Mad Max (1979) Reviews

• 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-cobra82015-10-03

  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-

• Low budget classic that is now a genre landmark.

  Spikeopath2008-03-04

  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.

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

  lewiskendell2010-10-25

  "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.

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

  Captain_Couth2004-05-31

  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.

• After nearly 30 years still an amazing trip at high speed

  Dan_the_DutchMan2008-01-11

  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.