Review of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) by John D — 04 Oct 2014

Mad Max and Mad Max II, often just refered to as "The Road Warrior", stand as no bullshit classics, cutting their teeth with a no-holds barred commentary on a society descending into armageddon, Aussie style.

For 1985's probable finale, George Miller and his acolytes decide to switch things around a little. Max is a much darker figure than before, and much more of a leader than he wishes to accept. Up against a heavily miscast and watchable for all the wrong reasons Tina Turner, the sharp and clever principles of the first two become nothing more than a battle of egos between the now cliched barren sands and lost children crying out for a parental figurehead.

In between, Gibson and Turner seem more exciting by chewing as much scenery as their enormous paycheques will permit. As usual, Z-list faces from long sunken without trace Aussie soaps pop in, not much different from the swarms of "hopefuls" looking to reality TV to rescue them from their collective mundane existance.

Rumours have been circulating for years that Gibson may go Rambo style and ressurect the series long after its sell by date. For a move that pointless, even the great one in his current eccentricity surely couldn't be that misguided.

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