Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) User Reviews

MAD MAX - back and better than ever

[KnightLander · 8/10 · 20 June 2005]

After the enormous success of "Mad Max" in 1979, it was predictable that a sequel would follow. In fact, two sequels followed, and the first of these is "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior".

Released in the U.S. simply as "The Road Warrior", "Mad Max 2" begins with a narration re-introducing us to wandering ex-cop Max (Gibson) ... and then we're off. In post-apocalyptic Australia, Max wanders the nuclear waste lands in search of Earth's most precious resource: gasoline. When he discovers a band of people guarding a large deposit of fuel, he lends his services as a driver to help them escape from a vicious group of bandits intent on taking the gas for themselves.

"Mad Max 2" is one of the best sequels ever. It's everything the original was and more. Mel Gibson is great, and the cast performs very well. Brian May's skills as a composer have improved, and he gives a very fast-paced score. George Miller's directing skills have also improved, and he deals us out some intense car sequences that have yet to be rivaled.

This film is special because, although it was very popular when released and is even more popular now, it is unique in that it is not afraid to be just that. If that confused you, let me put it this way: George Miller has created a film that, while trying to improve the flaws from past films, is not afraid to be original and un-Hollywood. And I must say, Mr. Miller pulls it off excellently.

I love "The Road Warrior" as well as the rest of the "Mad Max" series. I would say that "Mad Max 2" is quite possibly the greatest film to come out of Australia. It is one of Mel Gibson's best and one of the best sci-fi films ever. "Mad Max 2" is essential.

This stirring movie in comic-strip style is packed with unbelievable car stunts, thrills, chills and noisy action

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 28 February 2010]

Violent movie about a futuristic road-warrior cop with high-velocity action and kinetic energy .This classic is set a few years from now, a dangerous, desolate post-industrial world of the future where rules the strongest law . It concerns about the ex-police named Max (Mel Gibson), some cutthroats and revenge takes place. 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. A group (commanded by Mike Preston) located at an oil fortress is besieged by motorised warlords looking for fuel and they'll have to fight against the cutthroats, a band of depraved crazies (Vernon Welles and several others) thirsty for blood and survive some battles to-the-death with lots of blood and gore, including throating-slit ,beheading, impaling and blow up.

This exciting picture packs kinetic action , thrills, chills, shocks and abundant violence. Spectacular stunt-work plenty of motorcycle races, cars with bounds and leaps and explosions . Top-notch Mel Gibson as revenger angel at one of his first main roles, he embarks a spectacular escape against vicious murderous. Rumbling and screeching musical score fitting to action by Brian May. Special and weird futuristic atmosphere created by cameraman Dean Semler who reflects splendidly the barren outdoors. 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 beyond Thunderdome¨ with Tina Turner, George Ogilvie, Frank Thring and again Bruce Spence as sympathetic helicopter pilot. In addition, numerous imitations as the recent ¨Doomsday¨(2008, Neal Marshall), rip offs, and exploitations ,especially Italians products. Rating : Good, better than average, this is one of the most successful Aussie movie of all time. This remarkable action film will appeal to Science Fiction buffs. Rating : 8'5, Above average. Well worth watching.

A Classic Action Film...

[shortyrags · 9/10 · 21 July 2008]

For those who have not seen any of the Max Max films, do yourself a favor and get to your local rental store. Max Max 2 or The Road Warrior as released in the United States, is undoubtedly one of the greatest action films I have ever seen. Starring a young Mel Gibson, who plays the title character, Max, this film is practically at the pinnacle of action films, surpassed only by a few select others. But moving on, this movie quite simply rocks! The setting is a post-apocalyptic world where fuel is hard to come by and so is human life, for that matter. Max, having moved on from tragedy in the first film, (you really shouldn't be reading this if you haven't seen the first one) has now become a Road Warrior, wandering the desert landscapes aimlessly. He eventually finds a small, surviving settlement with a surplus of fuel. However, the town is repeatedly terrorized by a gang of outlaw motorcyclists, led by Lord Humungus. Through a series of staggering events, Max becomes involved with the town's efforts to finally rid themselves of the biker gang. The performances are good enough to propel the film forward and Mel Gibson does a great job reprising the role he made famous in the first installment. The embittered Max and the hopefuls in the town play well off each other and bring dramatic character interaction, uncommon for many present action films.

But of course, the film's scenes of brilliance arrive in the form of its action sequences. The action is choreographed well and Max is unrelenting as are the members of the biker gang. The ending sequence is one of the most memorable action portions I have ever seen in any film, past or present. The music played throughout balances and abets the action sequences, adding a furious intensity. Even scenes with the motorcycle gang feature hard-metal rock that suits the tone of the film well. Needless to say, the film seriously delivers all the way to the finish line.

The shots of the post-apocalyptic world are frightening and barren, giving a glimpse into what could be. Panoramic shots of the wasteland are featured and even signs of hope are doled out by the camera crew. Of course, this film's true merit will always be its action but where other action films fail with sloppy camera work and boring characters and plot lines, Mad Max 2 succeeds, giving the great journey of a debilitated man and a secluded group. And through all these components, Max Max 2 rises above the rest of the films in the action genre.

