User reviews

Set somewhere in the future we are privy to a world where the roads are ruled by maniac gangs with souped up cars, and bikers that literally could come from hell. Trying to stop these marauding loons are the overstretched police force who themselves ride in exceptionally fast cars. At the front of this story is Max Rockatansky, a good honest cop trying to hold his own against the chaotic world that is forming around him. After his best friend is burned and left for dead he decides enough is enough and thinks about retiring from the service, but whilst on a vacation with his wife and child things go decidedly bad and Max becomes an avenging force of fury with devastating affect.

When evaluating this film I feel it really needs to be put into perspective just how brilliant a job director George Miller did with next to no cash to work with, in fact Miller edited the film in his own bedroom just to emphasise the low-fi nature of the beast. The costumes are excellent, the cast are terrific, with Mel Gibson as Max particularly impressive, and here we have villains to truly fit the word villainous, but it's the stunts and chase sequences that makes this film a rich rewarding experience. The opening ten minutes alone are pure adrenalin pumping genius, but the film as a whole delivers a crash bang wallop punch that has often been imitated since its release, but rarely bettered, and although the heart of the film is a simple revenge story, it grabs your attention and delivers right to the corking finale, 8/10.

Footnote: Region 2 Users should note that the bargain bucket Mad Max Trilogy flip pack set still contains the foolishly dubbed version of this film, incredibly stupid move from the American distributors.

Mad Max is 70's type of classic dystopian action film the film that started it all and became the first in a series that launches some awesome great sequels. Max Rockatansky is iconic hero till it's day he is a true legend. Mad Max settle Mel Gibson a sure path to superstardom this highly acclaimed crazy collide o-scope of highway of mayhem cinematically defined the post apocalyptic landscape. Featuring eye- popping stunts that are electrifying and very convincing and an authentically nihilistic spirit this unforgettable actioner from Director George Miller is pure cinematic poetry.

In the ravaged near future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing Innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of police force hell-bent on stopping them. But they underestimate one officer: Max (Gibson). And when the bikers brutalize Max's best friend and family, they send him into a mad frenzy that leaves him with only one thing left in the world to live for - revenge! Also staring Joanne Samuel,Hugh Keays-Byrne he later started in Mad Max: Fury Road as an Immortan Joe another villain. This actor is fantastic and makes TERRIFIC job of been one of the best villains in the movie history ever. Also starring Steve Bisley, this rugged race car of a film runs on comic book volatility... exhilarating, rowdiness and visual intensity.

I love this film not much as I love Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Mad Max: Furry Road but I still love it. The plot doesn't start until 1.hour ago after Max family is attacked and killed. I love Max's car V8 Interceptor, high speed chases action sequences, that I guarantee you want see in any Action film today. There is any cgi in this film I didn't see them at all. The chases between Max and Toecutter on a motorcycle is fantastic, the crash and death Toecutter scene is AWESOME. I love this movie, I love it. As an dystopian action film is a fantastic that remains a true classic till it's day. The film has one problem that is focusing on max and his love life which is drama that hurts the movie and the plot starts really slow in the film. And between the film becomes very boring.

The high speed chases on the road makes this movie interesting so that you don't fall asleep. I still don't get that hate for this film, some people are comparing Thunderdome to this film, clamming that is better than Mad Max is and this is the worst one and the weakest film in the franchise which is not. I highly disagree with all of the haters of this film. It Is still good so much better than Thunderdome ever was. I will always take this film over Thunderdome,I have tried many times to take this film as the best one in the series but I couldn't because it does have some problems.

NOTE: The film is not a revenge flick like some people are saying, it is a film about car and motorcycle gang on a road it is Australian post apocalyptic dystopian action film. 7/10 B-

Honestly I have to admit I was left slightly bewildered after watching this film for the first time in many many years.

I didn't really get the post apocalyptic vibe from this film, granted it's incredibly low budget but still it felt more like an outback set film.

I also found some of the musical choices a bit odd. The scenes with Max and his family had this TV movie vibe thanks to the bizarre choice of music. Also the music at times drowning out the dialogue was very off putting.

I did enjoy elements of this film, in particular the set pieces and action parts of this film, despite it being a low budget affair I have to say I was impressed. It's also worth bearing in mind this film was made in the late 1970's so for me that makes the action scenes all that more impressive.

