Mad Max (1979) User Reviews

Low budget classic that is now a genre landmark.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 4 March 2008]

Set somewhere in the future we are privy to a world where the roads are ruled by maniac gangs with souped up cars, and bikers that literally could come from hell. Trying to stop these marauding loons are the overstretched police force who themselves ride in exceptionally fast cars. At the front of this story is Max Rockatansky, a good honest cop trying to hold his own against the chaotic world that is forming around him. After his best friend is burned and left for dead he decides enough is enough and thinks about retiring from the service, but whilst on a vacation with his wife and child things go decidedly bad and Max becomes an avenging force of fury with devastating affect.

When evaluating this film I feel it really needs to be put into perspective just how brilliant a job director George Miller did with next to no cash to work with, in fact Miller edited the film in his own bedroom just to emphasise the low-fi nature of the beast. The costumes are excellent, the cast are terrific, with Mel Gibson as Max particularly impressive, and here we have villains to truly fit the word villainous, but it's the stunts and chase sequences that makes this film a rich rewarding experience. The opening ten minutes alone are pure adrenalin pumping genius, but the film as a whole delivers a crash bang wallop punch that has often been imitated since its release, but rarely bettered, and although the heart of the film is a simple revenge story, it grabs your attention and delivers right to the corking finale, 8/10.

Footnote: Region 2 Users should note that the bargain bucket Mad Max Trilogy flip pack set still contains the foolishly dubbed version of this film, incredibly stupid move from the American distributors.

Mad Max is 70's classic dystopian action film the film that became the first in the series that launches some awesome great sequels.

[ivo-cobra8 · 7/10 · 3 October 2015]

Mad Max is 70's type of classic dystopian action film the film that started it all and became the first in a series that launches some awesome great sequels. Max Rockatansky is iconic hero till it's day he is a true legend. Mad Max settle Mel Gibson a sure path to superstardom this highly acclaimed crazy collide o-scope of highway of mayhem cinematically defined the post apocalyptic landscape. Featuring eye- popping stunts that are electrifying and very convincing and an authentically nihilistic spirit this unforgettable actioner from Director George Miller is pure cinematic poetry.

In the ravaged near future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing Innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of police force hell-bent on stopping them. But they underestimate one officer: Max (Gibson). And when the bikers brutalize Max's best friend and family, they send him into a mad frenzy that leaves him with only one thing left in the world to live for - revenge! Also staring Joanne Samuel,Hugh Keays-Byrne he later started in Mad Max: Fury Road as an Immortan Joe another villain. This actor is fantastic and makes TERRIFIC job of been one of the best villains in the movie history ever. Also starring Steve Bisley, this rugged race car of a film runs on comic book volatility... exhilarating, rowdiness and visual intensity.

I love this film not much as I love Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Mad Max: Furry Road but I still love it. The plot doesn't start until 1.hour ago after Max family is attacked and killed. I love Max's car V8 Interceptor, high speed chases action sequences, that I guarantee you want see in any Action film today. There is any cgi in this film I didn't see them at all. The chases between Max and Toecutter on a motorcycle is fantastic, the crash and death Toecutter scene is AWESOME. I love this movie, I love it. As an dystopian action film is a fantastic that remains a true classic till it's day. The film has one problem that is focusing on max and his love life which is drama that hurts the movie and the plot starts really slow in the film. And between the film becomes very boring.

The high speed chases on the road makes this movie interesting so that you don't fall asleep. I still don't get that hate for this film, some people are comparing Thunderdome to this film, clamming that is better than Mad Max is and this is the worst one and the weakest film in the franchise which is not. I highly disagree with all of the haters of this film. It Is still good so much better than Thunderdome ever was. I will always take this film over Thunderdome,I have tried many times to take this film as the best one in the series but I couldn't because it does have some problems.

NOTE: The film is not a revenge flick like some people are saying, it is a film about car and motorcycle gang on a road it is Australian post apocalyptic dystopian action film. 7/10 B-

Mel's got a car and he knows how to use it.

[lewiskendell · 6/10 · 25 October 2010]

"Look, any longer out on that road and I'm one of them, a terminal psychotic, except that I've got this bronze badge that says that I'm one of the good guys."

Mad Max is all about vehicle fueled vengeance. A young Mel Gibson plays a lawman in a near-future, gang infested Australia. His encounters with a especially vile gang result in a deadly attack on his wife and infant son, and the last act of the movie focuses on his single-minded payback on those responsible.

Mad Max is certainly low-budget, but the movie doesn't really suffer from it. It is dated, however, and so many movies with similar premises have been made in the last thirty years that this one doesn't make nearly as much of an impression now as it probably did back in 1979. Watching this is a near-requirement for fans of Mel Gibson, but for everyone else, it's a decent movie that should be seen more for its classic status than its current entertainment value.