Ultimately, this film is one of the best action films of all time. It doesn't place all its eggs in that basket, mind you; it features memorable characters, a well-developed setting, and an incredible story. It belongs to a select list of films where a sequel outdoes the predecessor. Max Max 2 is better than the first in every way and stands out on its own as an exceptional action film.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the best classic epic Post-Apocalyptic Action Science Fiction film in the Mad Max Franchise.

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 3 October 2015]

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. The film is the second installment in the Mad Max film series, with Mel Gibson starring as Max Rockatansky.

I grew up with the Mad Max films and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior Is my personal favorite best epic Post-Apocalyptic Action Classic Science Fiction film. I always loved The Road Warrior to death this film stayed in my heart. Fury Road and The Road Warrior are Equal for me so I am ranting them 10 and I always tried to take the first film of the Max series as the best one in the franchise but I couldn't, because it is just too dark is not post apocalyptic film enough, it has Drama between the film and the plot starts slow which becomes really boring. The Road Warrior is the opposite of Mad Max which just stayed in my heart and I just love this movie to death and I always will. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior still remains one of the most exhilarating action films to ever grace the screen. The car chases are as excitingly pulse-pounding as ever and no film has yet to surpass the final chase as the best in movie history. Yes, in terms of pure action, not many films have been able to equal The Road Warrior's thrills.

Mel Gibson remains the only world-renowned actor in the whole film. He does a terrific job as the character Max, one of his best and most interesting characters. The development of Max is another intriguing component of The Road Warrior, and serves the film by giving it a human edge by featuring Max's slow transformation from loner to savior. Not only that, Gibson also creates a great action hero. There's not a moment in the film when we aren't rooting for Max to smash Humungus and his gang.The Humungus and Wez for me were the best villains ever in the film. Bruce Spence as the gyro-pilot is decent in his role and offers the film's few humorous moments. And also he has a lot of scenes and a lot of things to do in this film. Like flying that flayer helping Max saving him, fighting against Humungus thugs. Emil Minty as The Feral Kid is awesome. The old man as the narrator from the beginning of the film is The Feral Kid, I love the relationship between him and Max. That's what I love in this film the acting is TERRIFIC from the actors. Virginia Hey as Warrior Woman is beautiful and fantastic in this movie. I seriously loved how she acted towards Max that he isn't trust worthy, he needed to win her trust. I love Max's dog he was so better than in the first movie the other dog was. You could even see a personality in this dog.

I love this movie to death and will always be in my heart Forever. For me Mel Gibson is the only Mad Max Rockatansky!

Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval 10/10 Awesome Post/Apocalyptic/Action Classic/Science Fiction film.

Not just a mindless action flick

[TeamRockwood · 10/10 · 4 February 1999]

Now I give this movie a 10 out of 10. I used to only give it an 8. Why the change? Easy. I watched the little things.

Those of you who haven't seen it, stop reading now. But for those of you who have...

The first 8 of that ten comes from spectacular action sequences. Anyone can see those. What the other 2 points comes from is the subtle things that director George Miller slipped in there that you would only notice the second time you watch.

Missed by almost everyone else's comments is that "The Road Warrior" is simply a locked room puzzle. The good guys have the gas and want to escape from their compound to "the coast." But if they try to leave, they will surely be killed by the savages waiting outside who only want their gas. Their solution is completely unexpected, yet when you watch it again, it is telegraphed the entire movie.

For instance, when Pappagallo is giving an inspirational speech to the good guys about how "that vehicle" is going to haul their gas to the coast, the vehicle in the background is NOT the tanker, as it should be, but instead the school bus that eventually takes them, and the gas, to freedom.

And what will the tanker be hauling? Notice the day before the escape when Pappagallo talks about driving the tanker with Max. He stares blankly into an hourglass, filled with SAND. He already knows he's not coming back, as his diversionary tactic will surely get him killed.

Anyone who claims "The Road Warrior" is merely a testosterone-laden guy flick should watch it again. What it REALLY is is the tightest, smartest, pure-action movie ever made. No moment is without significance. No moment is wasted. It is a testament that every post-apocalyptic movie is referred to as "The-Road-Warrior-on-'x'." The next time you watch it, REALLY watch it. You'll find there's more there than you ever thought there was before.

Rare Sequel That Is Better Than the Original

[Michael_Elliott · 15 May 2015]

Mad Max 2 (1981)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

A post-apocalyptic wasteland in Australia is the setting for this riveting sequel that finds Max (Mel Gibson) being a drifter who is constantly on the look out for rare gasoline. Gas has become a battling ground for a vicious gang but Max finds out about a location where a group of survivors have been able to produce it. The only problem is transporting it, which Max agrees to help with in exchange for enough to get him to his next location.

MAD MAX 2 is a very rare sequel that actually manages to be better than the original film. This here really doesn't happen too often but director George Miller takes everything that made the original so good and adds a ton of adrenaline to the action and makes for quite a memorable movie. Fans of the original film are going to be happy that the rawness also gets carried over here but with even more wicked stunts and more action, it's impossible not to fall for this film.

