Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
We may not be explicitly aware of Imperator Furiosa ever having given birth to a child, but she is absolutely and unmistakably the maternal influence in Mad Max: Fury Road – and as such is the perfect example of motherhood that exists outside of the conventional definition. Turning against the tyrannical male leader of a post-apocalyptic citadel, Immortan Joe, Furiosa rebels in spectacular fashion – facilitating the escape of his “breeders” (themselves maternal figures) and stealing his vehicle, she strikes a route off the beaten path in an attempt to return to her female-led homestead. Unsurprisingly, Immortan Joe is not about to let her, or his “breeders” go, and soon he, and his vast forces, are in pursuit.
Furiosa crosses paths with the monosyllabic Max Rockatansky and, after a ferocious fight, the two reach an understanding, by which they will assist each other in fleeing. What follows is a beautifully rendered depiction of a small community coming together in common purpose, with Furiosa as its powerful figurehead. She is determined in her goal, and uncompromising in her defence of the unit. A number of the women she has liberated are very young and inexperienced, though, and she steadfastly protects them – like a bear with her cubs – while simultaneously expecting them to rise to the occasion and play an active part in proceedings.
As a leader, she exudes authority, compassion and courage in equal measure, while displaying a vulnerability that is as heartbreaking as it is admirable. Above all, she is an example to those in her charge, as she pours everything of herself into the process of releasing them all from the weighty chains of patriarchal oppression, and lays her own life on the line in a desperate attempt to create a better life for them. Ultimately, her efforts lead to the liberation of the entire society, as she and her team dispose of the tyrant, and return to the ruined citadel, triumphant.