Basic plot, but it's so much fun to watch

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 7 January 2008]

I remember my parents being such fans of Mad Max when I was a kid, but the movie looked so boring in my eyes. I never really wanted to get into it, I mean, I was a kid after all. But a few years ago in my film appreciation class, we were watching clips from Mad Max 2 when studying Australian films and I was intrigued with it. I finally remembered a few weeks ago how I wanted to see the three movies, so I just watched Mad Max and I have to say that I understand it's cult following. Mad Max promises and delivers, it's a low budget action film, but has a terrific story and excellent stunts. Mel Gibson, before he was Mel Gibson in Hollywood, you could see why he made it so big, his presence on screen is truly hypnotic and he makes a great hero. This story is so scary in the fact that I don't think that we are far from this future.

Max Rockatansky lives in a time where his country has been taken over by violent, vicious motorcycle gang members who just go around torturing and killing people. Max and a few friends are the last members of the "semi" police force that is trying to get things back under control and bring some peace to their town. But when the gang messes with Max's friend by nearly burning him alive, Max is ticked and goes after them. But when the gang messes with Max's wife and child and kills them, oh, they've gone too far and now it's personal.

Mad Max's plot is basic and can be considered typical, but it's a fun action movie that truly delivers. The action sequences were really exciting, especially Max's revenge sequence, he was so amazing and I don't remember the last time I rooted so hard for the good guy to win. Mel Gibson was really cool and I had a good time watching Mad Max. I'm looking forward to the sequels. I would recommend this movie for a watch, it's a fun cult classic that I'm sure any action fan would enjoy.

7/10

After nearly 30 years still an amazing trip at high speed

[Dan_the_DutchMan · 7/10 · 11 January 2008]

After not seeing it for about seven years, I just saw it on DVD for the first time. I remembered it as an exciting near-chaos-future adventure with highway cops in muscle cars and one insane biker gang. It's great how it keeps on standing the test of time. High speed and raw power are of every age, past and future. The way the highway action is shot in this movie simply stays exhilarating, putting it in the top ranking of best high-speed-chase movies ever. Seeing the camera follow the highway marker at high speed, along with the sound of a bike- or V8-engine delivers a Mad and chaotic but really cool result. The pace of the movie remains considerably high, without many slow moments.

Some aspects of the movie have (understandably) dated. Obviously the 70's clothing and hair styles. Sometimes the acting is a little over the top, and some characters could come directly from a comic book. And of course the story is not that deep or difficult. It's partly action-thriller, partly science fiction adventure. All weaknesses are covered and compensated by lots of a-moral fun though.

At the heart of this one of a kind look movie, there is a hero character named Max. This speed-demon-cop is at the top of his game on the highway, ruthlessly dealing with maniacs ravaging his jurisdiction. But he is also a happy family man with his wife and son. This duality makes the character human, timeless and very memorable. In some scenes you can clearly see Mel Gibson was only just getting into acting. For a rookie he was doing a good job nonetheless.

Others strengths lie within the scary nature of the biker gang. An extravagant rag-tag band of maniacs, led by the iconic villain The ToeCutter. To this day, their actions remain tough and very disturbing. It will have you staring at the screen dead serious, making Max' battle against them even more gratifying.

There is much to say about this movie, but first and foremost it is a must see. A cult classic still as enjoyable as it was nearly 30 years ago.

Mad Max, the one that launched a franchise and a hundred knock-offs.

[Captain_Couth · 9/10 · 31 May 2004]

Mad Max (1979) is a low budget Aussie film that became a huge success in the U.S. because of it's sequel Mad Max 2 a.k.a. The Road Warrior. Not only did this movie spawned a franchise but it created a new genre of film (the post apocalyptic wasteland/road film) many rip-offs and pro wrestlers inspired by the movie and it's sequels.

Mel Gibson (in his greatest role in my opinion) stars as "Mad" Max, a cop who has seen too much while trying to enforce the law in a dying society. After clashing with the Night Rider, he incurs the wrath of his bikie buddies Toecutter and co. Toecutter has to be one of the most scuzziest and at the same time coolest bad guys. I like the way he tries to justify him and his crew's actions. Ditto for his right-hand man Bubba. Beautiful cinematography, fast paced action and awesome stunts make this movie a winner.

I have seen both versions of the movie (the U.S. dubbed version and the original Aussie soundtrack). For full enjoyment stick to the original version because they sound like real people, not like cartoon characters or cheesy b-movie villains. A true winner.

Highly recommended.

The Potential of the Australian Film Industry

[MrBenWhite · 7/10 · 8 April 2005]

Dr. George Miller's low budget Mad Max franchise impacted on Australian culture and altered the perception of Australia and Australians overseas in a way that no other Australian film had done. The films explores themes such as 'man and the environment', 'fear provoking post-apocalyptic future, family', 'masculinity in crisis', 'good versus evil (Max as an iconic hero), Australian ethos and car culture; themes often featured within Australian films yet presented in a stark and dramatic way. The cinematographic impact is powerful; the human and emotional appeal is timeless.