What makes it so memorable are the incredible action scenes. As with the first film, you can't help but watch them with your jaw on the floor as you wonder how no one was killed during the production. These action scenes aren't made through editing but instead they're just downright dirty and dangerous stunts that are incredible to watch in full speed. I'm not going to ruin the most memorable stunts but the finale is just one miraculous scene after another as Max goes speeding down a road in a semi followed by countless bad guys. The amount of destruction on display is enough to please any action fan. It's these scenes here that make this movie a classic and one of the best action films of its era.

We're also given a great supporting cast with everyone fitting their roles quite nicely. Of course, the main star is Gibson who manages to be even better here than he was in the first film. He isn't given too much dialogue but he manages to really come across in a believable fashion as this drifter who once again finds himself with nothing and a reason to fight. Everything else from the wonderful score to the terrific cinematography just takes the material and raises it to new levels. MAD MAX 2 is a pure adrenaline rush from start to finish and with the borrowed elements of YOJIMBO, one can't help but be entertained.

It looked better than Mad Max

[philip_vanderveken · 7/10 · 18 April 2005]

"Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" starts more or less where the first Mad Max movie ended. Since his wife and child were murdered by a gang of bikers he's completely on his own, driving trough the Australian desert. But one thing has changed: after an apocalyptic nuclear war, much hasn't been left of the country and the most precious good in the world is now petrol. Wars are being fought for it between gangs of strange bikers and people who try to survive and protect the precious fluid with their lives. When Max stumbles on a small group of honest people running a remote oil refinery, he helps them to escape and survive the gang attacks, but for a price...

Personally I liked the second movie more than the first one. I guess that is because it dared to be more innovative and creative. If you watch the biker gang, the group of honest people, the entire world and environment in fact, then you'll notice that the creators have taken more of their time to make it all look a lot better than in the first movie. The main reason for that may well be that they had a much larger budget than with the first movie of course.

Even though it is still the best to watch the movies in the correct order to fully understand what is going on, you can also watch them separately. They can be seen as movies on their own and when you do so, you'll still understand everything of the story. Anyway, this is a good action / Sci-Fi movie that had plenty of good things to offer. A good story, some nice acting, a lot of well developed action scenes... made it all look very good and professional. I enjoyed watching this movie and that's why I give it a 7/10, perhaps even a 7.5/10.

on the Road Again with Mad Max and his Dog

[Bogmeister · 10/10 · 6 August 2005]

But most of all, I remember the Road Warrior. By this time, many people have forgotten that this set the standard for kinetic action on the roadways. The memories fade as the years go by, new action films are released, such as "Speed"(94), which seem to set new standards. But, it's not really the case. The Road Warrior has yet to be bested, and no amount of money, computer technology or loud noises will ever accomplish the deed. Nothing will ever capture the apocalyptic intensity or, most of all, the sheer elegance of combat on the roads, as depicted here. "Raiders of the Lost Ark"(81), for example, captured a more frenetic goofy-style action, also relentless, but not with the level of tension. It's exciting, sure, but it doesn't tie your stomach up in knots, leaving you drained yet begging for more.

The sequel to "Mad Max"(79) - also a unique, tense experience - begins with an unusual prologue, giving the viewers a historical background on only half the screen. We are set up for a bombastic adventure, created as a new mythology for our perusal. Iconic figures abound, beginning with Max (Gibson) himself, of course. Here is the quintessential wandering loner hero/cowboy/samurai: he is striking - damaged both physically & mentally - but an ultimate survivor. Here are his foes: a scarred, massively-muscled atomic-age conqueror and his dogs, garbed in battle-dress for instant death and destruction. Here is his conscience: the last vestiges of civilization grouped in a makeshift fort for a final gasp of decency. When these three factions clash, it's the end of the world as we know it. Welcome to the new world of The Road Warrior.

The Road Warrior influenced the sub-genre of post-holocaust science fiction throughout the eighties. There were numerous imitators, mostly low-budget efforts, and none of them came close to succeeding at this level. I hope not too many people continue to forget where it all began for this thrilling corner of the sci-fi adventure genre. It is to our downfall and regret that we forget.

Violent, destructive action sequel. What it lacks in plot it makes up for with energy and action.

[barnabyrudge · 7/10 · 10 August 2006]

Mad Max 2 (or The Road Warrior, as it is frequently referred to) is a visually impressive, thinly plotted action movie that does what it sets out to do with a great deal of success. Let it be noted from the start this film isn't trying to be the twentieth century answer to Shakespeare. The objective here is to present high-octane action and stunts in the most eye-popping, visceral manner possible. Within the parameters of its own agenda, Mad Max 2 is a great film. If you come to the film seeking great depth, ongoing characterisation, clever dialogue and such like, you won't find what you're looking for. If you want to experience an exhilarating action film – and, let's face it, we all need to watch films for entertainment every now and again – then Mad Max 2 delivers by the tanker-load!