Mad Max is a slightly odd low budget action flick that has a certain charm but is let down by down by questionable editing, musical score and acting.

Mad Max (1979) is a low budget Aussie film that became a huge success in the U.S. because of it's sequel Mad Max 2 a.k.a. The Road Warrior. Not only did this movie spawned a franchise but it created a new genre of film (the post apocalyptic wasteland/road film) many rip-offs and pro wrestlers inspired by the movie and it's sequels.

Mel Gibson (in his greatest role in my opinion) stars as "Mad" Max, a cop who has seen too much while trying to enforce the law in a dying society. After clashing with the Night Rider, he incurs the wrath of his bikie buddies Toecutter and co. Toecutter has to be one of the most scuzziest and at the same time coolest bad guys. I like the way he tries to justify him and his crew's actions. Ditto for his right-hand man Bubba. Beautiful cinematography, fast paced action and awesome stunts make this movie a winner.

I have seen both versions of the movie (the U.S. dubbed version and the original Aussie soundtrack). For full enjoyment stick to the original version because they sound like real people, not like cartoon characters or cheesy b-movie villains. A true winner.

Highly recommended.

After not seeing it for about seven years, I just saw it on DVD for the first time. I remembered it as an exciting near-chaos-future adventure with highway cops in muscle cars and one insane biker gang. It's great how it keeps on standing the test of time. High speed and raw power are of every age, past and future. The way the highway action is shot in this movie simply stays exhilarating, putting it in the top ranking of best high-speed-chase movies ever. Seeing the camera follow the highway marker at high speed, along with the sound of a bike- or V8-engine delivers a Mad and chaotic but really cool result. The pace of the movie remains considerably high, without many slow moments.

Some aspects of the movie have (understandably) dated. Obviously the 70's clothing and hair styles. Sometimes the acting is a little over the top, and some characters could come directly from a comic book. And of course the story is not that deep or difficult. It's partly action-thriller, partly science fiction adventure. All weaknesses are covered and compensated by lots of a-moral fun though.

At the heart of this one of a kind look movie, there is a hero character named Max. This speed-demon-cop is at the top of his game on the highway, ruthlessly dealing with maniacs ravaging his jurisdiction. But he is also a happy family man with his wife and son. This duality makes the character human, timeless and very memorable. In some scenes you can clearly see Mel Gibson was only just getting into acting. For a rookie he was doing a good job nonetheless.

Others strengths lie within the scary nature of the biker gang. An extravagant rag-tag band of maniacs, led by the iconic villain The ToeCutter. To this day, their actions remain tough and very disturbing. It will have you staring at the screen dead serious, making Max' battle against them even more gratifying.

There is much to say about this movie, but first and foremost it is a must see. A cult classic still as enjoyable as it was nearly 30 years ago.

The film is a drama with action and adventure elements. Unlike later films where the apocalyptic and ultra-violent world is already established, this one is much more "down to earth". There is a standard civilization here, however, there are violent criminals. The film shows experienced police officers facing a sinister motorcycle gang. There are a lot of cool chase scenes here, which are the highlight of the film.

The performances range from simple to some good. Highlight goes to Mel Gibson, who is charismatic and does well in the role.

The villains are detestable, and from the second to the third act we hope that Max can stop everyone in his path. The ending of the film is brutal, fun and remarkable, and certainly inspired a famous series of horror films involving a cutting saw (I think you already know what I'm talking about). If the film had a little more action in the first act, and some more interesting characters besides Mel Gibson and two or three others, I would give it a higher rating. Either way, it's a cool movie.

I wanted to like Mad Max more. However, it's a slow and uneven movie. It's over an hour before Max actually goes mad, and when he does, it's only a hurried montage of revenge. I applaud the stunts and the creativity, but I'm surprised that this film did so well. It's not that good.

This classic is set a few years from now, a dangerous, desolate world of the future where rules the strongest law and useless Halls of Justice. It concerns about a police named Max (Mel Gibson), some cutthroats and revenge takes place. Max lives along with his wife (Joanne Samuel) and son. The nasties attack , rape, ravage to hapless and unfortunates. But vengeance will be terrible against some bands of depraved crazies thirsty for blood on high facility roads.

