Furiosa

“That is the darkest of angels,” a bystander observes late in Furiosa, a persistently bleak yet thrilling spinoff from the venerable Mad Max science-fiction franchise.

Detailing the origin story of the enigmatic female warrior from prior installment Mad Max: Fury Road, this return to the barren post-apocalyptic Wasteland of visionary Australian director George Miller is another adrenaline rush showcasing an array of spectacular set pieces.

From a narrative standpoint, it’s hardly essential, but immerses us in a familiar world with a worthy new chapter that expands upon the mythology while enhancing the title character’s place within it.

Once again, it’s set in a dystopian desert world of power, greed, and brutal conflict, where bullets and gasoline are currency and allies and adversaries are difficult to distinguish.

Caught in the middle is Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is abducted as a girl by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and his vicious biker gang. Years later, on her own and uncertain who she can trust, she’s still scarred by tragedy. She must summon her toughness and resourcefulness to seek vengeance and navigate her way home.

Even though it’s a prequel, those already versed in the series will have an advantage in deciphering identities, motives, and allegiances.

As with its predecessors, the story is driven by desperation and resilience against a backdrop of toxic masculinity and relentless savagery. The dialogue is relatively sparse, with much of the meaningful communication disseminated through revved engines, gunshots, fireballs, or industrial weaponry.

Likewise, both iterations of Furiosa — Taylor-Joy (The Witch) takes over for Charlize Theron and Ayla Browne plays her as a youngster — value silence and anonymity as a tool for self-preservation, so they must convey emotion through body language and wide-eyed facial expressions.

Just as with Fury Road, the film is a dazzling technical achievement blending seamless visual effects with stunning dunes and Outback landscapes — a feast for the senses that incorporates immersive sound, inventive stunts and character designs, evocative color palettes, and projectiles being hurtled toward the camera lens.

Miller rarely lets off the gas. Conversely, the series has never prioritized character development or emotional depth, although Furiosa at least makes an effort in its latter half.

She garners our sympathy while learning that in a culture where war is inescapable, the most important battle is the battle for survival. As an outsider in a world fueled by hate, she’s driven by hope.

Rated R, 148 minutes.