Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps Movie Review

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Mel Gibson in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

Mad Ideas

Max (Mel Gibson), no longer a policeman, roams the post-apocalyptic wilderness of the Australian outback as a road warrior, dealing with bad guys who pop up out of nowhere. When he comes across a small community of survivors living in a gasoline refinery he finds himself coming to their aid as they under threat from barbaric warriors.

Like with "Mad Max", I have never truly been blown away by "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" and again I wonder whether that is down to having come to it almost a decade after it was released. Then again maybe it is because when it comes to "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" the storyline is so basic that the movie ends up all about the look, be it the visualisation of a post-apocalyptic Australia or the big action scenes. That maybe more the case now where I find myself at an age where whilst I'm not fussed about over complicated storylines I like some meat on the bones and for me this is at times a little basic.

But there is no denying that director George Miller has created a visually rich movie from the post-apocalyptic sets and vehicles to the staging of the action. The first chase scene which features a car flipping over is simply but spectacular due to the almost parallel view you have of it. The sight of a hoard of barbarians riding off and seeing the dust rising in to the air is just as impressive as are the buildings which are created from what people can scavenge with huge tyre walls as protection. I could go on because the one thing you never grown tried off in "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" is the look with every scene beautiful in its richness and detail.

What this all boils down to is that whilst once again "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" didn't blow me away like it has done some audiences it is hard not to be impressed by George Miller's creativity as it is the visuals which end up captivating you rather than the actual story.


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