mad max movie review 1979

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

Love Lies Bleeding Link to Love Lies Bleeding
Problemista Link to Problemista
Late Night with the Devil Link to Late Night with the Devil

New TV Tonight

Mary & George: Season 1
Star Trek: Discovery: Season 5
Sugar: Season 1
American Horror Story: Season 12
Parish: Season 1
Ripley: Season 1
Loot: Season 2
Lopez vs Lopez: Season 2
The Magic Prank Show With Justin Willman: Season 1

What to know

Critics Consensus

Staging the improbable car stunts and crashes to perfection, director George Miller succeeds completely in bringing the violent, post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max to visceral life. Read critic reviews

Where to watch mad max.

Watch Mad Max with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video, or buy on Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video.

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Mad max photos.

In a not-too-distant dystopian future, when man's most precious resource -- oil -- has been depleted and the world plunged into war, famine and financial chaos, the last vestiges of the law in Australia attempt to restrain a vicious biker gang. Max (Mel Gibson), an officer with the Main Force Patrol, launches a personal vendetta against the gang when his wife (Joanne Samuel) and son are hunted down and murdered, leaving him with nothing but the instincts for survival and retribution.

Genre: Action, Adventure

Original Language: English

Director: George Miller

Producer: Byron Kennedy

Writer: James McCausland , George Miller

Release Date (Theaters): Jun 13, 1980 wide

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 24, 2016

Runtime: 1h 33m

Distributor: American International Pictures

Production Co: Kennedy Miller Productions, Mad Max Films, Crossroads

Sound Mix: Mono

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

"Mad" Max Rockatansky

Joanne Samuel

Jessie Rockatansky

Hugh Keays-Byrne

Steve Bisley

Fifi Macaffee

Vincent Gil

Crawford "Nightrider" Montizano

Johnny the Boy

Geoff Parry

Bubba Zanetti

Paul Johnstone

MFP Officer Charlie

Jonathan Hardy

Police Commissioner Labatouche

Sheila Florance

May Swaisey

George Miller

James McCausland

Byron Kennedy

Bill Miller

Associate Producer

Original Music

David Eggby

Cinematographer

Cliff Hayes

Film Editing

Tony Paterson

Mitch Matthews

Jon Dowding

Production Design

Art Director

Clare Griffin

Costume Design

Vivien Mepham

Makeup Artist

Hair Stylist

Steve Connard

Second Assistant Director

Ian Goddard

First Assistant Director

Sound Effects

Gary Wilkins

Sound Recordist

News & Interviews for Mad Max

Know Your Critic: Ian Thomas Malone – Writer, Podcaster, and Comedian

Ready Player One Easter Egg Watchlist: What To See Before Seeing Spielberg’s Latest

5 Ways Rick and Morty ‘s Darkest Season Just Got Darker

Critic Reviews for Mad Max

Audience reviews for mad max.

I didn't enjoy this film as much as I wanted to, I found the story to be predictable and dull, The acting wasn't great, The villains were just a a typical crazy biker gang and didn't seem a threat to anyone other than women and children, It did have some good car chase scenes and some cool stunts but it felt too dull and the ending was pretty tame compared to what I thought it would be like, It's not a terrible film more of a let down.

There is a reason why Mad Max remains a cult classic, George Miller created a violent apocalyptic world where fuels are now scarce and violent gangs terrorise people. Mel Gibson was the star of this film in his very early film career, he truly did a marvellous job playing the titular character. Overall, Mad Max has enough car stunts to satisfy action buffs, even if the acting was not the greatest.

A very good debut for a great franchise. Mad Max has a great storyline, cool stunts and an amazing performance by Mel Gibson. It does get boring in some segments and isn't as action packed as later installments but this film does work great as a revenge thriller.

More grindhouse than post-Apocalypse wheelhouse, this drive-in adrenaline rush established a blockbuster brand and put Mel Gibson on the map. It was shot mostly on the cheap, but you wouldn't know it. Staging Fast & Furious-level hot-rod blockbusting on a Two-Lane Blacktop budget, this origin tale exhibits a biting - albeit offbeat - sense of humor and balletic violence that rightly earned it an instant cult status. Indeed, Mad Max isn't for everybody. It's more dialogue driven and stagy than the superior follow-up, The Road Warrior, and shares only basic DNA with Fury Road, but it sets a winning grindhouse cinema tone that carries through to this day in top shelf form. In this R-rated thriller, a vengeful Australian policeman (Gibson) sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang in a self-destructing post-apocalyptic world. George Miller and Mel Gibson seem to be planning this road trip as it goes. Driven but cagier than in future stories, the titular anti-hero gets played more as a feral vigilante here. In the next two superior installments, Gibson's Mad Max assumes the mantle of lone wolf-turned-reluctant hero. For now, however, this less assured young actor exhibits definite chops but still exudes lethal weapons-grade charisma. You can't turn away, even if this iteration of Max lacks the steely cool machismo of Road Warrior. More of a cornered animal striking out, his magnetism keeps us vested, as does Miller's H'Wood-level stunt spectaculars. Bottom line: The Passion of the Crikey

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

Screen Rant

Why mad max 1979's movie reviews are so positive.

Decades after Mad Max's original release, the film remains a dystopian action classic. Here's why George Miller's franchise-starter has endured.

Directed by George Miller, Max Max has endured the test of time and remains a universally-beloved film. The dystopian classic doesn't have the most complex of plots, and wasn't entirely well-received upon its initial 1979 release, but spectacular road sequences and a dynamic central performance have sustained its popularity over the years.

