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With Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Tim Burns, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward Directed by George Miller This is the movie many a new filmmaker wish they'd made. Original, simple, to the point, and still damn effective decades later (on a shoestring budget. This is still a defining late '70s Australian movie which, with its Road Warrior sequel kick-started an entire culture of post-apocalyptic action road movies. Max is a cop whose life is torn apart when a ruthless biker gang avenges the death of one of their own (as a result of a spectacular opening car chase sequence) - leading to the death of his friend, colleague and family. So Max goes renegade and with the last of the nitrous boosted V8 Interceptors (still a damn cool ride today) he heads out to exact justice his own way. Brilliant characters all around, great photography and more than a mere cult classic. PS. Try to get your hands on the original Australian dialogue version, the American dub not only trying to be too macho, but also losing a lot of the Aussie dialect, terminology, expressions and unique character. 6 / A - Paul Blom 1 2 3 4 5 6 A - B - C
With Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Vernon Wells, Mike Preston Directed by George Miller What an ass-kicker! It is not often that a sequel matches or even outdoes its original (granted its predecessor was anything to look at to begin with). The world has crumbled even further and wars of the world have ruined economies and thrown the scavenging population into a primitive lawless existence. The rarity of fuel has become the new gold. Vicious gangs roam the wastelands plundering everything in sight in their search for this precious commodity (and because they enjoy it). One such reigning force head by the Lord Humungus (a masked muscleman) repeatedly terrorize a barricaded colony guarding their oil well. The loner and ex-lawman Max reluctantly intervenes and offers the colony a way out. Again the array of characters and road action is fantastic. A total blast from start to finish. PS. Like the original film, Brian May from Queen took care of the musical score. 6 / A - Paul Blom 1 2 3 4 5 6 A - B - C
With Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Helen Buday, Frank Thring, Bruce Spence Directed by George Miller & George Ogilvie While this is a cool movie in its own right, it somehow lost a lot of the original Mad Max flavour, watered down a touch to reach a wider audiences perhaps. At times it seems more fashion conscious and Hollywoodized, losing the gritty realism of the first two. Max still roams the wasteland. He reaches Bartertown - run by a mean dictator (a hamming Tina Turner - whose theme song was also quite popular). The favourite sport is a battle where men fight to the death in a domed cage - opponents are attached to bungi-cords. The reigning champ is Master-Blaster - a brainy midget on the shoulders of a huge, dim-witted hulk. Additionally there is a colony of kids who survived a plane crash, believing Max is their prophesized salvation. Bruce Spence (the gyro-captain from the Road Warrior) returns as a new character - this and many other transitional plot holes like Max's leg no longer damaged only add to the division between this third installment and the others. Strangely Miller went on to make kiddie friendly animal movies like Babe and André, but also Witches Of Eastwick. The Crossing is the only other known film by co-director George Ogilvie. PS. Early 2000 there was talk of a fourth Mad Max and a TV series. Hopefully this won't transpire as the Thunderdome film nearly ruined the myth and legend of the chracter called Max Rockatanski (who, as Mel Gibson, went on to win an Oscar running around the Highlands in a kilt). Update: Mad Max Fury Road was released May 2015, and does not disappoint - see review here 4 / B - Paul Blom 1 2 3 4 5 6 A - B - C
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