Australia's barren deserts presented the ideal setting for a post-apocalyptic environment. The film set is more identifiable as Australia as it was filmed around the city of Melbourne. Long deserted roads feature significantly in the film and the cinematographic device of taking long distant shots of Max demonstrates how small he is in the scale of the environment that he is living. It is a relentless, unforgiving environment which demands defeat or survival and marks the characters which play upon its stage.

Just as the physical setting is stark and desolate, the time setting and its associated events create an atmosphere of fear and foreboding which plays on the minds and emotions of contemporary viewers. In this fear provoking post apocalyptic future the few survivors of the nuclear holocaust are in warfare with one another, the rebel bikers and the police.

Good versus evil is a dominant discourse in many film genres and one which embraces the Australian ethos. Max possesses some highly valued "Australian" traits; in particular, those of the underdog, the battler, the hero. External forces beyond his control stop him from "winning" completely. Contrary to the Hollywood hero, the Australian hero is a pawn in the game of others, which explains why Max can never quite "win" in absolute terms. There is little public glorification of success in Australia; heroes are remembered for their style rather than for their achievements. (Venkatasawmy, 1996) Mad Max represented a tradition hero, a hero to whom many diverse cultures are able to relate, as a story of a lone hero is a story that goes back through centuries of storytelling, and as a consequence the film achieved colossal success within Australian and around the world. The Australian cultures and lifestyles shown throughout these films give Australians an understanding of their country in the landscape, the language, and the way we treat people, life and life in exceptional circumstances.

Reference Venkatasawmy, R. (1996), Australian Film in the Reading Room: The Hybridity of Film-making in Australian National Cinema: Formulating a Cinematic Post-Diaspora. Retrieved March 14, 2005, from http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/rama/CHAPT4.htm

possibly the template for 1000 films that followed...

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 28 April 2014]

The year was 1979. And out of Australia, of all places, comes this post-doomsday yarn about a world gone bad, starring a completely unknown Aussie hunk named Mel Gibson (this would be decades before he became Hollywood's "bete noire" and tried to share his novel views on racial differences with the world) and a hitherto unknown director named George Miller. Well, to call the film historical is like saying that John Wayne used to do westerns. Gibson ultimately became, well, for lack a better term, himself. Miller went on to not only sequels but also a number of astonishing films and would eventually pick up an Oscar; and the whole notion of end-of-the-world shoot em ups just took hold and would over time evolve into the fascination with all things zombie at the turn of the 21st century. Was this a great film? Only insofar as it is pure, the source, if you will, of what came later.

Violent movie about a futuristic road-warrior cop with high-velocity action and kinetic energy

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 31 January 2010]

This classic is set a few years from now, a dangerous, desolate world of the future where rules the strongest law and useless Halls of Justice. It concerns about a police named Max (Mel Gibson), some cutthroats and revenge takes place. Max lives along with his wife (Joanne Samuel) and son. The nasties attack , rape, ravage to hapless and unfortunates. But vengeance will be terrible against some bands of depraved crazies thirsty for blood on high facility roads.

This exciting picture packs kinetic action , thrills, chills, shocks and lots of blood and violence. Spectacular stunt-wok plenty of motorcycle races with bounds and leaps and explosions . Top-notch Mel Gibson as revenger angel at one of his first main roles, he embarks a criminal vendetta against vicious murderous. Rumbling and screeching musical score by Brian May. Special and weird futuristic atmosphere created by the cameraman David Eggby. The motion picture is stunningly directed by George Miller, author of the excellent post-apocalypse ¨Mad Max¨ trilogy along with the writer and producer Byron Kennedy. It's followed by ¨Mad Max 2, the Road warrior¨ with Gibson , Bruce Spence, Vernon Welles and Mike Preston ; and ¨Mad Max beyond Thunderdome¨ with Tina Turner, George Ogilvie, Frank Thring and again Bruce Spence. In addition, numerous imitations, rip offs, and exploitations ,especially Italians products. Rating : Good, better than average, this is the most successful Aussie movie of all time.

A quarter of a century on now (from the original filming) and still an icon of Aussie movie making!

[uds3 · 10 January 2003]

It was the very rawness and budgetary constraints of this little flick that made it what it was. A new kind of action hero in a new kind of world! Gibson's laughably underpaid (though unavoidably so) contribution cannot be underestimated. He imbued Max with more than the script actually merited. An attitude perhaps that struck a chord with many office-desk (wannabe) vigilantes. After all, Max takes control of his own life - is not cowed by authority. Max is everyman, the one inside us that few get the chance to let loose. He is part Jesus, part Che, part James Dean, all Australian yobbo! But this guy gets the job done - drop Max into Iraq next month and see how far Saddam Hussein gets trying to stock up on sarin!