Following the death of his wife and child, former Australian traffic cop Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) has become a scavenger who cruises the lawless roads of post-apocalypse Oz in search of fuel. Every time he finds an abandoned or crashed vehicle, he uses bowls, bottles and other such containers to bleed off whatever precious fuel may be left in it. The roads are riddled with similar scavengers, some of whom are even more violent and desperate than Max. Following a dramatic pursuit against a group that includes the fearsome, mohican-wearing Wez (Vernon Wells), Max befriends a man who pilots a primitive form of chopper, known simply as the Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence). The Gyro Captain guides Max to a nearby oil depot in the middle of the desert, populated by a bunch of relatively law-abiding and fair-minded people. However, the depot is under constant threat from a gang of marauders who circle it day and night, taunting those inside with threats of violence and torture, and capturing the desperate few who occasionally try to drive away from the oil compound in a bid for freedom. Among this gang of sadists is Wez, but he is nothing compared to the gang leader – a terrifying masked goliath known as the Humungus (Kjell Nilsson). Max manages to get into the oil depot, where he offers his assistance to the defenders within if they will give him some fuel in return.

Mad Max 2 features a number of good points. The costumes are imaginative, the vehicles are intriguing, the setting looks appropriately bleak - while it is most definitely a low-budget film (admittedly, though, slightly more expensive-looking than Part One), the makers have come up with ingenious ways of concealing their limited funds. Performance-wise, the script doesn't ask much of the cast, although Gibson demonstrates a degree of charisma and Spence as the Gyro Captain turns in a weird but arresting acting job. Perhaps the most memorable performance comes from a young lad named Emil Minty, who plays the Feral Kid (a strange, animalistic boy who protects his people with a razor-sharp boomerang!) The stunt work is absolutely incredible, more so when one reflects that there are no fancy computer generated effects here, just a lot of meticulously prepared stunts and crashes performed by a team of extraordinarily brave stunt drivers. Also noteworthy is the intense music by Brian May. Mad Max 2 is violent, trashy, fast-paced fun – a film that doesn't set itself ambitions above its station, and is all the better for it. Perhaps the best of the trilogy.

Exhilarating action thriller.

[jiangliqings · 10/10 · 1 March 2001]

*** 1/2 out of ****

After so many years The Road Warrior still remains one of the most exhilarating action films to ever grace the screen. The car chases are as excitingly pulse-pounding as ever and no film has yet to surpass the final chase as the best in movie history. Yes, in terms of pure action, not many films have been able to equal The Road Warrior's thrills.

The film takes place presumably years after the conclusion of Mad Max. The world has been devastated by a third world war and has suffered a setback by he rarity of gasoline. The loner, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is still wandering around the Australian wasteland, thousands of miles from civilization, in search of gasoline. He comes across a gyro-pilot (Bruce Spence), who tells him of a compound that's producing fuel.

Max brings the pilot along with him and studies the compound from atop a cliff. It seems a large gang also wants the gasoline and has been besieging the refinery for a long time now. They are a pack of madmen, led by the Humungus, a hugely muscular man who wears a hockey mask to cover his face. An attempt is made by the people inside the compound to find a rig large enough to haul the fuel but the effort is brought down when Humungus' men take down all the cars.

Max, finding a perfect moment to strike a bargain, makes a deal with one of the survivors and makes it to the compound. Eventually, he makes another deal there, as he tells the people inside that in return for as much gasoline as he can carry, he'll bring the rig to them. What follows is classic edge-of-the-seat action entertainment.

Having inspired dozens of rip-offs, The Road Warrior still remains the best of the bunch due to the great lead performance from Mel Gibson and the unrivalled car chases, which are very much worth mentioning. The movie begins with a rousing commentary over the events that led to the destruction of government. What follows next is a short and exciting car chase. True, the following half-hour does move by a bit slowly, but it all builds up to a lightning paced final 45 minutes.

The final chase, in particular, is an exercise in action craftsmanship. Director George Miller has staged one of the most brilliant and downright exciting action scenes ever. So many spectacular stunts and on-road carnage occur during this sequence, to describe it simply wouldn't do it justice.

Miller's cinematography is decidedly Un-Hollywood. He gives us many breathtaking camera angles, some of which are sometimes a bit shaky, which serves to make the action even more involving. Looking back at the film now, it might not appeal to a wide range of viewers. The odd characters (mainly the villains), ultra-violence, dark tone, and the sparse dialogue may seem a little too offbeat for some people.

Mel Gibson remains the only world-renowned actor in the whole film. He does a terrific job as the character Max, one of his best and most interesting characters. The development of Max is another intriguing component of The Road Warrior, and serves the film by giving it a human edge by featuring Max's slow transformation from loner to savior. Not only that, Gibson also creates a great action hero. There's not a moment in the film when we aren't rooting for Max to smash Humungus and his gang. Bruce Spence as the gyro-pilot is decent in his role and offers the film's few humorous moments.

Virginia Hey is also pretty good as the Warrior Woman, and though the script doesn't exactly give her a lot to do, she plays the part well. Mike Preston also shows a lot of honor as the compound's leader.

On the other side of the equation are the actors who portray the villains. Surprisingly enough, though the characters are outlandish, no one ever goes over-the-top. Vernon Wells and Kjell Nilson are absolutely menacing and frightening as the lead villains, Wez and Humungus. They personify evil itself, creating characters who we truly grow to despise.

