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Max Rockatansky survived onslaughts of biker and motor gangs, becoming a fierce warrior of the desolate future. His journey now takes him to the humble beginnings of a new society, in a place called Bartertown, where disputes are settled in a deadly arena called the Thunderdome.
In this third entry in the Mad Max universe, we are thrown headlong into a more populated world, far more dense than before. This is not a simple matter of Max out-running or out-gunning enemies; he becomes entangled in a conspiracy that turns him into an outcast and a villain, forced to fight for his life, before wandering the wastes and finding the most unlikely resources to retaliate against his enemies. In the film's beginning half, there is some gladiatorial bloodsport, which is a wicked sight. In the film's last half, there is a grand chase scene involving even more of those crazy buggies that made The Road Warrior so memorable; only now, the chase involves a train and a plane as well.
Unfortunately, the experience of this film is nowhere near as intense or compelling as the last two in the series. Once Max winds up in the hands of a group of feral children who descended from plane crash survivors, the film becomes a bizarre post-apocalyptic version of Peter Pan, with Max leading the lost boys out of the desert to salvation. Not only does the pacing slow down during these scenes, but the film loses all sense of savagery and intensity that made Mad Max so poignant to begin with. A plethora of goofy antics makes the film light in tone and silly in execution, making the experience rather goofy.
However, the story has merit. This is a more complex tale that incorporates some of the tropes and archetypes of a western - complete with a corrupt sheriff-like villain, who seeks to control methane power the way they used to control railroads or oil in those old movies. Max walks into things as a rogue element, but leaves as a prophetic hero; his role as both fits comfortably in the two settings he's made to blend into, and his journey in and out of the Thunderdome proves to be a satisfying one in the end.
This film is crafted with decent photography and editing. Mel Gibson continues to play it tough as Max, although his performance seems much more playful in this than in the last two movies. Tina Turner hams it up as the villain, and every other performer does their part well. Writing is okay. This production uses a lot of great-looking sets, props, costumes, and locales. Music is not bad.
This film is usually considered the weakest of the Mad Max films, thanks largely to its goofier parts, but it is still an exciting adventure with plenty to behold.
3.5/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Content: Okay | Film: Good)
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