#madmax2

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior surpasses the original in every way. It takes its protagonist and asks "now that he's lost his humanity, where does this world that's devolving into absolute madness take him?" the answer is "to one of the most viscerally satisfying action movies ever made".

Nuclear war has devastated the planet and in Australia, the survivors struggle to cling to sanity. Having lost his family, Max (Mel Gibson) roams the wasteland, caring for little other than his dog, his next meal, and the fuel he needs to keep moving. When he stumbles upon what must be the last reasonable people on the continent, he proposes a bargain. Max will help them escape from Lord Humungous (Kjell Nilsson) and his gang of sadistic motorists, in exchange for supplies.

When there are car crashes and chases in The Road Warrior, they look and feel real. Something about seeing two vehicles smash into each other, bits flying all over the place without fireballs and overblown pyrotechnics satisfies a primal itch inside you. It's like the difference between a boxing match and a couple of actors pretending to throw punches for the camera; there's no comparison.

This is a movie that makes you wonder "How did they do that?" over and over. The funny thing is, you know. How did they manage to make that scene where a vehicle crashes and a man goes literally flying out of his seat and toppling head over heels into the air look so good? By doing it.

In a way, it feels more genuine than most action movies because many questions and characters are left unaddressed. Most survivors we meet are given neither names nor backstories but their mannerisms, appearance, or actions make them memorable. The stakes and objectives are clear. The obstacles are ominous. You find yourself caring about the unnamed amazon lady or the paraplegic mechanic. Perhaps because you know how dangerous the scenario is in-universe and in real life.

At the center is a hero you want to see grow. Max is a good guy that's been broken. The world has beaten him down and he's become hard and cold. Without him, the settlers stand no chance, no civilized person does when the rest of the world has reverted to barbarism. He's the hero they need... if he would only care. Roving gangs of thugs get what they want through force. Guns are rare, nearly non-existent. People use crossbows, swords, flails made out of junk and pipes as clubs. The world Max once protected is gone, as is his humanity.

Everything is cobbled together and it works. The film's budgetary restrictions works in its favor. It doesn't go for flashy, it goes for visceral, relying on bare-bones, tangible thrills and primal gut-punches. I don't know if the quality of The Road Warrior could ever be recreated.

The chases are faster, the crashes are bigger, the stunts are more impressive, the characters are more memorable and the story tighter. The stunts and crashes are spectacular. They're devastating, with bodies and car parts flying all over the place You'll constantly be screaming "Oh!" out loud, particularly during the incredible climax: An Intense 13-minute highway chase that keeps you guessing throughout. Everything is up for grabs and the film never pulls its punches. It's an edge of your seat ending. You don't need to see the first one to enjoy The Road Warrior (though you should to fully appreciate the escalation). Mad Max 2 is a bolt of lightning in a bottle. It's a visceral action flick that re-energizes you, and a personal favorite of mine. (On Blu-ray, April 19, 2015)