To be honest, I am a little surprised that the critics enjoyed this every bit as much as I did. The film doesn't delve very deeply into philosophical issues and doesn't exactly have a lot of grand things to say. I suppose with the acclaim this film received goes to show that critics do truly watch movies primarily for entertainment.

As I mentioned before, the film was the benchmark of a genre that grew in popularity. The premise of a loner helping a group of people in need has been used a bit too much now. Most notably is the big-budget flop, Waterworld (which is a good movie I recommend), though none have yet to match the outright intensity of The Road Warrior.

The road is long

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 6 February 2016]

After the success of the low budget but high voltage Mad Max comes the sequel subtitled The Road Warrior.

Director George Miller has a bigger budget and it shows from the first film. This is widescreen with the bad guys in post punk apocalyptic costumes all after petrol to drive those fuel injected auto-mobiles and they are prepare to slaughter for it.

As far as the story goes the film owes more to spaghetti westerns as Mel Gibson is essentially the man with no name and no ties who rides into town or here a camp by a refinery and reluctantly decides to help out a sympathetic bunch of people led by Pappagallo who are trying to hold off a menacing group of marauders led by the psychotic Humungus.

The key plot line here is a tanker full of petrol which Max decides to drive leading to an exhilarating climax and plenty of good stunt work. Max is helped out by a feral boy and the strange Gyro captain but hear he is still a loner suffering from the lost of his wife and family.

Although regarded as the best of the original Mad Max trilogy to me despite the higher budget, it is not as all out action packed as its reputation suggests. I much prefer the grimy low budget, low fi thrills of the original.

However this film has been influential to many other post apocalyptic action films and essentially ripped off many times. It was essentially re-imagined as Waterworld.

The quintessential action film

[xtonybueno · 10/10 · 13 September 2000]

My life fades. The vision dims. All that remains are memories. I remember a time of chaos. Ruined dreams. This wasted land. But most of all, I remember the Road Warrior...

What can be said that hasn't already? The Road Warrior is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular action films ever made. It's very rare that I grant the score of 10 for a movie, but this one gets it and deserves it. From the opening imagery and narration, it almost seems like we're watching an alternate reality rather than a future sci-fi film, much unlike Mad Max's "A FEW YEARS FROM NOW..." prologue. This was a film that inspired countless ripoffs and wannabes; perhaps imitation is the most sincere form of flattery (I was secretly hoping the Y2K computer bug would destroy society so that I could put on my black leather jacket, get a pair half-pair] of football shoulder pads, and a sawed-off shotgun so I could drive around the desert and kill people for their gasoline).

I've always loved movies presenting larger-than-life heroes. Indiana Jones, Conan, Dirty Harry, Flash Gordon, James Bond, Luke Skywalker, Robocop, whoever Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee play, John McClain ... the list goes on and on. But Mel Gibson's Mad Max is #1 on my list of the greatest action movie protagonists of all-time.

Very much significantly better than the first

[ForTheMostPart1999 · 7/10 · 8 November 2022]

Well done stunts and camera shots, especially for it's time for sure. Mel Gibson once again stars as Max on another life-threatening adventure teaming up with a surviving colony versing more hooligans going after one of their most valuable resources. This of course is one of the main "attractions" when it comes to the Mad Max series, and is also the most popular out of the older trilogy. It was simply more aggressive with more dangerous enemies and had a more interesting and unique survival story compared to the original Mad Max. Fairly well produced, superb talented action, and a great smash ending.

A Grim Future

[Lechuguilla · 5/10 · 5 April 2016]

It's mostly a high-powered action flick, set in a grim, desolate future wherein gasoline is as precious as gold. Max (Mel Gibson) along with his scraggy dog is en route to somewhere in Australia and needs fuel for his vehicle. A quirky local guy leads Max to a desert locale with fuel, but the place is lorded over by a gang of cutthroat bikers and other marauding simpletons. The heavy-duty action begins here.

I like the story's underlying idea and its apocalyptic vision. The sound of the wind over a barren, lonesome landscape is compelling. And I like the way the story is told from the POV of a surprising character.

On the other hand, the villains are stick-figure characters with no depth. They ride around in/on their roaring go-mobiles with the most pubescent of purposes. And the simple plot is highly repetitive; some character attacks another; a second character attacks someone else, and the cycle repeats, endlessly.

Also, I could have wished for less gaudy costumes. Those helmets, that leather garb, and that awful mohawk haircut make me yearn for "The Sound Of Music" ... well, almost. Speaking of music, the background score here is overbearing relative to what little dialogue there is.

The concept of "The Road Warrior" offers an interestingly grim vision of the future. And some of the film's visuals are compelling. But the accent on non-stop, violent action dilutes this underlying futuristic concept, rendering a film that is mostly about angry simpletons riding around the middle of a dusty nowhere in or on their high-octane crash wagons, sans mufflers.

One helluva film!

[TOMASBBloodhound · 10/10 · 12 June 2005]

Studio executives today could use a film like this one, or its predecessor right about now. The Mad Max films were thrown together with great skill on absolutely shoestring budgets and made a king's ransom in profits. Nowadays we just seem to get one big-budget failure after another, as the box office slump now extends into its fourteenth week.