This exciting picture packs kinetic action , thrills, chills, shocks and lots of blood and violence. Spectacular stunt-wok plenty of motorcycle races with bounds and leaps and explosions . Top-notch Mel Gibson as revenger angel at one of his first main roles, he embarks a criminal vendetta against vicious murderous. Rumbling and screeching musical score by Brian May. Special and weird futuristic atmosphere created by the cameraman David Eggby. The motion picture is stunningly directed by George Miller, author of the excellent post-apocalypse ¨Mad Max¨ trilogy along with the writer and producer Byron Kennedy. It's followed by ¨Mad Max 2, the Road warrior¨ with Gibson , Bruce Spence, Vernon Welles and Mike Preston ; and ¨Mad Max beyond Thunderdome¨ with Tina Turner, George Ogilvie, Frank Thring and again Bruce Spence. In addition, numerous imitations, rip offs, and exploitations ,especially Italians products. Rating : Good, better than average, this is the most successful Aussie movie of all time.

It was the very rawness and budgetary constraints of this little flick that made it what it was. A new kind of action hero in a new kind of world! Gibson's laughably underpaid (though unavoidably so) contribution cannot be underestimated. He imbued Max with more than the script actually merited. An attitude perhaps that struck a chord with many office-desk (wannabe) vigilantes. After all, Max takes control of his own life - is not cowed by authority. Max is everyman, the one inside us that few get the chance to let loose. He is part Jesus, part Che, part James Dean, all Australian yobbo! But this guy gets the job done - drop Max into Iraq next month and see how far Saddam Hussein gets trying to stock up on sarin!

Raw energy is what MAD MAX was all about! Distilled, tempered and inflamed by the time THE ROAD WARRIOR came around but at this juncture. a man on a mission and with the best tricked-up car since....well, THE CAR ! For those of you incidentally, totally mortified that his glorious black-hearted Interceptor was rendered dead-meat in MAD MAX 2, be comforted by the fact that it DOES in fact reside still in a museum in London (Why there and not Sydney I know not...perhaps for the same reason Australia still is not host to the cricket-ashes urn!) What chance of either's return when Greece can't even get the Elgin Marbles back?

Much has been made (and remembered) of the high-power car chases in this film, held by many in absolute reverence. In fact after the main cops vs The Nightrider work-out in the first few minutes of the flick, its pretty much all downhill in the action stakes - nothing subsequently in MAD MAX (1) comes near this brief sequence. This situation (with a way bigger budget) was inarguably reversed by the time THE ROAD WARRIOR came along. The stunts in THAT film have never been surpassed and remember this was without CGI fx.

MAD MAX has that indefinable 'something" the sequels didn't...perhaps just a raw innovation couldn't be duplicated - rather like ur first kiss. It might not have been the best, but it sure IS fondly remembered.

Dr. George Miller's low budget Mad Max franchise impacted on Australian culture and altered the perception of Australia and Australians overseas in a way that no other Australian film had done. The films explores themes such as 'man and the environment', 'fear provoking post-apocalyptic future, family', 'masculinity in crisis', 'good versus evil (Max as an iconic hero), Australian ethos and car culture; themes often featured within Australian films yet presented in a stark and dramatic way. The cinematographic impact is powerful; the human and emotional appeal is timeless.

Australia's barren deserts presented the ideal setting for a post-apocalyptic environment. The film set is more identifiable as Australia as it was filmed around the city of Melbourne. Long deserted roads feature significantly in the film and the cinematographic device of taking long distant shots of Max demonstrates how small he is in the scale of the environment that he is living. It is a relentless, unforgiving environment which demands defeat or survival and marks the characters which play upon its stage.

Just as the physical setting is stark and desolate, the time setting and its associated events create an atmosphere of fear and foreboding which plays on the minds and emotions of contemporary viewers. In this fear provoking post apocalyptic future the few survivors of the nuclear holocaust are in warfare with one another, the rebel bikers and the police.

Good versus evil is a dominant discourse in many film genres and one which embraces the Australian ethos. Max possesses some highly valued "Australian" traits; in particular, those of the underdog, the battler, the hero. External forces beyond his control stop him from "winning" completely. Contrary to the Hollywood hero, the Australian hero is a pawn in the game of others, which explains why Max can never quite "win" in absolute terms. There is little public glorification of success in Australia; heroes are remembered for their style rather than for their achievements. (Venkatasawmy, 1996) Mad Max represented a tradition hero, a hero to whom many diverse cultures are able to relate, as a story of a lone hero is a story that goes back through centuries of storytelling, and as a consequence the film achieved colossal success within Australian and around the world. The Australian cultures and lifestyles shown throughout these films give Australians an understanding of their country in the landscape, the language, and the way we treat people, life and life in exceptional circumstances.

