Back to the wasteland: The new 'Mad Max' is less action and more plot

The newest blockbuster from George Miller's legendary "Mad Max" film series, in which a couple of criminal gangs rule a post-apocalyptic desert, proves that films don't need a fancy plot to be good.

Miller has created an iconic franchise from spectacular stunts, great sets, crash scenes and unusually turbulent camera angles, which earned him six Oscars for the fourth film in the series in 2016.

With its cult status and star-studded cast, the blockbuster was made for the Cannes Film Festival. The fifth instalment, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," celebrated its premiere there - just like its predecessor in 2015.

Hemsworth and Taylor-Joy shine

Anya Taylor-Joy ("The Queen's Gambit") and Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") are convincing in the leading roles. The two stars brought Hollywood glamour to Cannes on Wednesday evening.

They signed autographs and took selfies with dozens of fans at the barriers before the audience in the Festival Palace got to see the film.

Hemsworth nails the role of a ruthless villain in a fun, flamboyant way, balacing brutal actions with quirky touches - like always carrying a small teddy bear with him. The cuddly toy's meaning is explained later in the film.

Meanwhile, Taylor-Joy's Furiosa is often silent for long stretches of the film, speaks volumes through her intense gaze - which she does well.

What's new in the wasteland?

In "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," a woman takes centre stage for the first time. And that's not the only new feature. The film has less action than its predecessor - but more plot.

This is likely to annoy some and please others. In any case, Miller has once again succeeded in creating a wild epic that impresses on the big screen with its breathtaking set design.

Pessimists might imagine our world in a few hundred years' time to be just like in "Mad Max" with a few people living scattered in the desert as they battle for resources.

This is where Furiosa lives, played here by Taylor-Joy. The film follows her as she is abducted from her home as a child by the warlord Dementus (Hemsworth) and his biker horde.

She now seeks revenge and also wants to return to her family after years of captivity.

Unlike its critically acclaimed predecessor "Mad Max: Fury Road" with Tom Hardy, this time the story spans not just a few days, but about 15 years.

After being kidnapped, Furiosa and Dementus drive through the desert. They come across the warlord Immortan Joe, known from the previous film, and who controls the only water source in the wasteland.

While the two tyrants Dementus and Immortan Joe fight for supremacy in the region, Furiosa has to overcome several life-threatening challenges as she tries to escape to return home.

Stunning visuals and stunts

A film like "Furiosa" reminds you why you like going to the cinema. Viewers can expect impressive wide-angle shots of a desert landscape, with lots of swirling sand and phenomenal light that bathes the wasteland in orange, beige, faded pink or hazy blue colours.

In its fifth sequel, the film offers a richer plot and more compelling characters. However, there is still plenty of brutal action with imaginatively designed vehicles.

You can tell how much effort and craftsmanship the team put into the stunts.

The first "Mad Max" film starring Mel Gibson was released in 1979. Since then, Miller has been known as a director who always produces as much action as possible in analogue form.

Film producer Doug Mitchell recently told Total Film magazine that it took the team 78 days to complete a special 15-minute sequence for the new film, with almost 200 stunt people working on it every day.

That is dedication.