Mad Max 2 (1981)
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A hardened man must navigate a wasteland of scarcity to help a community of settlers defend their oil refinery from a marauding gang.
The story
In a world ravaged by global war, oil shortages, and ecocide, civilization has collapsed into barbarism. Former policeman Max Rockatansky wanders the desert Outback of what was once Australia, scavenging for fuel and food. While navigating the wasteland, Max encounters a group of settlers who are desperately trying to protect their oil refinery from a marauding gang of bikers. Max must decide whether to remain a solitary wanderer or risk his safety to assist the settlers in their struggle for survival against the encroaching threat of the marauders.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a global war that caused ecocide and oil shortages, Max Rockatansky scavenges the Australian Outback. He encounters a group of settlers and a 'Gyro Captain' at an oil refinery. The refinery is besieged by a gang led by the masked Lord Humungus and his lieutenant, Wez. Max strikes a deal to help the settlers transport their oil using a semi-truck. During the escape, a diversion is staged involving a tanker leaking sand instead of oil. Max and the Gyro Captain manage to get the settlers' fuel to safety while the marauders are left confused. The film ends with the Gyro Captain becoming the leader of the settlers as they head north, while the Feral Kid notes he never saw the 'Road Warrior' again.
- Original title
- The Road Warrior
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- George Miller
- Writers
- Terry Hayes · writer; George Miller · writer; Brian Hannant · writer
- Cast and characters
- Mel Gibson · Mad Max Rockatansky; Bruce Spence · The Gyro Captain; Mike Preston · Pappagallo; Max Phipps · The Toadie; Vernon Wells · Wez; Kjell Nilsson · Lord Humungus; Emil Minty · The Feral Kid; Virginia Hey · Warrior Woman
- Genres
- post-apocalyptic; dystopian; action
- Themes
- survival; scarcity; community; post-apocalyptic
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; desolate; brutal
- Premise and plot tags
- road movie; survival; wasteland
- Franchise connections
- Mad Max
- Reception
- The film received highly positive reviews and is regarded by many critics as one of the best films of 1981, praised for its action, score, and cinematography.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 94% · scale: percentage · review count: 62; Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Best Foreign Film · Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award · won; Grand Prize · Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival · won
- Production trivia
- The original cut was more bloody and violent but was trimmed for an 'M' rating.; A museum dedicated to the film was established in 2010 in Silverton.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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