Raw energy is what MAD MAX was all about! Distilled, tempered and inflamed by the time THE ROAD WARRIOR came around but at this juncture. a man on a mission and with the best tricked-up car since....well, THE CAR ! For those of you incidentally, totally mortified that his glorious black-hearted Interceptor was rendered dead-meat in MAD MAX 2, be comforted by the fact that it DOES in fact reside still in a museum in London (Why there and not Sydney I know not...perhaps for the same reason Australia still is not host to the cricket-ashes urn!) What chance of either's return when Greece can't even get the Elgin Marbles back?

Much has been made (and remembered) of the high-power car chases in this film, held by many in absolute reverence. In fact after the main cops vs The Nightrider work-out in the first few minutes of the flick, its pretty much all downhill in the action stakes - nothing subsequently in MAD MAX (1) comes near this brief sequence. This situation (with a way bigger budget) was inarguably reversed by the time THE ROAD WARRIOR came along. The stunts in THAT film have never been surpassed and remember this was without CGI fx.

MAD MAX has that indefinable 'something" the sequels didn't...perhaps just a raw innovation couldn't be duplicated - rather like ur first kiss. It might not have been the best, but it sure IS fondly remembered.

OVERRATED AT BEST

[RMurray847 · 5/10 · 27 May 2002]

This movie is primarily a classic, in my opinion, because it was the prequel which led to THE ROAD WARRIOR, which really is a classic. MAD MAX was made on a low budget, yes, and some nice things were done with very little money. (Although choppy editing is inexcusable no matter how low the budget, and there's lots of nonsensical editing in this flick.) THe opening sequences of the film, in which the various police chase Nightrider, is fairly effective and sets one up for ever increasing excitement. However, the movie heads pretty much downhill from there in terms of excitement.

The events that make Max "Mad" happen so late in the film, and then his revenge is so abruptly carried out that it is about as anti-climactic as anything can be. Toecutter, whom we've grown to despise, should face a clever, hard-fought death at the hands of Max, instead of the abrupt end that comes to him almost without Max's help.

Mel Gibson is okay in the movie, but has little to do. THe actor playing Goose is the most fun, certainly. I only recommend the movie to those who feel they MUST have the backstory to The Road Warrior, but frankly, the future envisioned in MAD MAX is very different from the truly post-apocalyptic world of the ROAD WARRIOR.

"Mad Max" stays to this day a striking, desolate, and memorable piece of cinema

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 3 August 2008]

In spite of the fact that the 1981 film The Road Warrior—the second influential cinematic work of writer/director George Miller's Dystopian vision of the near future trilogy—leads to receive the anti-hero Max, released two years earlier, is where it all started… For it was here that Miller first brought to the screen his hellish vision, where civil society is under siege by crime and disorder, with the strength and charisma of a new young, tough, good looking actor by the name of Mel Gibson…

Gibson was just 23 years old when he took the role of Max Rockatansky—a young hotshot cop so emotionally wounded—and was such an unknown star that when the film was hitting the screens in the States, the preview trailers didn't even mentioned him but instead focused on the movie's coolest and most original car action ever filmed… In retrospect, of course, Gibson's portrayal of a relentless vigilante is an essential element of the picture…

In the Australian outback, Rockatansky is a motorcycle cop trying to keep order in a quickly disintegrating society… Vicious lawless bikers and road-raging psychopaths race up and down the forbidden territories, raping and pillaging the peaceful towns, and one such bunch ends up at the door of Max's wife (Joanne Samuel), and their 2-year old son… When they are both lying dead in middle of the road, Max is all driven over the edge, and so starts a high-speed pursuit involving wild rides, chilling fights, and memorable fast-motion suspenseful scenes rarely equaled in cinema

Is Max really mad, or merely just misunderstood?

[film-critic · 6/10 · 9 August 2009]

"Mad Max" is one of those films that is on everyone's top film lists. Not only did it introduce us to Australian cinema, but also a young 21-year old newbie named Mel Gibson. "Mad Max" was dark, it was brooding, it was destructive, and it never gave us that glimmer of hope for humanity, but now - nearly 20 years later - does it still remain the classic that it started? Sure, it was impressive to watch the crash scenes, it was powerful to see the world through Mr. Miller's disturbed eyes, but is it re-watchable? Does it have the appeal to see new things throughout if watched and watched again? For me, the answer seemed to float near "no". While I loved what "Mad Max" represented, what it was - a full body of color and action - it wasn't something to be watched again and again. Gibson does a great job as Max, a man torn between the evils of the road and his personal philosophies. He begins as an ominous optimist, able to stop crime as it occurs on the streets, but then as his sense of normality is turned upside down, his ability to react and adapt is seen. The final moments, he has transformed from the man we were first introduced to into something quite terrifying. One could also compliment Mr. Miller's directorial outing, at times it felt a bit episodic with tough edits placed, but for the majority he told a deathly story with great ease and excitement. So, again, there is no arguing that "Mad Max" is an important film, one that I am glad to have finally seen, but once was enough. It seems to be lacking that re-watch excitement.