Mad Max stars a young Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, a Main Force Patrol officer who tracks down baddies and outlaw bikers. He drives a customized Pursuit Special, and wears a slick leather uniform. He's a punk rock version of the proverbial Man In Black - someone who plays by his own rules, and whose life is marred by tragedy. Mad Max is full of iconic quotes , along with violent sequences that may be unwatchable for some viewers. Miller's film becomes even more by shocking by the final act, as Max embarks on a vendetta of revenge against the men who attacked his family.

Related: Mad Max Movies Ranked From Worst To Best

Mad Max currently holds a 90 percent Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 61 reviews. The audience score is slightly lower at 70 percent, based on over 140,000 ratings. Overall, critics seems to appreciate the dystopian vibe, and how the filmmaking underlines the inherent danger of this particular world. Fans may argue that in order to fully appreciate Mad Max , one must accept all the ugly violence that it contains. It's this sense of brutalism that allows for some of the film's most jaw-dropping moments, which in turn benefit the overall arc of the main character. As a whole, Mad Max offers a memorable cinematic experience, much like Miller's 2015 revisiting of the story in Mad Max: Fury Road . Here are some of the more glowing reviews.

The Boston Globe :

"If punk is a sensibility as well as an adjective, Mad Max is a punk movie. Its Australian setting enhances it, authenticating its futuristic aura."

"Stunts themselves would be nothing without a filmmaker behind the camera and George Miller, a doctor and film buff making his first feature, shows he knows what cinema is all about."

'There's something about Mad Max... that's allowed it to stand the test of time, not only as a work of art in and of itself, but also as a name and brand that commands cultural currency thirty years since the character's last appearance."

TIME Magazine :

"[The] film has been consigned to the grind houses, where audiences are responding as Miller wants them to. From there Mad Max will find its way to the film schools and revival houses, where its tough-gutted intelligence may be appreciated."

Antagony & Ecstasy :

"Its perhaps unjustified narrative shortcuts hardly seem to be much worth complaining about in the middle of its flawless action sequences."

Mad Max may indeed be popular all over the world, but critics have consistently pointed out many of the obvious flaws. The major complaint is that Miller's story is rather basic, which fans may argue is indeed the point for accessibility purposes. Critics have rightfully called out the violence, too, even if it is central to Miller's overall vision. Some of the imagery is quite gruesome, but the camera often implies a graphic visual without actually showing it (like Alfred Hitchcock's iconic shower scene in Psycho ). Here is some of the more negative critical feedback that Mad Max has received.

The New York Times :

"Mad Max is ugly and incoherent, and aimed, probably accurately, at the most uncritical of moviegoers."

The Blu Spot :

"While Mad Max has been hailed as a classic by some, it becomes plain to see that that reputation is not entirely deserved thanks to a bare-bones plot that doesn't even fill 90 minutes and a sluggish pace that will leave viewers struggling to stay awake."

People Magazine :

"[Max's] his weapon is a souped-up auto, which sets up chase scenes that make The Dukes of Hazzard seem like a hayride -- a feat director George Miller engineered with a meager $1 million budget. Dramatically, however, the film is inconsistent."

The Spectator :

"Suffers from a case of terminal fatigue."

There are certainly some valid criticisms of Mad Max , but critics and movie fans alike still seem to love it after all these years. And given the overwhelming love for Mad Max: Fury Road, we clearly haven't seen the last of this world yet.

More: How Mel Gibson’s Mad Max Connects To Tom Hardy’s In Fury Road

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Get the app
Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Common sense media reviewers.

Outlandish post-apocalyptic action is brutal; has sexism.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Evil threatens to overwhelm good, and justice feel

Max is a decent role model, if you can overlook th

All characters are White, as are the director, wri

Extreme, over-the-top violence is slightly tempere

Two instances of nude male butts. Nude female brea

Language includes one "f--k" and two instances of

Max enjoys a small glass of beer at home. Characte

Positive Messages

Evil threatens to overwhelm good, and justice feels like a pipe dream in a future where resources are scarce and law enforcement has lost funding. Standing up to crime and injustice is dangerous, sometimes fatal, but necessary to protect strangers and loved ones alike.

Positive Role Models

Max is a decent role model, if you can overlook the fact that his job requires high-speed chases, guns, and a great deal of violence. At home, he's very loving with his wife and child, and when things get tough, his first thought is to protect them. Unfortunately, without his family, he becomes just as sadistic and violent as the criminals he was pursuing. Other members of law enforcement are less admirable: For every cop who puts himself in harm's way to help someone, there's an on-duty cop spying on two people having sex. It's a bleak world, and they're portrayed as doing what they can, while they can.

