First Impression: It’s a mixed bag for the long-awaited follow up to the rip-roaring “Mad Max Fury Road” from the previous decade. The movie tries really hard, but ultimately doesn’t add much to the Mad Max universe, as backstage drama plagued the making of the film.

When legendary director George Miller rebooted his already iconic Mad Max franchise, many people were on the fence. Had too much time passed for audiences to care about the post-apocalyptic world of the original Mad Max from the late 1970s and 80s? Would people still show up even though the original Mad Max, Mel Gibson, wasn’t attached to the project? Well, to say that “Mad Max Fury Road” was a success when it came to theaters in 2015 would genuinely be an understatement.

The movie was a smash hit among both audiences and critics. It grossed almost half a billion dollars, making it the most profitable of all the Mad Max films, along with its nomination for 10 academy awards, including best director and best picture. It ultimately walked away with six Academy Awards, which was the most of any film that year. The film also made its way into the zeitgeist of pop culture, being parodied on popular late-night shows like Conan and Saturday Night Live. The film has held up beautifully throughout the last decade with its blending of live action and special effects—and also let’s not forget the iconic performances of Tom Hardy as Mad Max and Charlize Theron as Furiosa. Also, we can throw in the performances of Nicholas Hault as the main War Boy and also the iconic arch-villain of the film, the War Lord of War Lords Immorton Joe, played ferociously by the late actor Hugh Keays-Byrne.

By saying all this you may have gotten the impression that “Mad Max Fury Road” is one of my favorite action films of all time and in my opinion the best action film of the 2010s. So, the latest entry, “Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga,” I may be grading a little on the harsh side since the film’s predecessor is going to be superior to me—but again, that’s just me. “Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga” represents a major hurdle to me: this project was never meant to be an origin tale, it was meant to be a sequel, the sequel to “Mad Max Fury Road.” This is what critics and fans alike were hoping was going to be made, but a Hollywood feud between actors Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy pumped the brakes on any hope of a sequel featuring both actors. The insider gossip is legendary on how bad their relationship had become on the set of “Fury Road” and as production wrapped, they both ended up not speaking to one another.

To be fair, “Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga” tries very hard and succeeds with both action set pieces and an interesting backstory, but as a whole it just feels… unnecessary. Anya Taylor Joy is a good actress but just isn’t Charlize Theron, in terms of carrying an action film. Chris Hemsworth gave an admirable try but his villain comes off more as cheesy than menacing.

This film is worthy of a watch, but just don’t expect to learn anything new about the Mad Max universe that you may already know.

Final Verdict: 3 out of 5 Stars