But why has that conclusion been made? What makes "Mad Max" mediocre instead of powerful? It is hard to pinpoint the exact scene, but the sense of "alright, I've seen it - now what" was definitely present by the end. Yet, there were points that I just loved. Gibson was perfect. He was incredible as Max, and the world that Mr. Miller created was intense. The opening scene, the car crashes as our bearded villain just yelled "Toecutter" was fantastic. "Mad Max" has one of those openings that just pulls you in, that makes you excited to watch a film of this intensity, but then where do you go? Miller seemed to indicate that more car crashes, more violence, more cliché family drama would indicate a stronger film. At times he was right, his ability to create different scenes set across the same backdrop demonstrated his originality, but then there were times where it just felt recycled. One scene that stands out, is where our gang of bikers track down a couple that happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, they chase them down and demoralize them as Max and his partner find them - then, almost repetitively, it happens with Max and his girl later in the film. In this post-apocalyptic world, there seems to be no problem finding someone. Space seems to not be a problem. This was another unexplained moment - where the coincidence of discovering Max or finding the biker gang should have been more difficult. These repetitive, essentially simplistic scenes seemed to detract from the power of what Max represented. One also needs to ask about the story, the unknown of what time or place we are following Max - would this have strengthened the story knowing what world we lived in? The understanding that this was a low-budget film was rooted in my mind, the techniques provided were impressive, but should that have been neglected for mediocre storytelling? Perhaps I misread this film, perhaps I missed the joy of why this is hailed as such a cult success.

Another weakness against "Mad Max" has to be the relationship between his wife/girlfriend and child. Again, the lacking story helped confuse this viewer as to what dynamic they had, but when we have scenes in which the child is completely forgotten about - it just decimates the reasons behind Max's anger and utter breakdown. There were several scenes in which I yelled at the screen, "What about the child", then finally they would remember - he seemed to fade in and out of existence too often for one film. Then, when disaster strikes, we are forced to believe that suddenly Gibson would release his inner rage? It just didn't work. The same can be said for his wife/girlfriend. A stronger definition of character, and even more lines spoken would have helped me see the relationship. She seemed angry at first, the product of a failed marriage forced by this post-apocalyptic world to stay together, then we were introduced to love, then suddenly, she moved to idiocrity. Who would believe that running down a road, when there are open fields around, is the better option? It was these small inconsistencies that forced "Mad Max" from greatness to just another average action film. Two-plus hour sweeping epics aren't always needed, but stronger characters do help in creating the world that we, as viewers, are to inhabit for 90-ish minutes.

"Mad Max" is an important film, there is no question in my mind about that. The door that this film opened for future cinema in America couldn't have been done by a better group of filmmakers, but it isn't a promising classic. I could not watch this film again. The sequels I am ready for, but this ride is over - and the park is closing. I realize that I am in the minority, but "Mad Max" is a low-budget film that uses repetitive film-making as its staple - originality is present, but you must search to find it.

It's a slow and uneven movie

[cricketbat · 4/10 · 23 November 2018]

I wanted to like Mad Max more. However, it's a slow and uneven movie. It's over an hour before Max actually goes mad, and when he does, it's only a hurried montage of revenge. I applaud the stunts and the creativity, but I'm surprised that this film did so well. It's not that good.

Well Aged!

[TP-6 · 28 June 1999]

Not many low budget flicks age very well but Mad Max certainly has.

I watched it again recently, as I only had vague memories of watching it years ago, but I found it to hold up well. Only by reading the other user comments did I discover that it had been dubbed! What a load of crap. Why would a movie in English be dubbed in English! If you cant understand Aussie accents, you dont deserve the pleasure of seeing this movie. I cant imagine this movie having the same effect without the Australian accents.

What George Miller did with this fairly simple script is remakable. The camera angles and speeds with which this film moves along at times were thrilling, Not to mention the great stunts and even the barbaric humour (the ripped off arm!).

The car which Mel Gibson eventually gets revenge in (an Aussie Ford coupe) looked as menacing as a car could! built for the movie for A$35 Grand, a replica was used for the final crash 'n burn scenes of Mad Max 2. The original car was salvaged and is still around somewhere, appearing at car shows in the late 80's.

Revenge done right, on a low budget

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 20 August 2016]

This was the film which helped to kick start the entire post-apocalyptic wave of films which swept the world in the early '80s along with the sequel. Director George Miller uses every penny of the admittedly low budget to really deliver us the goods when it comes to action. There are lots of chase sequences and crashes, both motorbikes and cars. The large cult following is mainly down to the various high-powered vehicles on show, especially the special nitro-fuelled super car that Gibson uses at the end of the film to track down the enemies.

However I was surprised at the pacing of the film. It starts off well but things slow down a little in the middle, with not much happening at all. For instance, Gibson actually only becomes 'mad' right at the end of the film, for fifteen minutes, and half an hour is taken up with unnecessary dialogue and scene building with unimportant characters. It's not bad but not gripping either; I guess Miller was still learning the ropes. The plot is nothing new, and the futuristic setting only serves to make a little difference from the old revenge theme, used so much in Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, and films with about a hundred other action stars.