Mad Max 2 (or The Road Warrior, as it is commonly called here in the USA) is an extraordinary sight to behold. The story centers on a loner (Mel Gibson) who roams the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Australia in search of gasoline so he can... I guess just keep driving. He is a man who lost his wife and child to a murderous gang of bikers in the previous film. He seems to be without a soul, or any feeling for his fellow man. One day he corners a man who tells him about a refining community besieged by a gang of ruthless outlaws. Thirsty for the large amount of fuel this community has, Max barters his way inside. To his dismay, the community has no plans to let him just take the fuel and run. They use him to provide them with a vehicle "big enough to haul that fat tank of gas", and by the climax of the film, he is driving the fuel through a gang of about fifty or more savages looking to take it for themselves. Max never really endears himself to anyone, but you can feel the humanity within him as he volunteers to drive the tanker. After just surviving a horrendous accident he can barely walk, but he knows he's their only chance.

This film is absolutely breathtaking. The characters we meet inside the walls of the refining community are stubborn and resourceful, but just not strong enough to deal with "that vermin on machines" waiting outside for them. The vicious gang holding the community hostage are a motley crew of desperadoes. Many are dressed like WWE combatants. Some are even dressed in MFP uniforms similar to what Max and his fellow officers wore in part one. Are they former cops gone bad, or did they murder the cops to get the uniforms? We are never told. The script refers to these men as "GAYBOY BERSERKERS". The various motorcycles, hot rods, and trucks used in the film have to be seen to be believed. Maybe more fuel-efficient vehicles would be a better idea for a world so short on fuel! But these souped-up vehicles make for some great chase scenes! You have to hand it to the stunt men who worked on this film. With no CGI to do the work for them, many of them were putting their lives at risk each day. Both stunt team leaders Max Aspin and Guy Norris were severely injured during filming. Aspin was driving the car that went airborne after we see the driver shot in the back with the four-way arrow gun. I believe he suffered a concussion when it landed just short of the fortress wall. Norris shattered his ankle after being launched off a motorcycle and sent flying through the air in one spectacular shot during the final chase scene.

The film has a great soundtrack, as well by Brian May. (Not the guy from Queen) Not too many lines are spoken throughout the film, but so what? This is a film about action, and it's a treat to watch it any time. The Hound will give it 10 of 10 stars. What a way to introduce American moviegoers to Mel Gibson!!

Best of the trilogy, and a road chase classic

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 20 August 2016]

Apparently a big hit in Italy, considering the number of knock-offs and rip-offs that followed after its release, MAD MAX 2 is one of the grand daddies of the post-apocalypse genre, especially in a visual sense with the desert locations, bizarrely-dressed villains, tattered heroes, modified bikes and cars and raw action. This is a solid and well-paced little movie, my personal favourite of the MAD MAX trilogy, with better action than the first and not as silly as the third one. Although the budget isn't the highest, the film contains some phenomenal scenes of action and stunts, especially the finale which involves about a dozen assorted cars and bikes chasing an oil ranker through a 2000-mile desert. The bleak Australian desert conditions can't be bettered, and the thumping music - from Queen's Brian May, of all people - really gets the adrenaline pumping.

At heart, this is still a pretty dark movie, with a large body count, brutal violence, and characters being killed off in scenes that you wouldn't see in a Hollywood movie. Most of the good guys end up being brutally killed and even Max hardly makes it out alive at the end, a battered and scarred victim. Mel Gibson essays the role of Max once more and makes the hard-edged loner with an honest heart his own, and with only a little dialogue he creates a strong screen presence that not many actors could so assuredly achieve. Being an Australian movie of the '80s, there are plenty of weird and bizarre characters, the most-remembered of which is the Feral Kid, who uses a razor-sharp boomerang to cut of people's fingers and the like. The bad guys are dressed in outrageous costumes of chains and leather and led by the hilarious Humungus, a huge bald muscular bloke with a Jason mask.

Vernon Wells (later to play the chief baddie in Arnie's COMMANDO) has a ball as Wez, a permanently psychotic biker with a mohawk who goes over the edge when his girlfriend is slaughtered by the Feral Kid, and his overacting is something to behold. Although the cast is comprised of unknowns, Bruce Spence really makes an impression as the "Gyro Captain", a desert mechanic/eccentric who flies a bizarre contraption and supplies some of the film's intermittent comic relief. The vehicle and costume design is imaginative, and combined with the locations gives the film a realistic look so that you really think that you're in a futuristic world. All this and more is topped off by the excellent car chases, which are truly pulse-pounding and some of the best put on screen. MAD MAX 2: an odd - and unique - masterpiece, as only the Australians could have made.

Nothing beats the original

[diglers69 · 6/10 · 17 March 2019]

The original imho is so much better. The first Mad Max is an futuristic tragedy/vengeance movie. This one is action packed desert/fur/spikes&horns movie - I guess I am just not a fan of all that... It's good, but imo not as good as the 1st one. I know the majority thinks different though. Sorry

More proof that movies today suck

[RussHog · 10/10 · 11 June 2019]

Seriously, what happened to movies? Modern Hollywood sucks. This film is EPIC AF. Great world building. Awesome bad guys. Great hero.

