The post-apocalyptic genre has been around for a while. It’s a phenomenal genre, showing us the worst side of mankind and how we would react to the loss of literally everything. There’s always something cool happening in the post-apocalyptic genre, whether it’s in video games, television series, or film, they keep things interesting and fun to watch. However, looking back at the 70s, there were hardly any films of this genre, and what started it all was George Miller with his fanatical take on the post-apocalyptic world in Mad Max.
How to Download Mad Max
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Check out also the more recent Mad Max film – Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
The Movie Review
The film that started it all and became the first in a series that launches some wonderfully terrifying dystopian sequels, Mad Max is an action classic from the 1970s. The story follows Max Rockatansky as an iconic action hero who continues to be revered today. Max lives in an era where his home has become overrun by ruthless motorcycle gangs, these guys simply roam the land, torturing and killing innocent people, and taking anything they can find.
Max and a couple of his buddies are the final members of a ragtag police force that is attempting to restore order and calm to their area. However, one day, Max becomes angry and pursues the gang after they mess with his friend by almost burning him to death. However, the gang took retribution for that, and as a sign of revenge, they end up killing Max’s wife and child. Now, it’s personal.
Critically acclaimed, masterfully crafted, and tremendously directed, Mad Max gave Mel Gibson a guaranteed shot at stardom and helped define the post-apocalyptic setting in films.
George Miller creates pure cinematic anarchy with death-defying stunts and a thrilling and incredibly convincing story, set in a nihilistic atmosphere. Mad Max delivers on all accounts of the action genre, even though its plot is simple and may be described as ‘typical’ in today’s date. However, I can’t recall the last time I rooted so fervently for the good guy to triumph, because the action scenes were so visceral, and Gibson’s performance so realistic that you could feel the pain in Max’s search for retribution.
The casting is overall really well done in Mad Max, every single actor manages to perform at their peak. Mel Gibson in particular though stands out so well compared to everyone else. It’s just not even close, he takes this film that he’s leading, and becomes the defining characteristic of it. Joanne Samuel also portrays Max’s wife in the best way possible, being the guiding light to his terminal psychotic nature. The rest of the cast performs great too, from the police to the bikers, everyone’s good here.
The Visuals
Now to the best part, the cinematography of Mad Max is incredible. It’s done so well and is visible not just in the breathtaking action sequences but even in the film’s most somber and quiet moments. You can see the way George Miller uses natural lighting in the film, from the windows and the creaks in the ceiling, there’s a sense of completeness to this film’s aesthetic. There is never a bland moment in the film’s visuals, it is always fun to watch and always nice to look at.
The Music
The music is also extraordinary in the film, it’s just a hard rock soundtrack that never lets off. You need this kind of music in an action film from the late 70s, it’s the turn of the decade and the beginning of a whole new genre of film, so it’s important to make as much noise as possible in a film like this.
The Verdict
Mad Max was the beginning of a new era of film. George Miller simply came in with a low budget and a huge amount of talent alongside him, creating one of the most distinctive feature films of the 1970s. The film had passion, drive, and a whole lot of action to keep audiences entertained, this is why Mad Max is such a significant film.