Reference Venkatasawmy, R. (1996), Australian Film in the Reading Room: The Hybridity of Film-making in Australian National Cinema: Formulating a Cinematic Post-Diaspora. Retrieved March 14, 2005, from http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/rama/CHAPT4.htm

Not many low budget flicks age very well but Mad Max certainly has.

I watched it again recently, as I only had vague memories of watching it years ago, but I found it to hold up well. Only by reading the other user comments did I discover that it had been dubbed! What a load of crap. Why would a movie in English be dubbed in English! If you cant understand Aussie accents, you dont deserve the pleasure of seeing this movie. I cant imagine this movie having the same effect without the Australian accents.

What George Miller did with this fairly simple script is remakable. The camera angles and speeds with which this film moves along at times were thrilling, Not to mention the great stunts and even the barbaric humour (the ripped off arm!).

The car which Mel Gibson eventually gets revenge in (an Aussie Ford coupe) looked as menacing as a car could! built for the movie for A$35 Grand, a replica was used for the final crash 'n burn scenes of Mad Max 2. The original car was salvaged and is still around somewhere, appearing at car shows in the late 80's.

"Mad Max" is one of those films that is on everyone's top film lists. Not only did it introduce us to Australian cinema, but also a young 21-year old newbie named Mel Gibson. "Mad Max" was dark, it was brooding, it was destructive, and it never gave us that glimmer of hope for humanity, but now - nearly 20 years later - does it still remain the classic that it started? Sure, it was impressive to watch the crash scenes, it was powerful to see the world through Mr. Miller's disturbed eyes, but is it re-watchable? Does it have the appeal to see new things throughout if watched and watched again? For me, the answer seemed to float near "no". While I loved what "Mad Max" represented, what it was - a full body of color and action - it wasn't something to be watched again and again. Gibson does a great job as Max, a man torn between the evils of the road and his personal philosophies. He begins as an ominous optimist, able to stop crime as it occurs on the streets, but then as his sense of normality is turned upside down, his ability to react and adapt is seen. The final moments, he has transformed from the man we were first introduced to into something quite terrifying. One could also compliment Mr. Miller's directorial outing, at times it felt a bit episodic with tough edits placed, but for the majority he told a deathly story with great ease and excitement. So, again, there is no arguing that "Mad Max" is an important film, one that I am glad to have finally seen, but once was enough. It seems to be lacking that re-watch excitement.

But why has that conclusion been made? What makes "Mad Max" mediocre instead of powerful? It is hard to pinpoint the exact scene, but the sense of "alright, I've seen it - now what" was definitely present by the end. Yet, there were points that I just loved. Gibson was perfect. He was incredible as Max, and the world that Mr. Miller created was intense. The opening scene, the car crashes as our bearded villain just yelled "Toecutter" was fantastic. "Mad Max" has one of those openings that just pulls you in, that makes you excited to watch a film of this intensity, but then where do you go? Miller seemed to indicate that more car crashes, more violence, more cliché family drama would indicate a stronger film. At times he was right, his ability to create different scenes set across the same backdrop demonstrated his originality, but then there were times where it just felt recycled. One scene that stands out, is where our gang of bikers track down a couple that happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, they chase them down and demoralize them as Max and his partner find them - then, almost repetitively, it happens with Max and his girl later in the film. In this post-apocalyptic world, there seems to be no problem finding someone. Space seems to not be a problem. This was another unexplained moment - where the coincidence of discovering Max or finding the biker gang should have been more difficult. These repetitive, essentially simplistic scenes seemed to detract from the power of what Max represented. One also needs to ask about the story, the unknown of what time or place we are following Max - would this have strengthened the story knowing what world we lived in? The understanding that this was a low-budget film was rooted in my mind, the techniques provided were impressive, but should that have been neglected for mediocre storytelling? Perhaps I misread this film, perhaps I missed the joy of why this is hailed as such a cult success.