Diverse Representations

All characters are White, as are the director, writers, and producer. Young female characters are portrayed as sex objects with few (if any) lines. The hero's wife has a reasonable amount of screen time and is smart at identifying and escaping from threats, but she's also sexualized when she's doing this (wearing a bikini, beach cover-up, oversized men's shirt with no pants, etc.). A woman's death is used as motivation for the hero.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Extreme, over-the-top violence is slightly tempered by several scenes of Max's blissful home life. But the violent sequences include many explosive crashes, chases, guns, severed limbs, bloody wounds, and mangled corpses. A toddler is nearly run over by speeding cars. A man is tied to a motorcycle and dragged through town. A couple is attacked and pulled from their vehicle; rape is implied, though not shown. The woman is found by police alive but chained up and traumatized. A supporting character is burned alive inside a car -- viewers see his distress beforehand and his severely burnt hand after. A woman is stalked, threatened, and run over by motorcycles (no gore or close-up shots of body). Pet dog is killed off-screen; his mangled body is shown. In what looks like a failed attempt at a stunt, a moving motorcycle actually smacks a man in the head. Hero's violent revenge spree is portrayed as morally justified.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two instances of nude male butts. Nude female breast and butt in profile. A naked couple has sex, watched from a distance through the filter of a rifle scope. A married couple kisses and cuddles while the husband is either shirtless or draped with a towel. A young couple wakes up in the backseat of a car, half-dressed (sensitive parts covered). They're attacked, and rape is implied (see "Violence & Scariness" section). Villains undress a store mannequin then pretend to make love to it.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes one "f--k" and two instances of "s--t." Also, "a--hole," "bitch," "bastard," "hell," and derogatory Australian slang "scag." "God," "Christ," and "Jesus Christ" are used as exclamations. The hero doesn't swear.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Max enjoys a small glass of beer at home. Characters are briefly seen smoking and drinking in a cabaret.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Mad Max, the first movie in the Mad Max franchise , stars a then-unknown ( Mel Gibson ) as a leather-clad police officer who takes down a violent motorcycle gang in a dystopian Australia. It's a celebration and an onslaught of intense violence, including car chases, guns, and dismemberment, though not a huge amount of blood and gore. The hero, Mad Max (Gibson) is a loving husband and father, but he's outnumbered by evil, sadistic people in this more or less hopeless vision of the future. Characters are raped or burned alive, and there's a strong theme of revenge. There's brief nudity, and sexual content is implied or shown from afar. Language includes at least one use each of "f--k" and "s--t," plus "a--hole," "bitch," and more. Some characters drink briefly and smoke in a bar. The film falls very short on diversity and has subpar, sexualized portrayals of women. It was followed by two sequels, The Road Warrior and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and rebooted in 2015 with Mad Max: Fury Road . To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (7)
Kids say (28)

Based on 7 parent reviews

Mad Max is a lot of violence and crashes

What's the story.

In MAD MAX, a deranged criminal called "Nightrider" (Vincent Gil) steals a cop car and leads several futuristic law enforcement agents on a high-speed chase through rural Australia. He's finally brought down by top cop Max ( Mel Gibson ). Nightrider's death enrages his gang of sadistic motorcycle riders, led by Toecutter ( Hugh Keays-Byrne ), who vow revenge against Max. Max takes his wife ( Joanne Samuel ) and young son (Brendan Heath) to hide on the coast, but the villainous gang pursues them. Max will have to face them if he wants peace for his family.

Is It Any Good?

This memorable, groundbreaking low-budget exploitation hit established a certain set of rules for action movies and inspired many sequels and knock-offs. But today, Mad Max is perhaps more interesting historically than it is aesthetically. Certain sequences still dazzle, and director George Miller 's close-to-the-street cinematography captures the thrill of speed in a highly effective way. But the film doesn't really establish the rules of its post-apocalyptic future, and it's too uneven in tone; the scenes of cartoonish violence are a lot more interesting than the idyllic home life images of Max and his family.

It's the least of the original trilogy; the sequel, The Road Warrior , is darker and more streamlined, with a more sustained atmosphere, and the third film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , is more imaginative and fantasy-based.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the over-the-top violence in Mad Max . How does the movie try to justify the violence used by Max and the other members of Main Force Patrol? How did the use of violence affect Max?

If you've seen any of the other Mad Max movies, how do they compare to this original? What elements of the original Mad Max do you see in Mad Max: Fury Road ? How has the franchise evolved over time?

Are there any acts of kindness in the film? How are they received?

How do the car chases in this movie compare to car chases in more modern movies, like in the Fast & Furious franchise ? Do you prefer realistic car chases, like in Mad Max, using real cars with professional stunt drivers, or more fantastical car chases enhanced with computer-generated effects?

Why do you think the filmmakers chose to include sexual content? Did it serve a narrative purpose?

Movie Details

In theaters : May 9, 1979
On DVD or streaming : December 4, 2007
Cast : Hugh Keays-Byrne , Joanne Samuel , Mel Gibson
Director : George Miller
Studio : MGM/UA
Genre : Action/Adventure
Run time : 93 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : violence, language, and brief nudity
Last updated : March 31, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Children of Men

Want personalized picks for your kids' age and interests?

Blade Runner

The Book of Eli

Sci-fi movies, science fiction tv.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

MAD MAX Redux: A Retrospective Review of George Miller's 1979 Film, MAD MAX

Meet Max, mild-mannered maverick of the Main Force Patrol, a ragtag bunch of lawmen trying to defend the roads of the Australian Outback from a roving, violent motorcycle gang. They fail, but they do it with spectacular style.

In 1979, the cinematic world was smack in the middle of resurgence of Australian films, a time period that would come to be known as Australian New Wave. Riding the crest of this movement was Mad Max , debut feature director George Miller's leather-clad, blacktop-melting road epic that launched Mel Gibson's career as an international movie star. Cobbled together for less than half-a-million dollars, Mad Max went on to gross $100 million worldwide and launched a franchise that continues to this day with Mad Max: Fury Road .

And yet, the safe bet in 1979 would have been that this film would simply crash and burn. First-time feature director Miller was, up until this point, an emergency room doctor exposed to all sorts of violent injuries and deaths. It was through his interest in film that Miller met up with amateur filmmaker Byron Kennedy at a summer film school, where they formed a partnership that would lead to massive success with Mad Max. Teaming up with first-time screenwriter James McCausland , Miller and Kennedy then turned to casting their film with fresh-faced actors relatively new to the cinematic scene. With all that green talent both behind and in front of the camera, Mad Max had every reason to fail. So how did it become the most profitable film for decades to come?

The films of Australian New Wave were characterized by a few traits: a relatively fresh vitality that was absent in films before this era, a penchant for capturing vast open spaces within the frame, the suddenness of violence, scenes of intimate sexuality, and a straight-ahead narrative style of storytelling. Mad Max exhibits all of these. Organic energy infuses both the law-enforcing members of the Main Force Patrol and the chaotic agents of the scavenging Acolytes, unfettered by stilted dialogue or claustrophobic sets. Miller's vision and cinematographer David Eggby's camerawork captured the vast, arid landscape of the Australian highways, a setting that proved perfect for the post-apocalyptic dystopian story. While the scenes of tender sexuality are outnumbered by those that are voyeuristic or downright violent, it's the portrayal of the world's worst instances of road rage that really set Mad Max apart.

