Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: parents' guide
Best for ages 16 and up. Rated R for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images.
A grim, spectacular dystopian epic for older teens who can handle relentless violence and disturbing imagery. The prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road follows Furiosa from her kidnapping as a child through years of captivity under two warlords, and the brutality rarely lets up: people are torn apart by motorcycles, shot, crushed, crucified and mutilated. A parent is killed while the young heroine looks on, and she narrowly escapes an attempted rape. Language is mild and there is no sex, but age 16 reflects the sadistic violence and grisly images.
What's in it
Violence
StrongNear constant and often sadistic. A man is pulled apart by motorcycles, a mangled arm dangles with gore, heads are pierced and a horse is butchered. Sexual violence is part of the story: the captive child heroine narrowly escapes an attempted rape.
Language
MildSparse and mild: a couple of uses of "bastard," one "bollocks," several "piss" references tied to urine and a crude word for breasts. Two villains are named Rictus Erectus and Scrotus.
Sex and nudity
MildNo sex or nudity. A warlord keeps a harem of young women in sheer gowns to bear his children and wants the child heroine for it. A painting shows bare-breasted women. Affection between two leads stays chaste.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
MildA villain sips from a flask. Young fighters spray chrome paint into their mouths before suicidal attacks, which seems to give them a high. No other drinking or drug use.
Scary or intense scenes
StrongDisturbing throughout: the young heroine is kidnapped, caged and forced to watch a loved one's murder, a body is crucified, cooked human flesh is offered as food, a stillborn baby is briefly shown, and a man is planted alive as fertilizer for a tree.
Sensitive topics
- Sexual assault
- Death of a parent
- Child abuse
- Animal death
Worth talking about
Furiosa spends years hiding who she is and waiting for her chance at revenge. Does the film suggest revenge can repair what was taken from her, or only that it is what she has left?
On our lists
Similar picks around 16+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, bbfc.co.uk, the MPA. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.