‘Furiosa’ First Reactions Say It’s a Stunning Powerhouse (But No ‘Fury Road’)

The first reactions are here for George Miller’s latest venture into the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

The embargo broke for social media reactions to Furiosa, the eagerly anticipated prequel to the 2015 stunner Mad Max: Fury Road.

This new entry has Anya Taylor-Joy as Imperator Furiosa (taking over for Charlize Theron) and Chris Hemsworth as a devious warlord in a story that takes place 15 years before the previous film.

Early social reactions (below) can sometimes be a bit different (typically more enthusiastic) than official critic reviews, and surely there are many more to come soon. But based on the first batch Monday evening, Furiosa is a visual stunner with “ferocious, wild and unrelenting” action and a story that “spans decades” and boosts strong performances from the two leads.

The question going into the movie’s Memorial Day weekend launch is whether Miller’s epic can jump start the Hollywood box office after a sluggish few months, with disappointing returns from broad-appeal titles such as The Fall Guy and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Furiosa is eyeing a $45-50 million opening in early tracking.

And critics who compared the film to Fury Road (which set a franchise record by earning $380 million at the box office), did so with a bit of qualification. Furiosa is in “a different gear” and “won’t match Fury Road‘s splendor” in a way that “might frustrate” some audiences. One critic said Furiosa felt more like the first two Mad Max films (which is interesting, because when Fury Road was released some initially griped that the film wasn’t enough like the first two Mad Max films).

Different than is not necessarily bad, however, and this might be a case of viewers having a tough time shaking off their expectations when going into the theater (the Furiosa trailers, after all, sell the new film as being rather exactly like Fury Road). In any case, many consider Fury Road one of the best action films ever made — certainly one of the best this century — so any comparison, even one where Furiosa comes up a notch or two short, is still highly complimentary.

Check out some of the first reactions below. Tickets go on sale Wednesday. Furiosa opens in theaters May 24.

Saw @MadMaxMovie FURIOSA last week and loved it. It's a totally different film from FURY ROAD and would more aptly be compared with the first two MAD MAX films. Likely not quite as easy for casual viewers to jump in, but should still perform well over Memorial Day weekend. pic.twitter.com/5tH9wyEuyj

— EmpireCity Box Office (@EmpireCityBO) May 7, 2024

I would and could easily watch 15 hours of Anya Taylor Joy and Alyla Browne as #Furiosa, however much of her film struggles with inconsistent pacing due to the segmented story. This won't match up to Fury Road's splendor but it also doesn't need to. #IMAX pic.twitter.com/q1vyUpYJeK

— therese lacson • 宋蕾蕾 (@bamfpire) May 7, 2024

George Miller’s #Furiosa is powerhouse action filmmaking at its absolute best! A ferocious & relentlessly paced epic that expands the story of Furiosa and the Wasteland while delivering the craziest chases, the most bombastic characters & just plain stunning cinematography.… pic.twitter.com/tLEADO3Zc2

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) May 7, 2024

brings me great joy to report that Furiosa is really, *really* fucking good.

operates in an extremely different gear than Fury Road (in ways that i suspect will frustrate some people), but also manages to make that movie even richer while carving its own legend in the wasteland.

— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) May 7, 2024

Jesus George Miller! #Furiosa engulfs you. At times it almost seems to exceed the canvas of the #IMAX format it is THAT big – and yet at times has a deeply affecting intimacy. Echoing cinematic elements from the 50s through the 80s, it’s a rich, smart vision the cast revels in 👍 pic.twitter.com/1C7NWHqUJ7

— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) May 7, 2024

FURIOSA is a visceral triumph. An epic trip through Miller's scorched wasteland that spans decades. The emotional journey is intimately personal and deeply moving. Action is ferocious, wild and unrelenting. Hold tight and brace for fury. pic.twitter.com/r8OOSCsrNt

— Heroes Unbound (@HeroesUnbound) May 7, 2024

FURIOSA is not FURY ROAD and that’s ok. It’s not trying to be. What it is is something uniquely gnarly and yes, epic. I can’t wait to see it again and again and really dig in. All hail George Miller.

As for performances, Anya and Hemsworth are fantastic. Tom Burke impresses. pic.twitter.com/QpMpUOBmAg

— Josh Horowitz (@joshuahorowitz) May 7, 2024

Well, I saw Furiosa tonight and it was great.

— Esther Zuckerman (@ezwrites) May 7, 2024