The film itself provides next to no exposition for audiences, choosing instead to frame the story with only the following words: "A few years from now..." From this point on, audiences are pretty much left to sort things out on their own. Personally, I rather enjoy this slow-burn approach to storytelling which allows the plot to play out in its own time. That being said, modern audiences might find its pacing too slow and the film's lack of exposition disorienting. The details of the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max may be lost on those who only view the first film in the series, but I like to think that the classic tale of a lawman out for vengeance against those who murdered his friends and family is easily grasped by viewers, no matter the year they view it.

Before we ever meet the title character, audiences are introduced to the film's two opposing forces: the lawmen of the Main Force Patrol and the lawless members of the Acolytes. One such brigand, nicknamed the Nightrider, has killed a rookie officer while escaping police custody. Having stolen the officer's Pursuit Special, Nightrider and his main squeeze lead the other officers on a high-speed chase. Things are looking grim for the MFP until they call in their best driver, Max Rockatansky (Gibson). The white-knuckle ride soon ends in a fireball that kills the Nightrider and his girl. It's not just a fantastic introduction to the world of Mad Max , it also serves as a catalyst for the conflict that slowly boils between the MFP and Acolytes for the next 90 minutes of high-octane action.

But Mad Max is not without a sense of humor, a twisted and often black humor for sure, but humor nonetheless. There are strange throwaway moments scattered throughout the film: Max's wife Jessie randomly playing the saxophone, their young child Sprog playing with Max's revolver, Charlie's mechanical voice box, and the Acolytes' spontaneous dance moves to name a few. Without these moments of levity and downright strangeness, the film easily could have devolved into a bleak and hopeless slog. However, many critics of the time received it this way, and not without good reason.

Much of the film follows the MFP using their scant resources to lock up the Acolytes, but a shortage of courage on the part of the victims allow the villains to walk free, even when the law has them squarely in hand. When the last vestiges of justice eventually fail the MFP, Captain "Fifi" Maccaffee (who likely served as the stylistic forebear of the rest of the series' leather daddies and S&M getups) tells his officers to do whatever they must to bring the gang down, as long as the paperwork is clean. But when Max's partner on the force gets torched alive, the MFP's best driver retires before he can meet a similar fate.

Max may have put some distance between himself and the violence of the MFP's responsibilities in order to spend more time with his family, but the roads have become increasingly lawless, the same violence spreading out across the country. The Acolytes manage to find Max by an awful twist of fate, a happenstance that ends with the motorcycle gang riding down Jessie and Sprog, permanently disfiguring and disabling the former, and killing the latter. It's this soul-breaking moment that drives Max over the edge. His thirst for vengeance consumes him, costing him a shattered leg and a broken arm, but Max soon dismantles the Acolytes and oversees the deaths of Toecutter and Johnny the Boy.

But to what end? What are we to take away from the conclusion of Mad Max except that lawlessness is the default nature of mankind? If tragedy is able to reduce the most honorable of us to our most primitive state, then what hope is there for rebuilding civilization after the fall? While it's easy to criticize Mad Max for this bleak outlook espoused by the film's final act, it's much more encouraging to know that successive films explore this dual nature of man. Is Max broken beyond the point of redemption, or is he still able to form meaningful relationships and become whole once more? I suppose we'll find out when we revisit Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior on Thursday.

Be sure to check out all of our Mad Max: Fury Road coverage, and see Miller's latest film in theaters starting May 15th.

Classic Review: Mad Max (1979)

By: Daniel Chadwick-Shubat

Mad Max is one of the best revenge flicks ever made. While its plot is simple and the acting is okay, what makes this movie amazing is the practical effects and stunts, that put most action movies today to shame.

George Miller has created a masterpiece that will live on in history as one of the best action movies of all time. Oh and Mel Gibson is bloody spectacular as Max Rockatansky, the protagonist…

Well he’s not really a protagonist. He’s an anti hero out for revenge against Toecutter and his crazy gang of bikers, who wreak havoc all over the Australian post apocalyptic wasteland. And they killed his wife and baby. There’s a fine line between heroes and villains and Max crosses that line multiple times.

Director George Miller not only gives us a fantastic action movie, but a film that dives deep into the human psyche and shows the blurred lines of right and wrong. Mad Max brings forth some of the greatest action sequences ever witnessed on the big screen…

When Mad Max opened in the U.S., it came out of nowhere, taking the country and movie world by storm. It immediately became a cult item, putting on the forefront the reputation of Mel Gibson as one of the hottest (and coolest) stars.

It was a new type of film, an uncompromisingly brutal, post-apocalyptic action thriller from an unknown director at the time, George Miller.

Gibson plays Max Rockatansky, a policeman in the near future, which looks like one big desolate spot in the Australian outback, a sort of a war-zone battleground. Max has seen innocents and fellow officers murdered by primitive, bestial marauding bikers for whom killing, rape, and looting is a “routine” way of life.

Early on, Max says he plans to retire and spend time with his wife and son, and his boss suggests a peaceful vacation. Max’s world and value system are shattered, when a gang led by Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Burns) murders his family in retaliation for the death of one of its members.

Emotionally numb, Max straps on his helmet and rides his souped-up V8 racing machine, seek bloody revenge.

So in the last 20 minutes of the movie ( Mad Max ’s running time was a mere 90 minutes) Max goes off the rails destroying everything in his path. He’s gone really psychotic. Firstly he takes out a big group of the gang, making use of the nitrous oxide in his car.

Mad Max is like a Fast and Furious movie but realistic and brutally honest.

