If Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller’s new entry in the Mad Max franchise, blew your mind and left you hungry for more postapocalyptic action, dystopian narratives, or maybe just more Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in your life, then we have you covered. You will find that and so much more on this list!
Dredd (2012)
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In this action-packed futuristic dystopian comic book adaptation set in a violent and irradiated North America, we follow a “judge” (a fascist authority figure with the power to be judge, jury, and executioner) as he makes his way through a 200-story tower full of violent thugs and drug dealers.
Just like George Miller’s creation, the depressing world of Dredd feels very much alive, which allows for its simple premise to flourish in fertile ground. Of course, that ground gets covered with buckets of blood as Karl Urban’s Judge Dredd character gets closer and closer to Ma-Ma, the drug kingpin played by an exquisitely evil Lena Headley.
The Northman (2022)
Another wonderful film about vengeance featuring Anya Taylor-Joy is Robert Eggers’ The Northman, a brutal thriller about a prince Viking warrior seeking revenge for the assassination of his father. Taylor-Joy plays Olga, a slave who falls in love with the warrior and aids him in his bloody quest.
The Northman action sequences are not only visceral and engaging but also used as storytelling tools to deepen the film’s exploration of toxic masculinity. Plus, Eggers’ world-building was splendid as he was as historically accurate as possible when portraying the Viking culture in every technical element, from museum-quality replicas of boats to detailed costumes.
RRR (2022)
A fearless warrior travels to Delhi to rescue a young girl who has been kidnapped by the British colonialists. Here, he crosses paths and becomes best friends with another badass that, unbeknown to him, works for the British… or does he?
RRR might not be postapocalyptic or dystopian like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but it’s on this list because it’s a movie that, just like Furiosa, can create this raw feeling of ecstasy through the sheer audacity and genius of its action scenes. Whether it’s a motorcycle being used as a sword or a single man beating the hell out of thousands of people, this film will make you want to yell “Let’s Go!” at the top of your lungs while watching it.
Rush (2013)
If you want more Chris Hemsworth, cars, and adrenaline, you are in luck because Rush might be perfect for you. This biopic, directed by Ron Howard, follows the legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, two Formula 1 drivers with opposing personalities but matching competitive fire in their souls. Besides the drama of the rivalry, the movie features heart-pounding races that capture the danger of the sport as well as what might be Hemsworth’s best performance to date (or second best after Furiosa) as the arrogant Hunt.
Soylent Green (1973)
The world of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, one where drought has conquered the land and water is precious, is starting to feel disturbingly close (I’m writing this while my city faces its biggest heatwave ever), and that led me to think of another brilliant dystopian movie where global warming, overpopulation, and pollution has taken its toll on the planet, resulting in a shortage of food and water: Richard Fleischer’s Soylent Green. In this sci-fi classic, we follow an NYPD detective whose murder investigation leads him to discover the terrible truth behind the soylent green, a wafer made by a corporation to feed the city.
Do you have other film suggestions for watching after Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga? Let us know on our social media.
