Mad Max

Miller's work has been compared to Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, but where the Leone films are about amorality, the Mad Max movies are purely and simply amoral—some of the most determinedly formalist filmmaking this side of Michael Snow.

Junky, freaky, sadistic, masochistic, Mad Max has a perverse intelligence revving inside its pop exterior. It's a crazy collide-o-scope, a gear-stripping vision of human destiny careening toward a cosmic junkyard. [21 July 1980, p.71]

With his instinct and craft, Miller has provided more autosuggestive violence on a $1 million budget than The Blues Brothers did with half the Chicago police force and $30 million.

Though the plot is that of a simple revenge western, director George Miller infuses the film with a kinetic combination of visual style, amazing stunt work, creative costume design, and eccentric, detailed characterizations that practically jump out of the screen and grab the viewer by the throat.

The film belongs to the director, cameraman and stunt artists: it’s not an actor’s piece, though the leads are all effective.

Hackneyed at exposition, Miller demonstrates breakneck prowess at chase sequences and terrifying shock effects. [29 April 1980, p. B1]

Mad Max is ugly and incoherent, and aimed, probably accurately, at the most uncritical of moviegoers. [14 June 1980, p.13]

The first film "Mad Max" over all was a hell **** ride! what makes the film bad ass and beautiful is the action sequences also the story. Writer/director mastermind George Miller demonstrates breakneck prowess at chase sequences and a shock value story. This is how a proper action film should be made with actors who can handle this material also a good direction, the action genre today is suffering. Mel Gibson's performance is heroic and bad ass! the way his character is written is caring and his character is fascinating; the writer's: James McCausland, George Miller put flavor also fastidious into the story. In a post apocalyptic world, an officer named Max who is committed to his job is on a high speed pursuit for the gang leader whom they called "the knight rider," the gang leader is killed in a car crash (which Max is responsible for) the gang takes vengeance. With a caring/bad ass protagonist and Miller's visionary skills is stripping vision of human destiny careening toward a cosmic junkyard. Grade A+

A low-budget dystopian action film set in Australia. It was the most profitable film ever made at the time and held that title for two decades. Despite the use of an old camera and a lack of proper editing facilities, the chase scenes and stunts are still astonishing. The Australian accent and terminology can be difficult to understand but add a unique vibe for viewers. The motorcycle gang is truly terrifying, with each member having a distinct personality. The stunts are the highlight of the film, and you can feel their originality except for the eye-popping scenes. This was only Mel Gibson's second film, but you can already see glimpses of his talent. The characters of Goose, Toecutter, and Johnny the Boy are memorable and well-acted. As the title suggests, Max isn’t "mad" in this movie, and even when he’s angry, he mostly keeps it under control. Overall, it's a true independent movie with a rebellious spirit.

Well, I watched it again. I think my experience was better this time. However, Mad Max just didn’t age well. The OST is marginally present but doesn’t seem to add much. It feels a bit bureaucratic, if you understand what I mean. To be honest, I was expecting a more pronounced post-apocalyptic world, like the new Mad Max does. But here, the reality is subtle. Perhaps Mad Max 2 will explore it further. The final act is cool, though. It made me excited for the next movie.

So I wasn't alive in 1979 or whatever, but watching this in 2015, all I've got to say to say is this movie is basically terrible. Bad acting, basically a nonexistent script, horrible overrated by fanboys apparently of other related movies. Mad Max: Fury Road is a actually a really good, entertaining movie. This movie takes 45 minutes too long to kill off the wife and baby and then never delivers. I feel sorry for people in 1979 and the early 1980s, and even now, who think this passes as hardcore action or has "good chase scenes."

Skip this movie and go straight to Mad Max 2. The concept is interesting and the cars and costumes are cool, but, as my son said, "It's just a bunch of stupid action and everybody dies." There's just no sense of a storyline. It's one chase scene after another. Not enough is done to develop the near-future setting. The relationship between Max and his wife, which should be crucial to the plot, also isn't given time to develop. All there are are chases. "Max used to be a cop. Max used to have a wife and son who were killed by bad guys." This is about all you need to know to have some context for Mad Max 2.