Hugh Keays-Byrne puts in a unique performance as The Toecutter, leaving me wanting more from his character. His eerie and eccentric performance as the villain of the movie creates a memorable villain, one that you want to understand and learn more about.

The “execution of the mannequin” was Mad Max’s most memorable scene. As Max chases Toecutter with his V8, they approach a truck. By the time the Toecutter sees the truck it’s too late creating a scene of absolute carnage. The thing that makes this scene phenomenal is that it was all practical effects, with Hugh Keays-Byrne being replaced by a mannequin as the truck hits the bike. A scene put together masterfully.

Finally, the most shocking and brutal scene of the movie takes place – the death of Johhny the Boy. A crazy character who the Toecutter takes under his wing who could be to the Toecutter what Wesley is to Fisk in Daredevil. Just a hell of a lot crazier.

Max handcuffs Johhny to a gas-leaking car and gives him a saw, and gives him two options. Die or cut off your arm. This is a scene that sticks in your mind long after the credits have rolled. This scene really questions Max’s intentions and sees him crossing the line between right and wrong, between hero and villain.

When it came to casting, Miller deliberately cast unknown actors, so they carried less associations with them. Mel Gibson had only made one previous movie and many of Toecutter’s gang were part of Australian outlaw motorcycle clubs, riding their own bikes in the movie.

Hugh Keays-Byrne, who played The Toecutter was quite well known in the Australian film community having previously starred in 4 feature length films. He also returned for the fourth instalment, Mad Max: Fury Road as the main antagonist.

Despite low budget and a familiar revenge plot, Mad Max is exciting due to the spectacularly staged set-pieces. Cinematographer David Eggby and stunt coordinator Grant Page do some amazing work. Much of the injuries and car crashes depicted in the movie were taken from Miller’s past experiences, having worked in a hospital before his career as a film-maker.

George Miller really demanded the attention of the film world when he made this movie. And the world answered with Mad Max grossing $100 million worldwide (before inflation to today’s dollars) on its puny $250,000 budget.

To this day it is still one of the most profitable movies ever made. With Mad Max , Miller not only catapulted Mel Gibson’s career to super-stardom, but also changed the way nerds like me view action movies. He made a movie of humongous proportions. A cult classic.

Rating: 9/10

Is the original Mad Max the best of the series? Let us know in the comments below…

Follow me on Twitter @GetReelMovies

Time Out says

George Miller's film is an outrageous exploiter drawing intelligently on everything from Death Race 2000 to Straw Dogs for its JG Ballard-ish story about a future where cops and Hell's Angels stage protracted guerrilla warfare around what's left of a hapless civilian population. The tone sometimes wavers into self-parody, and there are occasional crude patches, but overall this edge-of-seat revenge movie marks the most exciting debut from an Australian director since Peter Weir.

Release Details

Duration: 100 mins

Cast and crew

Director: George Miller
Screenwriter: James McCausland, George Miller
Joanne Samuel
Hugh Keays-Byrne
Steve Bisley

An email you’ll actually love

Discover Time Out original video

Press office
Investor relations
Work for Time Out
Editorial guidelines
Privacy notice
Do not sell my information
Cookie policy
Accessibility statement
Terms of use
Modern slavery statement
Manage cookies
Advertising

Time Out Worldwide

All Time Out Locations
North America
South America
South Pacific

Looking at Film from Every Angle

Review: Mad Max (1979)

Wesley Lovell

George Miller

James McCausland, George Miller, Byron Kennedy

Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, Roger Ward, Lisa Aldenhoven, David Bracks, Bertrand Cadart

MPAA Rating

The gritty futuristic world of Mad Max is a familiar one to modern audiences. Much of our post-apocalyptic fiction is built around it, but when looking back at the genre’s forebears, it becomes obvious that high ideas often came out of the least expensive productions.

Before George Miller made a name for himself in Hollywood, his breakthrough feature was this 1979 Australian drama set in the near-future. How much of the lore we know from his subsequent three features or which originated here is difficult to say. The seeds are there, but they aren’t nearly as fleshed out as they would be in his 1981 follow up, The Road Warrior . Like that film, this one stars a pre-stardom Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, the Main Force Patrol’s top pursuit officer whose wife and young son are in the cross-hairs of one of the motorcycle gangs in the story.

The Acolytes are led by the morally reprehensible Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and are seeking revenge for the death of one of their own in the high speed chase that opens the film. Their brand of brutal violence is reminiscent of that employed by the Droogs in A Clockwork Orange . A familiarity with Kubrick’s masterpiece only diminishes the impact of the violence in this film, it doesn’t excuse it or make it bearable. These films are a part of a subgenre of science fiction that posits a darker, more dangerous world in the future.

Gibson has only ever been a serviceable actor. His performances always have a patina of superficiality to them and this is no different. Part of that is a script that writes Max in rather broad strokes. Add to the fact that most of the story is told through car chases and violence, his lack of emotive capabilities don’t inhibit the film as they have in other efforts. They fit his persona almost perfectly. It’s an example of a strong writer and director working with what he has rather than what he wants.

Like Kubrick’s film, Miller’s is filled with stylistic flourishes. Whereas Kubrick’s films have always had a certain gloss and sheen to them, Miller goes for a more visceral and dirty aesthetic, creating the gritty future he envisions. Kubrick had that capability, but his perfectionism sometimes got in the way. Miller has no such illusions and uses that eye for setting to drive home the film’s thematic elements. Mad Max is the work of a director with a strong vision starting out on a career that would ultimately impress.

Review Written

July 5, 2023

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

Start a new list…
Add all films to a list…
Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

1979 Directed by George Miller

The Maximum Force Of The Future

Taking place in a dystopian Australia in the near future, Mad Max tells the story of a highway patrolman cruising the squalid back roads that have become the breeding ground of criminals foraging for gasoline and scraps. After some grisly events at the hands of a motorcycle gang, Max sets out across the barren wastelands in search of revenge.