The acting is all amateurish on the part of the biker gang, and real bikers were actually used as extras. The main baddie just seems too soft to be really scary, although the unusual characters are interesting to watch. I suppose that with Gibson being the only 'name' star (and he wasn't back then, either), the acting is forgivable. At least it's adequate and the actors and actresses acquit themselves with their respective parts well. Gibson, who went on to become a huge success with the LETHAL WEAPON films, is good in the part of Max, and it's surprising to see (well, hear) how strong his Aussie accent was back then.

The film is worth watching due to the eccentricity of the characters. MAD MAX is full of oddball people, familiar to viewers of low-budget cult Australian films like RAZORBACK and DEATH WARMED UP. The comedy aspect is also high, with lots of laughs and jokes thrown in with the action. However action fans should go for MAD MAX 2, as it serves up a lot more action a lot more satisfyingly. I found this film to be not as good as I'd hoped, but different enough to be interesting, and the revenge formula certainly works despite the obvious budgetary constraints.

When Max when Mad

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 28 May 2015]

Mad Max started out as a low budget post apocalyptic adrenaline pumped car chase and revenge film set in the Australian outback.

However Max only becomes mad in the last 15 minutes of the film as he takes vengeance on the attack on his family.

I have watched Mad Max periodically over the last 30 years. I originally watched an old and scratchy rental VHS tape with dubbed US voices.

I recently watched a spruced up version with the original Australian voices which is much better. However do note that Mad Max was always a low budget film there is only so much you can do to improve the picture and soundtrack quality.

Mel Gibson in what literally is the role that made him an international star is Max Rockatansky, a hard boiled cop with the fastest car chasing gang of ruthless and scuzziest motorcycle bandits that kill, rape and pillage.

We initially see the Police chasing the drug fuelled Night Rider who causes a rampage and this sets the scene for the rest of the film. Its Max with little dialogue who stops the Night Rider but this brings the cops in a clash with the Toecutter the leader of the motorbike gang.

The Toecutter is one of the vilest bad guys in tail end of 1970s cinema. His gang has no moral centre and there misdeeds keeps the film pumping. I did say the film is low budget. Director George Miller after the opening action scenes does a misdirection, he lets the film settle down but keeps the audience spooked as the Toecutter and his gang terrorise various townsfolk.

Meanwhile Max's best friend, Goose is literally cooked which leads Max to quit the police and move out further to the country with his wife and child but fate delivers him to the Toecutter. In a sense very little happens until Max's wife is in danger from the gang and then Max goes for revenge.

This is a taut action nasty made on a shoestring budget. It is very much a Grindhouse type flick that also happens to be part of the Australian New Wave cinema. A youthful Mel Gibson delivers Max as iconic from his very first scenes. He has little dialogue, it is left to Steve Bisley as Goose to deliver the laughs at first.

However the film gets colder and nastier as it goes on. This is a dystopian society and the film also introduces elements such as the fuel shortage as a fuel tanker being attacked which will be dealt with in the sequel.

However the film has a sense of camp as well. Too much leather for one, the police boss looks like a bald wrestler who delivers cheesy lines like they were written by Vince McMahon and some of the acting and editing of the film is far from polished.

From the Grind House to stardom

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 16 October 2007]

Before Babe and Happy Feet, George Miller gave us characters that were just plain weird. Loud explosions, killing, bare breasts - they all made for 70s grind house fare.

Out of that mess, came Mel Gibson. This was his second film, and the one that got him noticed. A star on screen; a mess in his personal life. Love him or hate him, he has given us hours of enjoyment at the movies and on DVD.

Miller's film features brilliant editing, outstanding sound, an enchanting score, and some great acting from Hugh Keays-Byrne as Toecutter.

An enjoyable trip back in time.

A classic violent epic experience

[UniqueParticle · 9/10 · 8 January 2020]

Slick stylish fun gem that isn't talked about enough! Mel Gibson and all the other Australian actors are incredible in this George Miller wild ride! Not much to be said except it's got awesome characters that should be praised more.

Mad Max is crazy good time! It's worth the watch!

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 15 January 2016]

