The filmmakers behind this direct sequel to the Indigenous action thriller Sayen clearly learned from the mistakes of that first film: all the emotion that was missing then finds a new home here, as the titular protagonist finally gets to grieve what she's lost, in a way that's touchingly close to her cultural beliefs. Desert Road also ups the action considerably, this time borrowing liberally from desert-set films like Mad Max—the sun-drenched expanses of sand are somehow much more beautiful than the forests of the first movie. And Rallen Montenegro continues to refine this character's emotional depth.

Still, partially as a result of the fact that the first installment gave this sequel little to work with, Desert Road can't help but feel more ordinary and more distant from real-world struggles touched upon previously. The actual thrills in this thriller plot aren't particularly intriguing, as several subplots mash together without as much effect on the main plot as intended. At the end of the day, this still seems like it's been made with the action movie template in mind first, rather than having the story and characters lead the style of the storytelling.

Montenegro continues to be the best part of these movies, and the Furiosa-esque look she's been given here—shaved head, eternally forlorn eyes—works incredibly well. She's much more convincing in this film as an action heroine thrust into the role. There may be a bit of whiplash seeing her be so vastly different compared to how Sayen was in the first movie, but that isn't Montenegro's fault. Rather than try to lead up to the character's transformation into hardened vigilante, Montenegro just skips ahead right to the exciting part, and it's a move that pays off well.