Mad Max (1979)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A police officer becomes a vigilante in a dystopian near-future Australia following a tragic attack on his family.
The story
In a dystopian near-future Australia plagued by oil shortages and ecocide, the breakdown of civil order has left law enforcement struggling to maintain control. Max Rockatansky, a weary police officer for the Main Force Patrol, is tasked with pursuing a dangerous motorcycle gang. After a violent encounter involving a rookie officer and a high-speed chase, Max is assigned a specially built Pursuit Special. When a local gang begins terrorizing the populace and his family is caught in the crossfire, Max must decide whether to remain a lawman or become a vigilante to protect what remains of his life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In a near-future Australia suffering from ecocide and oil shortages, Max Rockatansky is a top pursuit man for the Main Force Patrol. After a high-speed chase ends in a fatal crash for a biker named Nightrider, Max is given a powerful Pursuit Special. The peace is shattered when a gang led by Toecutter and Bubba begins terrorizing a nearby town. After the death of his colleague Goose, Max takes a leave of absence with his wife, Jessie, and their son, Sprog. During a stop for supplies, Toecutter's gang ambushes them, resulting in the death of Sprog and leaving Jessie in critical condition. Driven into a rage, Max takes the Pursuit Special without authorization to hunt the gang. He eliminates several members before being trapped by Toecutter, Bubba, and Johnny the Boy. After a brutal fight where Max is injured, he manages to kill Bubba and force Toecutter into a fatal collision. Finally, Max finds the young survivor, Johnny, and gives him a choice: use a hacksaw to escape his handcuffs or face a time-delayed explosion, before driving away to let the device detonate.
- First release year
- 1979
- Runtime (minutes)
- 93
- Production countries
- Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- George Miller
- Writers
- James McCausland · screenplay; George Miller · screenplay; George Miller · story; Byron Kennedy · story
- Cast and characters
- Mel Gibson · Max Rockatansky; Joanne Samuel · Jessie Rockatansky; Hugh Keays-Byrne · Toecutter; Steve Bisley · Jim "Goose" Rains; Tim Burns · Johnny the Boy; Roger Ward · Fred "Fifi" Macaffee
- Genres
- dystopian; action; science fiction
- Themes
- survival; vengeance; societal collapse
- Tone and mood
- violent; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- post-apocalyptic; action; road movie; vigilante
- Franchise connections
- Mad Max
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film initially received a polarized reception upon its release in 1979, but it became a massive commercial success and a critical darling in later years.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 89% · scale: percentage · review count: 70; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 7.7 · scale: 10
- Production trivia
- The film was the most profitable film ever made at the time of its release.; The film was banned in New Zealand and Sweden upon its initial release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…