Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

The model of the revenge film has been exchanged for a story set in a post-apocalyptic world, where oil is the most important thing a person can have, because without it, it will be very difficult to move forward in the barren landscape. The roads here are blocked by various scoundrels, but also by people who simply want to live. One of them is Max, who seeks revenge but has not given up on life. This time, however, he must face more scoundrels and help people defend their oil source. At times, it is absolutely iconic, the boy with the boomerang is perfect, at other times, it is quite ordinary, but it is important to realize that it is still a film that has already aged about 33 years. The environment will constantly make you feel incredibly hopeless. This is definitely a welcome effect. (05/03/2014)

A breathtaking post-apocalyptic action flick during which you feel the ubiquitous dust in your own mouth. Perfectly chosen locations, a dynamic plot with a powerful atmosphere, unique action scenes with cars. The Road Warrior is even better than the very good first Mad Max. What I wouldn’t give to see it on the big screen! (15/06/2004)

Unlike the first film, the director "bothered" to outline at least a little bit of the vision of the post-apocalyptic world. It's nothing groundbreaking, and a rough cut of war scenes from documentaries is the easiest way to go. The script is also certainly not groundbreaking, and thus the pile of clichés may not be to the taste of the contemporary viewer and even the more tolerant individuals will struggle to swallow the overly theatrical dialogue. Fortunately, all of this is balanced by completely unique action sequences, which are unthinkable to film nowadays because some of the special effects numbers would make Hollywood insurance people throw a fit. Cinematographer Dean Semler excellently shot a vast desert wasteland and dusty trajectories trailing behind the cars are literally pouring from the screen onto the audience. Mel Gibson stepped up in the lead role and the soundtrack isn't quite as annoying. The cheesy B-movie aspects have shifted to a crazy romp (the costumes were stolen by the filmmakers from an S&M parlor!), yet it has no dead spots from first to last minute and watching it is actually perverse fun. (21/05/2006)

A perfect action sci-fi just how I like them. The prolog is amazing (it beats most that you might see these days), a summary of all the important events in part one along with some glimpses of wars that caused the final ruin of civilization as we know it. Straight afterwards, we are treated to a great car chase with breathtaking stunts. We get to meet Max, who is looking for gas (like everybody else). He’s lucky. There’s a colony nearby with its own oil well. But nothing is for free... (23/06/2006)

Desert, cars, trucks, petrol, blokes dressed badass… all things I don’t like, but I still I expected some decent entertainment from the cult Mad Max, a film that set the slightly clichéd template for pretty much every post-apocalyptic film. I didn’t get it, unfortunately. I acknowledge it as a strong source of inspiration, but otherwise, it’s weak, very weak. (18/07/2011)