WRITTEN
BY TERRY HAYES,GEORGE MILLER & BRIAN HANNANT
PRODUCED
BY BYRON KENNEDY
DIRECTED
BY GEORGE MILLER
GENRE:ACTION/SCIENCE
FICTION/ADVENTURE
RATED:AUSTRALIA:MA/UK:18/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:91 MIN
Great
sequel to the 1979
Australian classic sees former police officer turned cynical
loner Max (Mel Gibson) driving through the post apocalyptic wasteland
of outback Australia where fuel is a scarce resource. Coming across
a commune who have easy access to fuel via there own oil refinery,
they are hounded by homicidal road bandits who want the refinery for
themselves. Fearful for their lives the community negotiates a deal
with Max where he will provide a truck big enough to haul a tanker
of fuel and help them escape from the bandits. In return Max can take
as much fuel as he can carry.
An original high octane action flick, Mad Max 2 benefits from
its great use of location, excellent action sequences (the thrilling
chase finale the ultimate highlight) and Brian May's excellent score.
Mel Gibson's acting has improved considerably when compared to the
first film as he delivers his most subdued performance in his career.
Comparisons to Clint Eastwood's 'Man with no name' are valid, as both
characters are quiet yet flawed men who do what they can to survive.
The film is full of quirky characters and menacing villains. Vernon
Mills provides great high camp value as the homicidal punk 'Wez' (which
he wonderfully parodies in "Weird Science"), Bruce Spence
has some great comedic moments as 'The Gyro Captain', while Kjell
Nilsson and Emil Minty both give memorable performances as 'Lord Humungus'
and 'The Feral Kid'.
Working on a much bigger budget thanks to the success of the first
film, director George Miller succeeds in creating a film
that not only matches its predecessor but leaves it lying in the dust
while not succumbing to the trappings of conventional Hollywood film
making.
Since Max is a man of little words dialogue between characters is
sparse, but the visuals are more than enough to hold your attention,
with Broken Hill's wide open landscape clashing rather well with the
leather costumes and multiple vehicles as motorbikes, supped up V8's
and dune buggies are all transformed into death on wheels, George
Miller capturing it all creating an exceptional action movie in the
process.
