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Mad Max
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Outlandish post-apocalyptic action is too brutal for kids.

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Mad Max
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Based on 7 parent reviews
Mad Max is a lot of violence and crashes
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What's the Story?
A lunatic called "Night Rider" breaks loose in a stolen cop car and leads several futuristic law enforcement agents on a high-speed wild goose chase. His eventual death brings a much larger gang of sadistic followers to town, where they wreak havoc and pose a threat to Max (Mel Gibson) and his colleague Goose (Steve Bisley). After the bad guys burn Goose alive, Max decides to take his wife (Joanne Samuel) and young son away, but the family soon finds itself face-to-face with the villainous gang. One hideous act later, and Max hits the road in a souped-up car, seeking his violent revenge.
Is It Any Good?
Mad Max is a memorable, groundbreaking low-budget exploitation hit that established a certain set of rules for action movies and inspired many sequels and knock-offs. Today, it's perhaps more interesting historically than it is aesthetically. Certain sequences still dazzle, and Miller's close-to-the-street cinematography captures the thrill of speed in 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 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 general lawlessness and violence of this post-apocalyptic future. Does it look like fun? Or is it a little scary? If you were Max, would you have tried to go away with your family as well?
This movie is known for its over-the-top violence, before the heydey of such films. What other movies can you think of like this today?
Are there any acts of kindness in the film? How are they received?
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: April 3, 2023
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