With the release of “Furiosa” coming later this month, it seems only fitting to go back and check out the original three Mad Max films. Created by George Miller and starring Mel Gibson, the trilogy chronicles the titular Max as he braves the Australian wasteland in a post-apocalyptic world where the most valuable resource is not food or water, but oil.
The original “Mad Max” (1979) is quite different from the other films. It is essentially an origin for Max, where the world is not even a wasteland yet. The film follows Max as he and some other former police officers try to stop a crazed biker gang from terrorizing the small towns that are still holding on. The main appeal and greatest strengths of this film are the action scenes. It opens with an electric and stimulating car chase that is instantly memorable. It is easy to see some of the roots of what would eventually become iconic to the series. Over-the-top crazy performances with eccentric wardrobes, long car and bike chases, a protagonist of few words and brutal deaths and dismemberment. While it has some pacing issues and some instances of action and effects not aging well, the film is still a lot of fun with plenty of iconic scenes and an excellent ending.
Rating: 7/10
“Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” (1981) is everything that the series is and should be packed into one amazing film. In this one, the apocalypse has fully set in, and everyone is out for themselves in a treacherous world full of dusty roads and crazy biker gangs with bizarre vehicles and equally bizarre outfits. With his origin out of the way, Max is now out on his own with just his car and his trusty dog, aptly named ‘Dog.’ One interesting aspect of the film is that Max becomes a bit of a legend of the wasteland in the future. It is revealed that this is a story being told later from someone who simply witnessed Max, thus contextualizing this more as a story to tell around the fire rather than an accurate chronicle of events. “Mad Max 2” is just oozing with style, from the distinct color palette to the odd but captivating characters. And of course, the highlights here are extravagant and lengthy car chases and action sequences. The increased budget is quite noticeable, and the action here is much closer to what one might expect from a “Mad Max” film. It would be criminal to spoil too much of the plot here, since “Mad Max 2” is a spectacular movie that nearly perfects the formula and needs to be experienced by anyone interested in the series.
Rating: 10/10
“Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” (1985) is an odd film that keeps some of the elements that made “Mad Max 2” great while also making some decisions that clash with the series’ staples. What it does well is continue the mythology of Max by constructing a story that is completely disconnected from the previous film. This way, it still feels like a legend rather than a continuous narrative and maintains Max’s status as sort of a myth. It also features some inventive action sequences with and without cars. However, the film falls apart tonally and narratively. To appeal to a wider audience, this film dropped the rating to PG-13, and that shift is felt. While the previous films were goofy, they still maintained a sense of brutality and grittiness that allowed them to be taken seriously. “Beyond Thunderdome” loses a lot of that and becomes goofier and more cartoonish in nature. The second half of the film also focuses on a group of children who fulfill a similar role as the Ewoks from “Return of the Jedi.” Max being forced to drop the loner act and become a leader for these children is a solid idea in concept, but the children do not gel well with the plot and are rather insufferable themselves. It feels as if two scripts were pasted together: one with Max infiltrating the Thunderdome, and another with Max leading the kids.
There is some fun to be had, but it proves to be a rather disappointing conclusion to Mel Gibson’s run as Mad Max, especially when compared to the previous film. Rating: 5/10
