Mad Max (1979)
Mad Max has become synonymous with “post-apocalyptic”. In fact, the genre wouldn't exist without this 1979 movie. It will come as a surprise then, that it isn’t your typical “the world has gone to hell” story. It may throw off those going in initially (which might tempt you to skip directly to The Road Warrior) but its unique identity is what you'll come to appreciate about this film. There's a unique quality in the way that that it isn’t trying to tell a big story. It's raw. There’s a reason why this film went on to inspire three sequels.
Set in the near future, in Australia, the world is starting to break down. While roaming gangs of lunatics on motorcycles come and do as they please, there is also hope. It comes in the form of the police officers who patrol the roads, and their figurehead, "Mad" Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson). When Max's actions catch the eye of “Toe Cutter” (Hugh-Keays Byrne), the full force of the gang begins heading his way.
This movie is a lot like Assault on Precinct 13. When you first see it, you wonder what the big deal is about. The more you think about it, the more you notice the little details that make it special. Most movies are “traditional” post-apocalyptic. Everything is either broken, covered in crap, or on fire. Mad Max is more subtle. Some people walk around like nothing's wrong, but all the edges are frayed. Nearly everything in this world is cobbled together or has been repaired a dozen times. As if there were no “new” things being made. Similarly, there’s something about the way people speak that's off. Everyone says there's hope. You sense no one believes it, that everyone's praying for a hero to come and fix everything. Nothing's spelled out. Every time you re-watch the film, it becomes more apparent.
But what you really came to see are the action scenes and the stunts. You will be scratching your head wondering “how did they do that?” during the car chases and crashes. Many scenes will make you say “oh, THAT’s where that idea came from?" This movie's been imitated. A lot. This hinders the film by giving you the wrong impressions about it. Mad Max is about a man slowly realizing there's a storm coming and frantically trying to nail down the doors and windows so that he and his family aren’t torn apart. It contains elements of a vigilante justice/revenge story but for the most part, it's about a guy who is held up on a pedestal by everyone around him. You wonder what'll happen to this tall blade of grass when the mower comes.
Ultimately, the focus is on our protagonist. Max is a fully fleshed-out character. He’s not just some angry Punisher wannabe. He’s gentle but able to turn into a tough-as-nails enforcer at the drop of a hat. You care about the chases and vehicular carnage because you care about him. It isn't about the smoldering wrecks and the twisted metal. What happens when this man of the law crosses paths with lunatics who have given into the idea that it's only a matter of time before everything is swept away by a nuclear holocaust?
There’s no question that Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a far superior sequel but this has caused some to unfairly dismiss this first movie. It’s all about humble beginnings, the kind of picture with more to see than screeching tires and sadistic killers. I’ve come to appreciate this film more with each viewing. I trust you will too. (On Blu-ray, February 28, 2015]