George Miller’s Mad Max franchise is one of the most renowned action movie series of all time. The franchise’s recent addition, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, featuring Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy, serves as a prequel that adds to the popularity of the post-apocalyptic franchise. Despite having mixed reviews, fans had a great time watching the film on the big screen.
However, a fan has pointed out a new detail in the prequel that has been hiding in plain sight for all this time. This sinister secret exposed minute but remarkable contrasts between the two movies, illustrating the variations in what might have happened if Mel Gibson’s Mad Max had given in to his demons.
This detail from the 2024 film has got the fandom excited, as they failed to see this striking detail in the movie, despite watching it several times.
George Miller’s Furiosa Hid a Key Detail That is a Reference To Mel Gibson’s Mad Max
Mel Gibson’s Mad Max films took place in a dystopian world where society had collapsed, leading to lawlessness and complete anarchy. In the 1979 film, Gibson’s Max Rockatansky was a determined policeman, and he was one of the last figures of justice and order.
When his wife and child were murdered by a gang of bikers, he became consumed by grief and vengeance. This event changed him from a figure of justice to a merciless man who sought nothing but payback for his murdered family.
Recently, a fan (@Lons) tweeted on X that Chris Hemsworth’s Dr. Dementus and Mel Gibson were extremely similar in nature. However, the only thing that made them different from each other was their morals and ethics.
Dr. Dementus yielded to his dark side, while Gibson’s character clung to that tiny sense of justice that kept his sanity. He wrote,
Dementus gives Furiosa the “we’re not so different” bit before she kills him but on my most recent viewing, I’m struck by his similarities to a different character: Mad Max. He’s like the dark mirror image of what Max could’ve become, if his grudge weren’t against bikers.
They continued in their thread that they shared a common “backstory,” which is a man losing his family that turns him into a “brutal Wasteland drifter.” He wrote,
He suggests they share a backstory: devoted family men whose souls were destroyed when their families were killed, turning them into brutal Wasteland drifters. Max just SOMEHOW clung to a sense of justice while Dementus gave in to his demons and started his horde
They also stated that Furiosa never showcased Dr. Dementus losing his child, but the idea is represented through a child’s shoe and toy ball hitting the road.
Moreover, if fans had not noticed, both characters look strikingly similar to one another, just like a darker version of what Mad Max would have been if he did not have a grudge against the Toecutter gang.
Furiosa Fans React To Dr. Dementus Being a Darker Image of Mel Gibson’s Mad Max
When the curious fan discovered a key detail that linked Miller’s two films, he shared it on social media, captivating the attention of the fan base on X.
Since the fan pointed out the resemblance between the two films, users have stated other uncanny similarities that made Furiosa so intriguing to watch.
So true, it’s a movie full of the Max archetype in different circumstances. Dementus resembles Mel Gibson as well, which I find fascinating even if it’s probably not intentional. pic.twitter.com/3c26f959FZ
— theNeXTfan 🏳️⚧️ (@theNeXTfan) July 3, 2024
in Beyond Thunderdome, the kids think Max is their messiah, which he shrugs off. Dementus does the opposite by insisting he’s everyone’s messiah.
— David Kane (@thedavidkane) July 3, 2024
Terribly overlooked film by the public. Terrific action set pieces. Hemsworth went all in on Dementus and had a blast doing it.
— Kevin Navarro (@KevinPNavarro) July 2, 2024
I think George Miller said in a interview that if Max ended up going to Sydney with the survivors at the end of Thunderdome he would ended up being a violent Warlord like all the other villains.
— 101Deadpool101 (@101deadpool1017) July 2, 2024
Dementus being a dark mirror isn't too far off.
I had a similar thought when I rewatched it the other night. He even has a leg brace like Max.
— Scott H (@JewbaccaDefense) July 2, 2024
This was my exact same thought when seeing it in theaters. I think George Miller wrote the character like that as a purposeful contrast to Max.
— RJ (@Robert66176108) July 3, 2024
Hidden details like these have made this dystopian franchise so popular. As a result, the Chris Hemsworth starrer has become one of the most successful releases of 2024 and has already surpassed 4 films with its Rotten Tomatoes Score.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga can be rented on AppleTV.
