Review of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) by Rob S — 23 Jul 2015

George Miller's engrossing well-crafted sequel takes place a number of years after the events in 'The Road Warrior,' and has the desert nomad and former cop Max Rockatansky, flawlessly played to perfection by Mel Gibson, wandering the sandy wastelands of a post-apocalypse Australia, trying to reclaim his stolen possessions, he ends up in a bizarre oasis hellhole called Bartertown, where he makes a deal with the ruthless ruling mistress of the town, Aunty Entity, played brilliantly by an electrifying Tina Turner, she will re-supply Max with everything he had stolen, if he agrees to fight and kill, a towering, massively built, near-superhuman gladiator named Blaster, in the 'Thunderdome' which is a public arena where problems are solved by a fight to the death.

Aunty Entity is using Max to get rid of Blaster, who is a serious threat to her rule in Bartertown. But Max refuses to kill Blaster and is exiled to a slow death in the desert. He is found by a tribe of wild-children who nurse him back to health, and insist that Max lead them back to civilization, Max refuses and tries unsuccessfully to prevent them from going on their own.

He must now re-enter Bartertown and somehow escape with the children, with Aunty Entity in hot pursuit with her lethal hordes of motorized marauders. Astute direction by George Miller and George Ogilvie, and terrific supporting performances by Bruce Spence, Frank Thring, Angelo Rossitto, Paul Larsson, Robert Grubb, George Spartels, and Edwin Hodgeman.

The action sequences in this film are sensational, but are measured, they are not like the high-octane thrills of the first two films, so some viewers maybe disappointment with that. It seems Miller wanted to focus more on the storyline this time around, and it is a compelling and imaginative one.

Tina Turner wonderfully sings two top-notch songs: "One of the Living & We Don't Need Another Hero" for the film. Highly Recommended. Note: Director George Miller has filmed a third sequel entitled "Mad Max: Fury Road," that stars Tom Hardy, who has taken over Mel Gibson's star-making role of Max Rockatansky.

Release date will be summer of 2015.