Mel Gibson Joanne Samuel Hugh Keays-Byrne Steve Bisley Tim Burns Roger Ward Vincent Gil Lulu Pinkus Lisa Aldenhoven David Bracks Bertrand Cadart David Cameron Robina Chaffey Stephen Clark Mathew Constantine Jerry Day Reg Evans Howard Eynon Max Fairchild John Farndale Peter Felmingham Sheila Florance Nic Gazzana Hunter Gibb Andrew Gilmore Jonathan Hardy Brendan Heath Paul Johnstone Nico Lathouris Show All… John Ley Steve Millichamp Phil Motherwell George Novak Geoff Parry Neil Thompson Billy Tisdall Gil Tucker Kim Sullivan John Arnold Tom Broadbridge Peter Culpan Peter Ford Clive Hearne Telford Jackson Christine Kaman Joan Letch Kerry Miller Janine Ogden Di Trelour Vernon Weaver Paul Young Brendan Young Amanda Muggleton James McCausland Lisa Dombroski Malcolm Bruce

Director Director

George Miller

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Ian Goddard Steve Connard

Producers Producers

Bill Miller Byron Kennedy

Writers Writers

George Miller James McCausland Byron Kennedy

Editors Editors

Cliff Hayes Tony Paterson

Cinematography Cinematography

David Eggby

Lighting Lighting

Lindsay Foote

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Harry Glynatsis Tim Smart

Art Direction Art Direction

Jon Dowding Steve Amezdroz

Special Effects Special Effects

Chris Murray

Title Design Title Design

Stunts stunts.

Grant Page Phil Brock David Bracks Chris Anderson George Novak Jerry Gibson Gerry Gauslaa Dale Bensch Michael Daniels

Composer Composer

Sound sound.

Gary Wilkins

Costume Design Costume Design

Clare Griffin

Makeup Makeup

Vivien Mepham

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Kennedy Miller Productions Crossroads Mad Max Films American International Pictures

Australia USA

Releases by Date

Theatrical limited, 01 feb 1980, 15 feb 1980, 12 apr 1979, 08 nov 1979, 14 dec 1979, 15 dec 1979, 17 jan 1980, 08 feb 1980, 29 feb 1980, 05 mar 1980, 21 mar 1980, 24 may 1980, 26 jul 1980, 31 jul 1980, 08 oct 1980, 12 jan 1982, 11 sep 1986, 16 apr 2015, 01 oct 2019, 12 oct 2019, 01 jan 2022, 01 jan 1993, 03 apr 1997, 18 nov 1997, 03 oct 2001, 16 may 2002, 04 jul 2005, 23 jan 2008, 14 aug 2013, 04 sep 2013, 02 may 2014, 21 jun 2002, 07 jan 2005, 13 mar 2015, releases by country.

Theatrical R 18+
Physical 16 VHS / DVD
Theatrical 15
Theatrical 16
Physical VHS
Physical DVD
Physical Blu-Ray
Theatrical 12 Renewal of screen certificate
Digital VOD
Digital 18 Prime Video
Theatrical 18
Theatrical VM18
Theatrical B-15

Netherlands

Physical 16 DVD
Physical 16 Blu ray

Russian Federation

South korea.

Physical 15 DVD / Blu-ray
Theatrical limited R Los Angeles, California
Theatrical limited R Seguin, Texas
Theatrical R
Physical R GoodTimes Home Video #05-04051 [VHS] 93 minutes
Physical R DVD

91 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Branson Reese 12

Not sure how I'd missed this for so long. It's a fun little B-movie that sort of drags but has a few pretty special things going for it:

1- It's only set a few years in the future. So it's sort of post-apocalyptic but they still have the news and shit. More post-apocalyptic media should take a page out of this book and calm down. 2- The budget is clearly so low that all of the car crashes are exciting to watch because you can tell they only had the one take to nail it. 3- I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure this is the movie that invented the 80s action movie trope of "all bad guys are…

Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★★★ 5

What amazed me the most about the film was the fact that all of the car crashes had to be taken in one shot! I'm assuming this was due to the limited funds! I've seen films with considerably larger budgets that were unable to produce the spectacular vehicular carnage we witnessed in this film!

It was clear right off the bat that we were dealing with a low budget film, but we soon discovered what it lacked in frills it more than made up for it with fuel injected thrills!

A visceral assault on our senses!

Review by Mike D'Angelo ★★★ 4

What a strange film this is. Structurally, it makes little sense: The opening sequence (which is far and away the zenith) introduces Max as an iconic badass, defined by his shades, clothes, and silence; then he's immediately revealed as a perfectly ordinary family man, sensitive and conscientious (wait what?); then the movie proceeds to methodically turn him back into the iconic badass it had already established in the first few minutes. Even ignoring that circular arc, though, this feels like a very bloated origin story—an entire movie fashioned from what ought to have been the first 35 minutes or so of a much better movie. Gee, I wonder what the much better movie in question might look like? (Gonna revisit that very shortly.) A promising dry run, but I'm baffled by folks like Dan Sallitt who find actual greatness in its roughly 1:5 ratio of formally impressive mayhem to deeply awkward melodrama.

Review by siobhan ★★½ 3

if you told me this movie was completely unrelated to mad max fury road i'd probably believe you

Review by SilentDawn ★★★½ 3

A riveting and minimalist action film of bare-bone badassery and primal rage; George Miller's Mad Max is the one that started it all, and after all these years, It still remains one of the best low-fi experiences that you can have. Miller's directing, Cliff Hayes and Tony Paterson's editing, David Eggby's cinematography, and Brian May's score all comes together into a type of visual shock treatment. You can smell the gasoline radiating off of the screen, and in spite of some rough patches with the pacing and some budget constraints, Mad Max continues to be a dazzling ride.

