‘They say people don’t believe in heroes anymore‘
Mad Max is a weird one as it spawned a hugely successful multifilm franchise as well as the career of Mel Gibson, and yet, you don’t really hear much about the original these days. There isn’t really a famous line or an iconic scene from this film that I have ever seen referenced elsewhere. This is possibly part of the reason why it has taken me so long to watch it…
Max (Gibson) is some kind of cop in a post apocalyptic wasteland populated by weirdo bikers and angels with dirty faces. Following a terrible act of violence, he hits the road in search of revenge.
So, this is a revenge movie right? Well… kinda. And I say that because the initial act of violence that inspires Max’s vengeance doesn’t actually take place until around the hour mark. Up until then, Mad Max doesn’t really have a plot, instead relying on style and substance to see it through. While this worked wonderfully when director George Miller returned to the world of Mad Max for Fury Road, here it is a little… much. Having said that, the car chases are impressive and Miller’s visual flair is already clear for all to see.
As for Gibson? Well, there isn’t much here to indicate that he would go on to be a global superstar and successful racist. He broods. He looks quite glum. He wears shades. It’s all pretty standard action movie fare. I’ve never seen the two original sequels to Mad Max though, so perhaps it is there where he really comes into his own.
Mad Max is an important cultural touchstone in action cinema, but it hasn’t aged particularly well, and it doesn’t have much to say. A significant film then but not a brilliant one.