“Furiosa: A Mad Max” saga is just the latest big-budget pic to be available on Premium Video on Demand just weeks after its release. The 2024 summer movie season kicked off with the Ryan Gosling vehicle “The Fall Guy” in early May. Just two weeks after its release, the theatrical version and an extended cut were made available on home video. This is a worrying trend, as the theatrical window continues to shrink for some of the more daring blockbusters released these days.
While it’s devastating that these releases couldn’t succeed due to word of mouth, “Furiosa” isn’t a critical misfire. In fact, it’s one of the most celebrated releases of the year, making it a must-watch for action junkies. Looper critic Reuben Baron gave “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” an 8/10 rating, praising the epic for its action sequences and lead performances, particularly singling out Chris Hemsworth’s gleefully devious turn as Dementus. Most critics agree with Baron’s assessment, as the Mad Max prequel boasts a whopping 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences are also in love with it, with users on the film-centric social media site Letterboxd giving it an average score of 3.9 out of 5.
Bringing “Furiosa” to life was no small task, as filming took nearly 6 months. The production process was so overwhelming and stimulating that Anya Taylor-Joy was traumatized by her Mad Max experience. Ultimately, Miller, Taylor-Joy, and the rest of the crew’s efforts led to one 2024’s best films.