Oh, and Mel Gibson is a badass.

Review by adambolt ★★★ 3

average day in Queensland

Review by Simon Ramshaw ★★½ 20

"I am the Nightrider! I'm a fuel injected suicide machine! I am the rocker! I am the roller! I am the out-of-controller!" - The Nightrider

Thing is, there isn't enough madness to get Mad Max into the echelons of cultdom that it supposedly deserves to be in. It begins with a phenomenal car chase that uses its meagre budget extremely effectively, and ends with an equally as thrilling crescendo of bikes and one seriously bad-ass muscle car. But in between, the only mad thing is the incoherent ramblings of the villains that threaten to derail the entire film.

Neither intimidating nor scary, they are a bunch of loons that don't provide the viewer with any visceral reaction. Then again, neither…

Review by Marcissus ★★★ 1

living in the post apocalypse and still logging movies on letterboxd for 0 likes. the grind never stops. it’s a mindset

Review by cinemacl🎃wn ★★★ 13

Presenting a fascinating vision of a world on verge of apocalypse, introducing Mel Gibson in what is his breakthrough role & having garnered a strong cult following over the years, George Miller's feature film debut may not look as impressive today as it did back in its days but it still packs in many interesting moments that'll manage to hold the attention of newcomers.

Set in the wastelands of Australia in a dystopian future, the story of Mad Max concerns Max Rockatansky; a policeman who tries to keep law n order intact in a society that's already on the verge of an imminent collapse. The plot chronicles his vengeful journey as Max attempts to find & execute all the members of an…

Review by cameron fetter ★★★★ 4

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

the people who write descriptions for movies on netflix need to be "put through a dark experience". had never seen this before and the fuckin netflix description says "a malicious gang murders Max's family". that doesnt happen until an hour and 15 minutes into the movie! theres like 20 minutes left when they kill his wife! should be illegal. how hard can it be to write a spoiler free description. "Max brings his own special brand of madness to the Australian wasteland. Nobody is safe as he takes cancel culture head on." "Cars? Check. Australia? Check. Guy named Max? Check. This post-apocalyptic landscape is about to get crazy." "Welcome to Australia. Population: Mad Max." ^ heres some freebies you fucking idiots

Review by Josh Lewis ★★★★

Fuel-injected suicide machine. The new 4K Blu-ray from Kino makes that biker truck hit at the very end pop off the screen the same way that man's eyes pop out of his skull. One of the greatest dummy hits of all time, RIP Hugh Keays-Byrne.

Full discussion on episode 108 of my podcast SLEAZOIDS .

Review by Enfant du Siècle ★ 16

I ventured to watch Mad Max mainly because of its status as a cult film, and what a surprise I've had. The problem I have with the film is that it looks and feels extremely dated, from the exaggerated music, the bad acting, the cartoon villains and the overall aesthetics that, if I didn't know it beforehand, I wouldn't have imagined it was a story set in a dystopian reality. In addition, the plot is way too simple and feels stretched out into ninety minutes film; it's incoherent, disconnected and at times even chaotic. I found the story so uninteresting, the development so tedious, and the action so scarce and unamusing that while watching the film I took the time…

Related Films

Similar Films

Mentioned by

Select your preferred poster

Upgrade to remove ads.

Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Please consider upgrading to a Pro account —for less than a couple bucks a month, you’ll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages ( example ), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads!

Mad Max (1979) Directed by George Miller

Film review, film synopsis, similar films.

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The Swarm (1978)
Duel (1971)
Alien 3 (1992)

Film Credits

Other things to look at.

Discovering good movies, one bad movie at a time

Mad Max (1979)

Connect with us.

Support The Show

Editor's Choice
Latest comments
Video tutorial
New forum topics

Username or e-mail

Remember me

Forgot password? Register for free

Movie Review: Mad Max (1979)

by StevenHelmer

A review of the action movie starring Mel Gibson and Joanne Samuel.

Synopsis: An Australian police officer patrolling the highway in a dystopian future decides to quit after his partner is attacked by and severely burned by a gang of violent bikers. However, when the bikers attack his wife and son, leaving him dead and her dying in a hospital, he decides he has had enough and goes after the criminals looking to get his revenge.

Who's in it?

The movie stars Mel Gibson , Joanne Samuel , Steve Bisley , David Cameron and Stephen Clark .

My wife and I ended up watching this movie over the course of three evenings, mostly because we ended up starting it later than we wanted to and just had a hard time staying awake long enough to finish it in one sitting.

When we started watching it, I could remember seeing parts of the film when I was younger and enjoying it. However, as it turns out, when I watched this movie in its entirety for the first time in a long time, I realized it wasn’t as good as I remembered.

Gibson, I thought, did a decent job as the cop-turned-vigilante Max. I’ve seen a lot of movies like this and, most of the time, the lead actors pretty much just phone their performance in. But, he did take his role seriously and, because of that, was very believable.

And, to be fair, the movie wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be, especially after Max puts on his uniform again and goes after the criminals. For a while, I did find myself wondering whether or not he actually wins in the end, especially when the motorcycle gang wounds him a few minutes into his chase.

My biggest complaint about this film is it is actually kind of dull for an action flick. The opening scenes are exciting, as is his final battle with the gang. However, the rest of the movie is very slow and just seems to drag on. In fact, I’m pretty sure my wife, who had never seen this movie before, was beginning to wonder why I wanted to watch this in the first place. And, to be honest, I was starting to wonder the same thing.

Final Opinion

The movie does, admittedly, have its moments and, as I said before, Gibson does a decent job. However, the majority of this movie is actually much duller than I expected it to be and, because of that, wasn’t as enjoyable as I had hoped.

