Mad Max (1979)
Mad Max has become synonymous with âpost-apocalypticâ. In fact, the genre wouldn't exist without this 1979 movie. It will come as a surprise then, that it isnât your typical âthe world has gone to hellâ story. It may throw off those going in initially (which might tempt you to skip directly to The Road Warrior) but its unique identity is what you'll come to appreciate about this film. There's a unique quality in the way that that it isnât trying to tell a big story. It's raw. Thereâs a reason why this film went on to inspire three sequels.
Set in the near future, in Australia, the world is starting to break down. While roaming gangs of lunatics on motorcycles come and do as they please, there is also hope. It comes in the form of the police officers who patrol the roads, and their figurehead, "Mad" Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson). When Max's actions catch the eye of âToe Cutterâ (Hugh-Keays Byrne), the full force of the gang begins heading his way.
This movie is a lot like Assault on Precinct 13. When you first see it, you wonder what the big deal is about. The more you think about it, the more you notice the little details that make it special. Most movies are âtraditionalâ post-apocalyptic. Everything is either broken, covered in crap, or on fire. Mad Max is more subtle. Some people walk around like nothing's wrong, but all the edges are frayed. Nearly everything in this world is cobbled together or has been repaired a dozen times. As if there were no ânewâ things being made. Similarly, thereâs something about the way people speak that's off. Everyone says there's hope. You sense no one believes it, that everyone's praying for a hero to come and fix everything. Nothing's spelled out. Every time you re-watch the film, it becomes more apparent.
But what you really came to see are the action scenes and the stunts. You will be scratching your head wondering âhow did they do that?â during the car chases and crashes. Many scenes will make you say âoh, THATâs where that idea came from?" This movie's been imitated. A lot. This hinders the film by giving you the wrong impressions about it. Mad Max is about a man slowly realizing there's a storm coming and frantically trying to nail down the doors and windows so that he and his family arenât torn apart. It contains elements of a vigilante justice/revenge story but for the most part, it's about a guy who is held up on a pedestal by everyone around him. You wonder what'll happen to this tall blade of grass when the mower comes.
Ultimately, the focus is on our protagonist. Max is a fully fleshed-out character. Heâs not just some angry Punisher wannabe. Heâs gentle but able to turn into a tough-as-nails enforcer at the drop of a hat. You care about the chases and vehicular carnage because you care about him. It isn't about the smoldering wrecks and the twisted metal. What happens when this man of the law crosses paths with lunatics who have given into the idea that it's only a matter of time before everything is swept away by a nuclear holocaust?
Thereâs no question that Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a far superior sequel but this has caused some to unfairly dismiss this first movie. Itâs all about humble beginnings, the kind of picture with more to see than screeching tires and sadistic killers. Iâve come to appreciate this film more with each viewing. I trust you will too. (On Blu-ray, February 28, 2015]












