SPLATTERdrome

Release Date: December 24th, 1981

Director: George Miller

Screenwriter: George Miller, Terry Hayes & Brian Hannant

Genre: Science fiction

 

 

Well that's more like it. 

 

Mad Max 2 offers everything I had hoped to see in the original film and solidifies those elements which have grown to define the franchise. We're treated to long, elaborate highway chases and a massive body count in a convincingly broken-down future. We also get the previously neglected origin story (albeit a vague one) along with all the mayhem and destruction Mad Max only flirted with. 

 

My main issue with the first film was that things appeared far too new for a scenario which is supposed to show us the decline of civilization. You could still buy your baby ice cream and wear khaki slacks to the beach. Mad Max 2 gives us empty, red desert in all directions; an unending panorama of desolation. Here we find characters that actually appear to be fighting for survival and hanging onto their last shreds of human dignity. Some early-eighties fashions squeak their way into the costumes but I'm still basically convinced of their collective plight.

 

George Miller still uses some cheesy sped-up camera tricks during certain scenes but overall the camera work is much improved. The cinematography also gives us many impressive aerial shots and enhances the scope and presentation of the setting. The addition of the Gyro Captain character adds some excitement to the last third of the film as he is constantly swooping over enemies and attacking from above at unexpected moments.

 

Mad Max 2 succeeds with simplicity; it's a film equipped with self-awareness and never attempts to be anything but itself. It's light on dialogue and heavy on action, hitting all the right points to use each during the ninety-minute run time.

 

The only thing I missed from the original was the Toecutter, an entertaining and eccentric lead villain. All Miller gives us this time around is Jason Voorhees on steroids. He doesn't do much besides make threats from a distance and flex more than is necessary. 

 

We get it dude, get back to camp already.