Mean machinery

[chaos-rampant · 17 August 2015]

Something endears about how this almost never became a franchise, or didn't become one until after this. The first was another exploitation movie about a man seeking revenge, only more riproaring than most. The character was brought back for this and it was also not supposed to lead to more.

They had more of a budget here, still none of Lucas' engineering a whole world, with trajectory and conclusions. Here more than the first, they created a sense of world, an edge of which we happened to explore in this episode and left behind in the dust upon conclusion.

A lone antihero (no longer a cop) steps out from the sands and becomes embroiled in a squabble between rival clans. The plot around an ambush, the circling savages, everything here recalls westerns. In western films it might have been a carriage of gold, or people besieged by Comanches in some desert outpost.

I always thought it amusing how this is a world where gas guzzling beasts are driven around the outback for miles in search of scarce gas. Baddies are dressed in BDSM and punk attire, figments of what would have looked menacing to 80s viewers. It did create a whole futureworld as much as Bladerunner and Star Wars (and with a fraction of the means); rival gangs roaming a wasteland is now firmly entrenched as one of possible futures for mankind in the pop mind.

It's really the barreling heavy metal of the action that makes it, more so when you think it's from the time before computers when it was all something you actually crashed. Amazing to think that the filmmaker was just a doctor before embarking on the first one. He proved to be an able mechanic of image. You'll see some masterful editing in both.

Okay, so I'll take Alien, Bladerunner, Terminator, when in the vicinity, in that order. But for me this is like giving the edge to Lethal Weapon over Die Hard; both wildly effective, it's just a matter of which cinematic world appeals to me more. In specifics it has little to offer me. The way we're placed inside of that world still captivates, stretches of dust that scavengers roam and where the odd enclave may be.

This is more like it

[Samiam3 · 7/10 · 11 August 2010]

Mad Max 2, or the Road Warrior if you will, begins with something that the first Mad Max probably should have started with; a little setting exposition. All we knew at the beginning of the first was that is was set a few years in the future, in the Australian desert. This time we are told that it is a post apocalyptic future, overrun by biker gangs, and a drop of fuel is worth more than gold.

The ending of Mad Max was disappointing but there was the promise of something epic to come. this is it. Now that we have gotten to know Mad Max, it's time for him to become a hero, and while he only has half as much to say in this one, he has five times as much to do. Max helps an isolated oil community fight back against an invading biker gang led by a goon in a Gladiator's helmet. He must help them to get to a paradise two thousand miles away, driving their precious oil tanker, while a battery of fire power and arrows comes after them.

With so many wheels on the desert road, it's no wonder than Mad Max 2 kicks up more dust than any action film around, The climax is reminiscent of Steven Spielberg's Duel, only far more epic. For a b-movie, it gets quite intense, and even though the ending comes a bit quickly, there is a sense of closure to this one, but we are still left excited for more.

the best movie Gibson has ever been in

[jokeco68 · 10/10 · 21 December 2004]

The first time I saw this at a friends recommendation was in 1985 on our brand new VHS vcr. I was absolutely blown away by it at the age of 16 and I still watch every few months on DVD now.I would give anything to see this on a big screen. This movie started a real trend for a lot of real crappy B movies to follow unfortunately and Mel Gibson has called this movie with an apologetic shrug 'classy B-grade trash' which is sad because it would prove to be his best movie by far. What I truly liked about this film was its lack of dialogue and how it was smart enough to let its settings, action and costumes do the talking. Perhaps this is why Gibson didn't have much praise for it because he is merely a representation of the Western gunslinger in the film. I liked how there was a sketchy explanation of how the world got into such an apocalyptic mess and lets the viewer make their own conclusion to that end. It's not important anyways. The lack of ammunition is indicated quickly through the Wez's use of a wrist-strapped crossbow, the very preciousness of gasoline is established quickly as well by Max's anxious mopping up of it and capturing it in a few make-shift items including a dusty soldier's helmet.

The original Mad Max had too much dialogue and proved problematic for the 18 year old Gibson to convey the emotion of losing his family and best friend. It had it's moments but in the end it lost it's impact due to it's own clumsy attempt at trying to establish the family-man Max. The Road Warrior didn't try to attempt any deep characterizations, the pain and suffering was quick and obvious, the need to just survive in this stark world conveyed through a few spoken words and violent actions. George Miller got it right with this one, unfortunately he had to make Mad Max first to get to Mad MaxII and horribly had to make Mad MaxIII.

Road Warrior

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 19 May 2015]

There is a nice introduction on the disc that explains why this wasn't originally called "Mad Max 2". You also get a "What happened before" segment at the beginning of the movie, bringing you up to speed, even if you hadn't seen the first one (which was the case for a lot of people back then). The movie is superior to the first one, which can be explained by a much bigger budget.

That budget can be seen towards the end, where you have a very fine planned and executed chase (action) sequence that stood the test of time. The stunts are good to say the least. The story comes off a bit like a western (what with a fort and all). This is the best of the three original movies, with a solid (if obvious) story-line. There is a lot violence which is almost surprising (especially since a kid is involved, just in case you have an issue with seeing young ones in peril or being initiators of violence themselves).