Heavily drawn from his observations of the 1973 oil crisis' effects on Australian motorists and the 1975's film, 'A Boy with his Dog', director George Miller & with first-time screenwriter James McCausland created, one of Australia's most known film, Mad Max. The first of many films in the series, the movie tells the story of a dystopian future, where the scarcity of oil has begun to cause the collapse of civilization. Law and Order is barely holding on within the towns, while, the highways are controlled by the outlaw gangs. Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is a Main Force Patrol cop, held in high regard by his boss and peers, but when a crazy motorcycle gang leaded by the wildman, Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne) began to terrorize his quiet rural town and his family. Max Rockatansky must takes new steps into the madness of the world, to become something more dangerous than the average police-man. Can Max find inner peace within him, or will the madness of the world, take hold on him? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, for a film made with practically no money and released in 1979, the film was surprisingly a very successful movie, not only in Australia and around the world. Despite the popular belief, the film wasn't a hit in the United States, until later. When it first came out, it was given limited release and all the characters' voices had been dubbed with American accents because distributors thought the audience wouldn't understand what they were saying. It wasn't until 1981's, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (originally released as Mad Max 2, retitled The Road Warrior in America), that America became more in love with the original film. Made with "guerrilla-style filmmaking", the film is famous for its wide-shot of the open road and its violent car crashes. Being call porn for people that love fast cars and action. The movie is very well-shot. While, the onslaught of then-intense action, is a bit dated, anticlimax and tamer, compare to today's movies. I have to say, the car stunt work that this movie had to do, is some of the best, at the time. It's something worth celebrating about. After all, this is the movie that put the Australian film industry back in the map. The hero, Mad Max is actually a good and kind soul with a loving family that he goes home to at the end of a long day of high-speed chases and shootouts. I know, that people might not like Mel Gibson, anymore due to his recent, personality problems, but back then, Mel Gibson can do no wrong. He plays Mad Max, very well. I also have to give some credit to his buddy, Steve Bisley as Max's patrol partner, Jim Goose. He was very charming in most of his scenes. However, the rest of the supporting cast wasn't that good. Mostly, coming from the villains. If anything, can be said, about the film's performance wise, is how chopping and nonsensical, some of the dialogue, James McCausland is feeding them. For the most part, I really didn't understood, much of what Toecutter or Johnny the Boy (Tim Burns) was trying to say. I know, it's supposed to represented, how crazy, they had become, but gees, at least, make them, somewhat realistic. I really don't understand, why, any of Toecutter's followers, even bother, following him, if he's that nuts. The beach scene between Toecutter and Johnny the Boy is a great example of this. Another problem in the film is how uneven, it is. I really didn't like, how Max's wife, Jessie (Joanne Samuels) has an altercation with the bike gang, with the very real threat of violence, gang rape, and child abduction, yet they still went on vacation, as if, nothing happen. Who oddly, brushed things like that in seconds!? It doesn't make sense. Another is when Goose's bike is sabotage, but Goose isn't hurt. He doesn't think, once, that maybe somebody is trying to kill him! Come on! The movie really waste time on this. Due to that, a lot of the scenes feel more like filler, than suspenseful. Another problem, people have, against the film is how depressing, the movie is. Despite some good time sequences that have interesting music like 'She's on a Licorice Road' by Robina Chaffey & Creenagh St. Clair, most of the movie presents a more or less hopeless vision of the future. The musical score for Mad Max composed and conducted by Australian composer Brian May shows this. Seeing characters getting raped, burned alive, and run over, isn't what most people wanted to see, for the hero's "reward" for trying to be with his family. The movie ends so bitter. Overall: Mad Max is a groundbreaking low-budget exploitation film that had some significant impact on modern popular culture, inspiring many sequels and knock-offs, but today it's perhaps, best known for the historically than it's aesthetically. Certain sequences still dazzle, and Miller's close-to-the-street cinematography still captures the thrill of speed in highly effective way, but the film series doesn't really establish its post-apocalyptic themes that well, yet. At least, not until Road Warrior. It's weird to see the beach landscape, all 'normal' lush greens and blues, instead of a washed out sepia tone. When's the last time you've seen a post-apocalyptic film like that. Still, I do recommended seeing this film. Just make sure to find the original Australian version without the English dubbing, for the best watch. Any fan of 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road will still enjoy this piece. So check it out!

a terrible beginning to a great franchise

[evilbob65535 · 1/10 · 4 June 2011]

I watched the Mad Max movies in reverse, which is a good thing because I never would have watched another after this one. Beyond the Thunderdome is still pretty amazing even today, and The Road Warrior is good and holds up fairly well even with its cheesiness. The original Mad Max is a complete waste of time. Long, boring sequences of people driving over backwater roads comprise about 70% of the movie. The "revenge" plot doesn't happen until 20 minutes before the end, as many have pointed out, and the "apocalyptic future" setting is something you'd never know from the movie itself - honestly anyone who says that is superimposing their memory of the later films over this one.

Most of the film is trying to build up to the final payoff, but it just doesn't work with today's pacing and audience. There's no story otherwise and the action is laughable by current standards. I really have no idea why there are so many positive reviews, other than the movie was probably good for its time and it helped spawn a tremendous series which went on to influence many other great stories and media (the Fallout games, for example). If you're curious about the series, do yourself a favor and read a plot synopsis on Wikipedia or something and then skip straight to The Road Warrior.

