Mad Max (1979, Australia, classified R16 (New Zealand), R (Australia), NC-16 (Singapore), R (United States), 15 (United Kingdom))
Run time 93 minutes, directed by George Miller, starring Mel Gibson
Overall rating 23/25 (★★★★ ⅗)
Sweet as or not? – Definitely sweet as.
Verdict: The brainchild of Australian cinematic luminary George Miller proves itself to be one of the cult classics, making a statement and appealing to masses of petrolheads.
Watch or Skip? – Watch it as soon as you can.
Review by J.M. Broad · July 22nd, 2021 (July 23rd, 2021 NZT)
Kia ora folks, and welcome back to Sweet As?, the review site reviewing stuff with New Zealand panache from a uniquely NZ perspective, so you don’t have to, finally here to fill the void of reviews during the long summer with yet another film from across the ditch (that’s Australia for those of you who didn’t know): the post-apocalyptic cult classic Mad Max from 1979.
Anyway, before we jump into this review, it is as always time for the obligatory disclaimer. If you are not interested in vehicular combat, watching citizens fight for resources in a dystopian Australia close to societal collapse and that, or if you do not want to see this type of fare for just over one and a half hours, please go to another corner of the site or go to another corner of the Internet by leaving the site altogether.
If you are interested in reading this review, however, please do feel free to continue from this point on.
Now, without further ado, let’s jump straight into the review. As expected, Mad Max begins with the production company logos and opening credits set against a black screen to our first glimpse of the soundtrack, before seguing into a post-apocalyptic Australian state highway, the first car chase sequence of many, and our first glimpse of acting throughout the film.
Merely a few minutes later, lead protagonist Max Rockatansky, portrayed by Mel Gibson in his third film role of many, makes his foray into the opening vehicular pursuit which inevitably meets a fiery end, complete with Aussie accent, leather jacket and all.
The plot of Mad Max was easy to follow, perfect for newcomers to the franchise of the same name, myself included (it is the first film in the franchise, after all), and sets the scene for the following films in the series perfectly by portraying life over in ‘Straya more or less at the start of the apocalypse, although I do feel that it was a bit of a let-down solely due to the fact that vehicular shenanigans and bikie gangs hooning around are prominent mainstays of the film, so it is essentially appealing towards the petrolheads out there and not really anyone else, apart from avid Monopoly players who may have spotted the get-out-of-jail-free card reference, to say the least.
Now, we move onto the soundtrack, composed by lesser known true blue Aussie composer Brian May, not to be confused with the better known guitarist from Queen, who intercuts mechanical sounds with orchestral music from a multitude of instruments, building suspense for the most part of the film, except for when there is no music, allowing for the creation of a distinctive soundscape that accompanies the film impeccably, even winning the Australian Film Award for Best Original Score.
The soundtrack over the course of Mad Max differentiates between the odd poignant moment, vehicular pursuits abound and the multitude of action sequences, with the brass-heavy soundtrack highlighting the action sequences and tension between good and evil shown throughout by the battles ensuing between the Main Force Patrol and Toecutter’s bikie gang, to name a few things. Kudos are in line for the composer for the soundtrack.
Anyway, we move onto the visual effects, which are raw and gritty, conveying the tone of the film exquisitely, although still splicing shots of the open road so as to keep in line with the petrolhead theme, and using the wipe to cut between pivotal scenes, particularly in the latter parts, which I have found to be one of the things that lets Mad Max down as it makes the film seem somewhat tacky, albeit still fast-paced in nature, however the choice of filming location in Australia’s southernmost mainland state of Victoria, and the odd scene filmed in New South Wales, adds to the grittiness and aesthetic of the film, for the outback is the setting for the most part and has turned the franchise into what it is nowadays; it is a match made in heaven.
Finally, we move onto the acting and directing, without a doubt the two most important parts of the film, headed by American actor Mel Gibson, who has also featured in previously reviewed flick Gallipoli, and George Miller, who has been a mainstay of the franchise as well as its creator respectively. The acting from Gibson is, as always, of the highest calibre, whether it be during the sentimental moments spent with the whānau, or gaining revenge over the bikie gangs, whilst the late, great Hugh Keays-Byrne, a mainstay of the franchise and the main antagonist in the most recent Mad Max film, delivers a convincing performance as Toecutter.
Meanwhile, director George Miller has made a statement as one of the luminaries of cinema across the ditch, making the film on a shoestring budget of merely four hundred thousand dollarydoos, harking back to his own experiences as a physician and creating an incredible piece of speculative fiction that has become a cult classic and one of the greatest action films of all time. Full marks are never in doubt here.
Last Word
Overall, Mad Max has proven itself to be one of the cult classics, with director George Miller making a statement as one of the luminaries of cinema across the Tasman by turning a film made on a shoestring budget into a box office success and one of the greatest pieces of speculative fiction out there. I would undoubtedly recommend Mad Max to everyone new to the franchise, or those who are looking for an action-packed glimpse into a post-apocalyptic dystopian future where civilisation is close to collapse, as it is one of the hidden gems in Australian cinema that has spawned one of the greatest action movie franchises of all time.
The Addendum
Ratings – Acting: 5/5, Soundtrack: 5/5, Visual Effects: 4/5, Plot: 4/5, Directing: 5/5
Overall rating: 23/25 (equates to 4.6 stars overall using Sweet As? star rating calculations criteria)
Sweet as or not? – Definitely sweet as.
Watch or skip? – Watch it as soon as you can.
How can I watch this film?
Mad Max is available on various optical disc formats, possibly some streaming services and even video tape (yes, it is a film from that era). A number of television networks also air this film periodically.
Sweet As? 