Mad Max 2 Road Warrior Car
Warner Bros.

It’s rare for a film to successfully fit squarely into multiple genres and still make cohesive sense. Though valiant attempts are routinely made, multi-genre films typically fall into the trap of becoming a muddled, perplexing pastiche. When a movie gets it right, it often stands the test of time, becoming a landmark for others to follow in its path. Over forty years after its U.S. release, Mad Max 2 (also titled The Road Warrior) has proven it remains a pinnacle, nailing the genre mashup of post-apocalyptic, Western, action, punk, and dramatic themes into one insane pot.

Set three years after the events of Mad Max, the film follows former police officer Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) as he wanders the dystopian, post-war Australian desert scavenging for food and petrol. He’s haunted by the deaths of his family that took place during the first film, and his only companion is an Australian Cattle dog he simply calls “Dog.”

Directed by George Miller, Mad Max 2 tackles difficult themes such as grief, survivalism, isolation, and the breakdown of society and humanity. Miller has stated that he always intended on there being a sequel, and after several other failed projects, he brought in writer Terry Hayes to work on the script for Mad Max 2. Miller said he was greatly influenced by the films of Akira Kurosawa and leaned heavily into elements from those when carving out the story for this movie.

This installment undoubtedly has depth and emotion but balances those out with unapologetic, categorically over-the-top fight sequences and car chase scenes that make this every bit of a bombastic action flick. It examines the collapse of mankind while focusing on one man’s journey in a barren and unforgiving landscape. Additionally, it holds true to a centrally Western tale of a traveler helping a group of settlers who are preyed upon by a group of ruthless cutthroats.

RELATED: Live-Action ‘Masters of the Universe’ Reboot Gets Director and Release Date

This isn’t just a breakdown of society. It’s an all-out descent into mania and depravity. Max is a shell of his former self, not only of who he was in the first iteration but also of his former life pre-apocalypse. It’s something never explicitly shown, but more of an inherent understanding of what life was like for him and everyone else — normal, boring, and safe. Now, he’s clinging to survival amongst the dregs of society, a group of insane, brutal psychopaths who all want the same thing he does but go about it in a much more callous way.

The film’s entire aesthetic, both in setting and costume, has a post-societal vibe that has only grown in popularity amongst fans. There’s a trendy, punk-rock feel to these people who prey on the innocent for their own benefit that creates a conflicting conundrum of feelings. Despite the maniacal nature of the antagonists, people have embraced the Wastelander culture, holding festivals and cosplay conventions centered around the dystopian attitude.

Despite the difficulties the last few years have presented us as a society, we still have a fascination with all things post-apocalyptic, at least in the sense that it’s fun to play pretend. You have to have the gumption to survive in a setting like that, and there’s inarguably a small part in all of us that romanticizes that aspect.

Max, and the Mad Max franchise, is just cool, plain and simple. When you strip away the harshness of a world like that and look at it from a practical standpoint, the appeal of a lawless, hard rock world is both timeless and entertaining. As long as it’s from the comfort of our safe and secure life.

Your donation goes directly to this writer!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.