Mad Max also gets a funny side kick (something that is really helping the movie and the humor). It looks good, it does not have a bad dub (see the first Mad Max for that - but not with the bad dub please) and it's overall very much recommended

Concentrated testosterone, and fun

[knsevy · 10/10 · 2 May 2003]

I think this may be the greatest 'car movie' ever made. The chase scenes are gritty and thrilling, and quite realistic. None of that 'car falls over cliff and blows up' crap.

In the fighting/war scenes, it plays a perfect balance between hidden action and open action, never overselling the gore nor underselling the violence.

The plot is an excuse to have a long highway battle, but I'm not complaining. It's vaguely feasible enough that you don't worry much about it, just accept it as a needed background to hang the fun stuff on. Oh, to be a stunt driver in this movie! Or even to be a mechanic! That would be a story to tell your children.

This is every driving fantasy I've ever had, and played perfectly. I know that certainly flavors my review, but tell me that movies which are cathartic for you haven't affected YOU that way?

Bottom line: thin plot, heavy action, decent characterization. Symbolism absent, directness the rule of the day. Jump on this bandwagon and ram something. Fun all the way.

The sequel surpasses the first movie by miles...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 30 August 2014]

Compared to the first movie, then "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" was a major improvement, not only in entertainment value, but also in story, execution and atmosphere.

The first "Mad Max" movie was a chaotic stew of what appeared to be random footage put together, but "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" is a much more coherent movie experience.

There is a lot more action in this sequel and there is a more post apocalyptic feel to it, especially because you see nothing but the wastelands. As to the first movie where you could spot farm houses in the backdrop and such.

However, there is a heavy undertone of homo eroticism throughout the movie. Just take a look at Humungus and his gang. Their outfits and their behavior was screaming homo eroticism.

Looking past that, then "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" is actually an enjoyable movie, and this is how I remembered "Mad Max" to be from my childhood. So I will just forget all about the abysmal first movie.

The acting in the movie was quite good, especially Mel Gibson was doing a great job in developing Max in growing into a legendary action hero. As for the people in Humungus' gang, well... A bit of the acting was just forced and bordering on being comedy.

"Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" is fast paced, lots of action throughout the entire movie, and there is a great red line throughout the course of the movie. The action scenes are well choreographed. But especially hats off for the director and film crew for the driving sequences. They were just spectacular.

All in all, then "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" is well worth watching. And for an action movie from 1981, then it still holds leverage as being watchable today.

Imaginative, unique action film but with a massive lack of development

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 5/10 · 3 August 2008]

Brutal, savage and animalistic, George Miller's "The Road Warrior" is a much more fully developed imagining of a post-apocalyptic Australia where gasoline equals power than its predecessor, "Mad Max" a much sloppier science-fiction experiment. Seeing how it takes a big step ahead of that film, it's no surprise the studios preferred a new title and placed "Mad Max 2" more in the shadow.

At the same time, however, the Mad Max series is not a fully-realized science-fiction concept. I don't think that any film that paints a picture of a bleak future for humankind can possibly do that with great meaning and understanding for the viewer in under 100 minutes, which both films are. I'm not surprised these were made 2 years apart because they rely on each other yet neither is strong enough to stand on its own ("Road Warrior" provides prologue even).

Instead, "The Road Warrior" is more a stylized, gritty, vehicular action film centered around a science-fiction idea. It's an artistic imagining that shies away instead of aggressively taking on the ideas its concept suggests about mankind.

The prologue summarizes that Mel Gibson is Mad Max, a former cop in a world dependent on gasoline who loses his only loved ones due to gangs involved with excessive road violence. He takes his revenge and lives a lonesome scavenger of fuel until he finds and offers help to a colony of people who are antagonized by similar gangs. Max is a mysterious character, but his coolness and complete lack of character depth is more annoying than it does to show how he's not the man he once was.

I simply can't be anything more than slightly entertained by a film whose characters are hollow shells and uses minimal dialogue that does nothing but move the plot. The rest of the cast is forgettable and not worthy of mention. If Miller was trying to make a point with any of this, it doesn't work. "Road Warrior" only wins some of my approval because Miller gives it a very unique flavor. His vision is one of recycled materials and modified cars, bikes and the like that turn into demolition machines with costumes made of football pads and hockey masks (let's not forget ass-less chaps and other creepy uses of leather in the film). No film could ever really borrow any of those ideas without it being an homage to this series.

I wouldn't call the action the best, but it is highly engaging and definitely unlike any car chase and explosions movie you've ever seen. The violence is much, much better than "Mad Max" and this really helps the film be serious. When people get shot a lot and die and there's no blood to show for it, nothing really sinks in. Gladly, "Road Warrior" doesn't do that. The last scene is really well shot and definitely memorable. Miller puts modern explosion master Michael Bay to shame in terms of inventive ways of exploding stuff and exaggeration of such stunts.

"Road Warrior" will be likable for those that can take their science-fiction dishes served cold, with unique and imaginative action. For those who need substance, "Road Warrior" does not indulge enough despite the possibilities.