Another weakness against "Mad Max" has to be the relationship between his wife/girlfriend and child. Again, the lacking story helped confuse this viewer as to what dynamic they had, but when we have scenes in which the child is completely forgotten about - it just decimates the reasons behind Max's anger and utter breakdown. There were several scenes in which I yelled at the screen, "What about the child", then finally they would remember - he seemed to fade in and out of existence too often for one film. Then, when disaster strikes, we are forced to believe that suddenly Gibson would release his inner rage? It just didn't work. The same can be said for his wife/girlfriend. A stronger definition of character, and even more lines spoken would have helped me see the relationship. She seemed angry at first, the product of a failed marriage forced by this post-apocalyptic world to stay together, then we were introduced to love, then suddenly, she moved to idiocrity. Who would believe that running down a road, when there are open fields around, is the better option? It was these small inconsistencies that forced "Mad Max" from greatness to just another average action film. Two-plus hour sweeping epics aren't always needed, but stronger characters do help in creating the world that we, as viewers, are to inhabit for 90-ish minutes.

"Mad Max" is an important film, there is no question in my mind about that. The door that this film opened for future cinema in America couldn't have been done by a better group of filmmakers, but it isn't a promising classic. I could not watch this film again. The sequels I am ready for, but this ride is over - and the park is closing. I realize that I am in the minority, but "Mad Max" is a low-budget film that uses repetitive film-making as its staple - originality is present, but you must search to find it.

Like many other much-loved action movies that have become staples of late-night TV, Mad Max isn't as good as you remember. Especially if viewed when sober and attentive, rather that just back from the pub.

The version recently shown in the UK on ITV4 uses the original Australian dub of the soundtrack (I think), and it spoils large parts of the film. The music swerves from schmaltzy to bombastic, often drowning out the dialogue which is too low in the mix.

Only half the cast can act, with Hugh Keays-Byrne nearly stealing the film as the Toecutter, while Joanne Samuel (Jessie) and Steve Bisley (Goose) are also very watchable. Mel Gibson works on an early version of his 'handsome crazy guy' routine that would serve him so well in the Lethal Weapon series.

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the best of the film's many action sequences is over and done with at the beginning. The car and bike stunts are spectacular but oddly scheduled through the movie - the climactic revenge taken by Max seems pretty low-octane compared with what's gone before.

In the end it's a odd mixture: cheap horror-movie crash zooms, white-knuckle stunt work, gentle romantic sequences, homo-erotic leather gear. It put Australian movie making on the map, albeit briefly, and spawned many sequels, even if no-one's quite clear about where or when any of it is set: is this post-WW3, with society struggling to survive? Is it a dystopian near future? Is this just what the Northern Territories are pretty much like already?

Don't think about it too hard. Just enjoy the stunts and the strangeness, ideally after an evening on the beers.

Slick stylish fun gem that isn't talked about enough! Mel Gibson and all the other Australian actors are incredible in this George Miller wild ride! Not much to be said except it's got awesome characters that should be praised more.

This movie was not at all what I expected it to be having only seen scenes from fury Road I was unpleasantly surprised. This movie felt way to quick for its own good. I really dont think it's 93 minute runtime could do it justice.

I would make the argument that the story only actually kicked in after about an hour or so. As a result I wasn't very engaged nor did I really care about any of the characters. Now credit where credits due its chase scenes were pretty exciting for the most part. But the ending was really poor as well, I think they ran out of money in the third act which makes sense because the movie practically started and finished in the space of half an hour. 6/10.

Wow, I was expecting much better than this. I honestly can't think of a movie that was more painful to watch. Scenes are cut together abruptly, poor dialogue and really no point whatsoever. My roommate and I sat watching the movie wondering..."When is this going to start" followed by "just let it end" I would stay away but if you must endure this film, good luck.

Mel Gibson is Mad Max in, well, "Mad Max!" This is the film that made Mel an international superstar. In his starring debut, Mel plays Max, a leather-clad cop in the near future who fights to control security on the road from vicious bikers and road thugs. When the thugs lead by the psychotic Toecutter kill Max's wife and baby, our hero is livid with vengeance. Armed with his armor-plated muscle car and a sawed-off shotgun, Max wreaks turbo-powered revenge on the murderous punks.

Though a bit dated compared with the action films we have today, "Mad Max" still stands out as a very impressive movie. For one thing, this film had a tiny budget. Well, as proven in "El Mariachi," a movie doesn't need a $1 million budget if you have a creative story and imagination. "Mad Max" stands out as a classic low-budget flick that made it big without the intense u