My Grade: C

More By This Writer

StevenHelmer, Thank you for practical information, pretty pictures and product lines. The library system here has the three films with Mel Gibson as Mad Max and the one with Tom Hardy. I've seen them within the last five years on DVD. It'll be interesting to re-see them, since for some reason I think of them as black-and-white films.

How would you rate the Mel Gibson films in comparison to the Tom Hardy?

I was telling my wife that most of the scenes I actually remembered seeing were likely from the sequels.

I was a big fan of Mad Max when the first one came out. However, I prefer "Beyond Thunderdome" much more than the original. Perhaps it isn't as well rated now, as society has progressed so much since 1979?

A review of the black and white war movie starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda.

A review of the 1961 movie about a cat seeking revenge for the murder of her ...

A review of the 1943 horror movie starring Bela Lugosi as the vampire Armand ...

StevenHelmer

Movie Review: The Longest Day (1962)

Movie Review: The Shadow of the Cat (1961)

Movie Review: The Return of the Vampire (1943)

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

This Just In
Grateful Dead
Old Time Radio
78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
Audio Books & Poetry
Computers, Technology and Science
Music, Arts & Culture
News & Public Affairs
Spirituality & Religion
Radio News Archive

Flickr Commons
Occupy Wall Street Flickr
NASA Images
Solar System Collection
Ames Research Center

All Software
Old School Emulation
MS-DOS Games
Historical Software
Classic PC Games
Software Library
Kodi Archive and Support File
Vintage Software
CD-ROM Software
CD-ROM Software Library
Software Sites
Tucows Software Library
Shareware CD-ROMs
Software Capsules Compilation
CD-ROM Images
ZX Spectrum
DOOM Level CD

Smithsonian Libraries
FEDLINK (US)
Lincoln Collection
American Libraries
Canadian Libraries
Universal Library
Project Gutenberg
Children's Library
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Books by Language
Additional Collections

Prelinger Archives
Democracy Now!
Occupy Wall Street
TV NSA Clip Library
Animation & Cartoons
Arts & Music
Computers & Technology
Cultural & Academic Films
Ephemeral Films
Sports Videos
Videogame Videos
Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

Wayback Machine (iOS)
Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

Explore the Collections
Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

MAD MAX (1979)

Video item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

Graphic Violence
Explicit Sexual Content
Hate Speech
Misinformation/Disinformation
Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

18,770 Views

142 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

In collections.

Uploaded by videoclassic on March 16, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission.

Anya Taylor-Joy Is Li’l Imperator Furiosa

Who was Furiosa before she became the Mad Max universe’s bald baddie? Apparently, Anya Taylor-Joy . Warner Bros. has released the trailer for George Miller ’s upcoming prequel movie Furiosa , giving us our first look at Taylor-Joy in action as the younger version of the character originated by Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road . “As a child, my world was forever changed,” Taylor-Joy says, narrating the madness, picking up 45 years after the world collapsed. “My mother was magnificent and he took it all from me.” That would be the villainous Chris Hemsworth , deranged leader of a heavily armed biker gang, who kidnapped her as a child. While traveling through the Wasteland, the Biker Horde comes across the Citadel presided over by the Immortan Joe. According to an official description, Furiosa “must survive many trials” while the two tyrants war for dominance. Based on the explosive trailer, we’re expecting some trials by fire. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga races into theaters on May 24, 2024.

trailer mix
anya taylor-joy
chris hemsworth
coming soon
furiosa: a mad max saga

Editor’s Picks

Most Popular

What is your email.

This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.

Sign In To Continue Reading

Create your free account.

Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:

Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)

As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York , which you can opt out of anytime.

Cast & crew

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max. The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max. The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

George Miller
Nick Lathouris
Anya Taylor-Joy
Chris Hemsworth
Charlee Fraser
1 Critic review

Rictus Erectus

The Organic Mechanic

Young Furiosa

Immortan Joe …

Pregnant Wife #2

Warboy Recruit

The Octoboss

Pregnant Wife #1

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

Trivia Scheduled to be filmed in New South Wales in Australia. All Mad Max movies have been filmed in Australia, with the exception of Fury Road, when record rain falls transformed the normally arid desert areas into lush green growth areas.

Monologue : 45 years after the collapse, a young Furiosa is taken from her family. She will devote the rest of her life to finding her way home. This is her odyssey.

Connections Featured in The Project: Episode dated 1 December 2023 (2023)

New and Upcoming Sci-fi & Fantasy

When will Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga be released? Powered by Alexa
Who is Chris Hemsworth playing?
May 24, 2024 (United States)
Furiosa: Câu Chuyện Từ Max Điên
Melrose Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Warner Bros.
Kennedy Miller Mitchell
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$168,000,000 (estimated)

mad max movie review 1979

IMAGES

VIDEO

COMMENTS

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Movies / TV

What to know

You might also like

Rate And Review

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

How did you buy your ticket?

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Mad Max

Critic Reviews for Mad Max

Movie & TV guides

Screen Rant

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

A Lot or a Little?

Positive Messages

Positive Role Models

Diverse Representations

Violence & Scariness

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Parents Need to Know

Where to Watch

Community Reviews

Mad Max is a lot of violence and crashes

Is It Any Good?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Suggest an Update

Children of Men

Blade Runner

The Book of Eli

MAD MAX Redux: A Retrospective Review of George Miller's 1979 Film, MAD MAX

Classic Review: Mad Max (1979)

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Time Out says

Release Details

Cast and crew

Review: Mad Max (1979)

MPAA Rating

Review Written

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Add to your films…

Add to lists

Where to watch

The Maximum Force Of The Future

Director Director

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Producers Producers

Writers Writers

Editors Editors

Cinematography Cinematography

Lighting Lighting

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Art Direction Art Direction