Review of Mad Max (1979) by Al M — 13 Aug 2010

Mad Max is an important film in the history of dystopian literature, but it still seems to lack something compared to its sequel The Road Warrior. I have to say The Road Warrior is one of those rare sequels that outshines the original.

That being said, Mad Max is still a fascinating film because it is a truly liminal text--there is nothing in the film that does not exist in the present in which it was created and no truly apocalyptic event has taken place.

Instead, it is a film about society winding down, slowly eroding from within itself. As such, Mad Max is fascinating film even though it is its sequel The Road Warrior that wlil influence every blighted, desert, post-apocalyptic future film that comes after.

Mad Max is fascinating in its subtlety. Yes, it's a high-octane film filled with over-the-top chase sequences that will leave you breathless even today due to George Miller's frenetic direction, but its also a muted vision of humanity's end, a view before the true desolation sets in and destroys us all.

Instead, it's merely a film where gas has become a little bit scarce, a scenario that no longer seems that unlikely in recent years. Prescient, action-packed, poignant, and loads of fun, Mad Max is a classic that any sci-fi or action fan should definitely watch.

Its almost non-existent budget just makes everything all the more impressive and fun.