We get real dirty out here

[nickenchuggets · 8/10 · 28 January 2022]

In my opinion, movie makers should always list the name of the actor who appears the most throughout the film first. You might get the idea that since Mel Gibson is the most prominent actor to be found in this movie, it focuses on him and not anybody else. You would be wrong. Mad Max actually spends way more time taking a look at what his adversaries are doing, with his character only starting to appear regularly in the last 30 minutes or so. Not only this, but he doesn't have a neutral, american accent, so it took me a while to realize it was really him. Because it started a big franchise, you would think that Mad Max would have a huge, elaborate story akin to something like Star Wars. In fact, the movie is really straightforward for the most part, but that didn't stop the producers from milking it for all that it's worth. It's not an amazing movie, and most of it is quite depressing. This has a lot to do with the environments. Mad Max takes place in a dystopian version of Australia, where there's no more rules and people fight just to survive. Throughout the movie, we can easily see the fact that australia is a giant floating desert in the middle of nowhere. In this inhospitable environment, a member of a motorcycle gang, called "Nightrider" by his friends, kills a cop who belonged to an australian highway patrol squad. The squad's most experienced officer, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) pursues Nightrider and causes him to crash. Nightrider's gang later finds out about his fiery demise and decide to ride into a town to cause trouble and make people afraid. Goose (Steve Bisley), Max's sidekick, manages to arrest one of the gang members, which leads to the gang setting him in their sights. When Goose is driving one day, a gang member throws a brake drum right through his windshield, making him swerve off the road and crash. Unable to escape the overturned and badly damaged truck, Goose is defenseless as the gang member pours gas near him and burns him alive. Max later sees Goose's horribly immolated body in a hospital, and he's somehow still alive. This traumatic experience leads to Max expressing how he wants to quit being on highway patrol duty. Shortly after, Max and his wife Jessie (Joanne Samuel) take a joyride in a van, but the gang manages to follow them. Max drives to a farm owned by a friendly old woman, which leads to more confrontations with the criminals. After trying to drive his family to safety, Max's van breaks down, and both his wife and infant son are tragically killed. Having no family left, Max now makes it his mission in life to stop Nightrider's gang, whatever the cost. He is shot in the knee after falling for a trap the gang leaves on the roadside in the form of an empty car, but still manages to kill the gang members in brutal ways. One of them is crashed into by a semi truck. At last, Max finds Johnny, the gang member responsible for burning Goose in the ghastly attack earlier. Max handcuffs Johnny's leg to a nearby truck he's trying to steal and uses its leaking gas supply to kill him in an explosion. Max drives off, having avenged his family. Upon its release, Mad Max was widely hated for its shocking amount of violence and lack of any real moral values. Gibson arguably does the right thing by killing the men responsible for killing his family, but the movie makers seemed to have a preference for watching people die horribly. One australian reviewer even went as far as to say Mad Max is as cheerful as Mein Kamph, and future rapists will probably love it. Stephen King also didn't like it, which is ironic considering the types of things he's known for writing. Despite this, it hides the fact that Mad Max is probably the most successful and recognized movie to come out of australia (aside from Crocodile Dundee). I don't know what it is about that country, but their movies always seem to have a large amount of tough characters who seem to revel in the nightmarish situations they get into. Mad Max epitomizes this.

Max Rockatansky the beginning of everything

[nikolasdrugo · 7/10 · 2 February 2016]

A film that has inspired so many legends from escaping from New York via Waterworld, one of the most famous manga Hokuto no Ken and beyond. Are all films that are inspired by the genius of George Miller, The same film is one of the first stepping stones of Mel Gibson that here took its first steps into the world of cinema. A film with so many good ideas may not optimized for the limited budget available, a film reminiscent of the western genre in some respects, though too full of scenes that bring death to get bored enough, luckily poured from the middle starts to come out the true plot that keep us glued to the end, impossible to talk about without mentioning max Interceptor V8, the vehicle used by max for his revenge, entered the imagination of all and still Olympus of legendary vehicles of cinema. A film that does not have anything special except good ideas, but it has been able to enter the hearts of fans and was right in the history of cinema and its sequel, and especially with the last trasposzione Mad Max Fury Road.

How bad is this movie?

[Heyzus · 2/10 · 30 July 2003]

Wow, I was expecting much better than this. I honestly can't think of a movie that was more painful to watch. Scenes are cut together abruptly, poor dialogue and really no point whatsoever. My roommate and I sat watching the movie wondering..."When is this going to start" followed by "just let it end" I would stay away but if you must endure this film, good luck.

A sadistically fun movie

[coverme6 · 30 June 2000]

Mel Gibson is Mad Max in, well, "Mad Max!" This is the film that made Mel an international superstar. In his starring debut, Mel plays Max, a leather-clad cop in the near future who fights to control security on the road from vicious bikers and road thugs. When the thugs lead by the psychotic Toecutter kill Max's wife and baby, our hero is livid with vengeance. Armed with his armor-plated muscle car and a sawed-off shotgun, Max wreaks turbo-powered revenge on the murderous punks.

Though a bit dated compared with the action films we have today, "Mad Max" still stands out as a very impressive movie. For one thing, this film had a tiny budget. Well, as proven in "El Mariachi," a movie doesn't need a $1 million budget if you have a creative story and imagination. "Mad Max" stands out as a classic low-budget flick that made it big without the intense u