic villain and the spectacular action sequences for particular praise. [Read](https://deadline.com/2024/05/furiosa-mad-max-review-anya-taylor-joy-1235916545/)
- **Polygon**, Rosie Knight (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Furiosa as an innovative and expansive prequel that expands the Mad Max world with epic scope and strong practical stunts. She highlights Miller's trust in the audience and the film's vibrant, experimental approach over standard franchise fare. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24157385/furiosa-review-no-spoilers-george-miller-anya-taylor-joy)
- **Den of Geek**, Matthew Byrd (4/5): The review calls Furiosa a revelation and one of the best prequels ever, praising its daring execution, grotesque imagery, varied action set-pieces, and strong performances despite prequel constraints. It particularly highlights Chris Hemsworth's villainous turn as Dr. Dementus as a standout element that elevates the film. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/furiosa-review-george-miller-best-prequel-ever-mad-max/)
- **The Wrap**, Steve Pond (75/100, inferred): The critic finds it a satisfying prequel and origin story that fills in blanks from Fury Road with wildly over-the-top action, though it does not quite match the predecessor's thrills or discovery. He praises Anya Taylor-Joy's believable performance as the title character growing into a warrior. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-anya-taylor-joy/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (65/100, inferred): The critic finds Furiosa competent but lacking the originality of Fury Road, relying on muscle memory in its execution. He praises the action set pieces and supporting performances while noting moments of drag and prequel familiarity. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2024/05/23/movies/furiosa-mad-max-saga-movie-review-anya-taylor-joy-fury-road)
- **Eye for Film**, Richard Mowe: The critic notes that Miller excels at helter-skelter high-octane action in this chapter-divided saga, with Taylor-Joy delivering a gutsy performance as the young Furiosa and Burke adding charm. While the pace occasionally waivers and the film feels over-inflated, it remains an admirable spectacle of pure cinema. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-2024-film-review-by-richard-mowe)
- **Film Stories**, James Harvey: The critic calls Furiosa a brilliant, worthy successor to Fury Road that delivers impressive action and strong performances from Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth, though it feels slightly less relentless than its predecessor. The thoughtful ending and Miller's visual craft elevate it to smart blockbuster filmmaking. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review-an-odyssey-of-blood-and-oil/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Linda Marric: The review praises the film as a triumphant, visually stunning prequel with exhilarating action set pieces and strong performances, especially from Taylor-Joy as the fierce Furiosa and Hemsworth as the villainous Dementus. It expands the Mad Max universe effectively while delivering an emotionally charged and compelling narrative. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga-review/)
- **The Playlist**, Gregory Ellwood (B+/B): The review finds Furiosa a strong prequel that does not fall short of its predecessor, with captivating non-verbal work from Taylor-Joy, a standout soliloquy from Hemsworth, and sensitive support from Burke. Miller's vision creates an engaging tale of vengeance that leaves viewers wanting more. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/furiosa-anya-taylor-joy-is-searching-for-vengeance-in-george-millers-wasteland-war-cannes-20240515/)

## Details

- **Director:** George Miller
- **Director:** George Miller
- **Writer:** Nico Lathouris, George Miller
- **Cinematography:** Simon Duggan
- **Editor:** Margaret Sixel, Eliot Knapman
- **Music:** Junkie XL
- **Production design:** Colin Gibson
- **Costume design:** Jenny Beavan
- **Producer:** Doug Mitchell, George Miller
- **Cast:** Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa; Chris Hemsworth as Dementus; Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack; Alyla Browne as Young Furiosa; George Shevtsov as The History Man; Lachy Hulme as Immortan Joe / Rizzdale Pell; John Howard as The People Eater; Angus Sampson as Organic Mechanic
- **Runtime:** 2h 29m
- **Certificate (Eirin):** PG12
- **Release (Japan):** 31 May 2024
- **Genres:** Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
- **Part of:** [Mad Max](https://film.one/collections/mad-max.md) · 5 of 5
- **Budget:** $168 million
- **Box office:** $174 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYV3001u574

## Where to watch in Japan

- Amazon Prime Video: rent ¥440, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy ¥2, hd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, ID, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Mad Max 2* (1981), Fi1m 88: Miller’s leaner original template: one tanker, one siege, and no explaining whatsoever. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/mad-max-2.md)
- *Lady Snowblood* (1973): A child raised for revenge in chapters, with blood on snow instead of sand.
- *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), Fi1m 91: Another wordless avenger, another villain who cannot stop talking, and a longer runtime. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.md)
- *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), Fi1m 72: Revenge told in numbered chapters, with the same appetite for pulp and prosthetics. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md)
- *Wake in Fright* (1971), Fi1m 86: The Australian outback as a place that eats people, without a single engine. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wake-in-fright.md)

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/furiosa-a-mad-max-saga