Review of 'Furiosa' Analyzes George Miller's Mad Max Mythology and Visual References

George Berridge reviews 'Furiosa,' the latest installment in George Miller's Mad Max series, examining its mythological allusions and visual symbolism. The film serves as a prequel to 2015's 'Fury Road,' tracing the origin story of Imperator Furiosa, portrayed in adulthood by Anya Taylor-Joy. Miller's postapocalyptic world blends Old Norse saga with retrofuturist aesthetics, featuring characters like Lord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Visual references include John William Waterhouse's 1896 painting 'Hylas and the Nymphs,' Hieronymus Bosch's grotesques, and Adriaen van Nieulandt's 1636 'Vanitas Still Life.' The review contrasts the film's copious exposition with the minimalist approach of 'Fury Road,' which starred Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Set in a resource-scarce Australia known as The Wasteland, the series began with Mel Gibson in 1979 and includes films like 'The Road Warrior' (1981). Berridge questions whether the film's detailed world-building coheres into meaningful philosophy, noting a major set piece required two months and 200 performers to shoot. Tom Holkenborg composed the score for both 'Furiosa' and 'Fury Road.'