Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne

In a dystopic future Australia, a vicious biker gang murder a cop's family and make his fight with them personal.

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69% liked it

60,092 ratings

R, 93 min.

Directed by: George Miller

Release Date: April 12, 1979

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DVD Release Date: November 19, 1997

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Stats: 3,786 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,786)


  • October 2, 2009
    Ozploitation! A great film that would have actually been spoilt with a bigger budget in my opinion!
  • March 5, 2009
    Although Mad Max is often called a post-apocalyptic movie, it really isn't. It is more precisely a dystopian vision of the future, where civil society is under siege by increasing crime and disorder. The vision of future in Mad Max is in many ways similar to that presented in A...( read more) Clockwork Orange. However, people don't watch or remember Mad Max for its' social commentary. Mad Max is remembered as a great action movie. George Miller directs all the action sequences with a wild, frenetic energy.

    I remember how cool of a movie I thought it was as a kid in the theater and, as time goes on and action movies have less heart and originality, this one remains at the top with the best of them. Mad Max is truly a product of the 1970s; a time capsule of fears about rising crime, collapsing legal systems, and oil shortages. It is also an extremely well made low-budget movie. If it pales compared to The Road Warrior, it does so only by the latter's larger budget and more intricately choreographed stunts. Mad Max has an energy, especially in its action sequences, that have only been matched in a handful of movies.
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  • January 2, 2009
    A milestone of australian filmmaking and also Mel Gibson's rise to stardom.
    Apocalyptic spaghetti western with roaring engines instead of horses, and the classic typology of colourful characters, a deadly battle in no man's land between borderline demented villains and a reluctan...( read more)t and irascible enforcer.
    Bloody, raw, rambunctious editing and visual display.
  • September 7, 2008
    one of the first proper post-apocalyptic science fiction films of this type... and a fantastic one!

    great ending. a fantastic film, even on such a low budget.
  • September 6, 2008
    A great action film set in the future with a lot of road battles.
  • November 10, 2009
    I'm not quite sure what to think of it. It's a sci-fi classic with Mel Gibson as a teenager. Lots of good car chases but no story behind it.
  • November 8, 2009
    This is my favorite movie. I was flicking threw channels one night looking for something to watch and Mad Max was on and I instantly fell in love with it. I went out and bought the DVD a few days later. I really love Hugh Keays Byrne and Geoff Perry, I now have so many movies wit...( read more)h the two of them in it.

    I like the character Bubba Zanetti played by Geoff Perry because he always looks so angry, the rest of the bikers always seem to be goofing off while Bubba just looks so mad. Toecutter played by Hugh Keays Byrnes seems to get all his bikers to do everything for him and if you pay attention he changes his accent a little for each scene he is in.

    I really wish they would release the deleted scenes because I would love to see them. Although I liked Mad Max I have to be honest, the other ones stunk compared to this one
  • November 8, 2009
    Not better than the Road warrior, but still a good violent action movie
  • November 3, 2009
    Un clasico. Aburrido pero clasico.
  • October 30, 2009
    This was nothing like I expected. It's very misleading that people compare this to so many movies. "Doomsday is like Mad Max." "Waterworld is Mad Max on water." What they really mean is that those movies are similar to Mad Max 2. The original is more like a desperate not-too-dist...( read more)ant future than apocalyptic. Its a very uncomfortable and confusing movie. That is partially due to the fact that I couldnt always understand what was being said, but also because they just jumped into the action without any setup, or explanation to who these people were or what they were doing. The action was exciting enough, even if very dated. Almost non-stop chases. But I found the lack of story distracting and it made the action less satisfying, which is saying a lot considering I usually live off action. But, the movie is always worth a watch if you want to see a 20 year old Mel Gibson in leather pants.

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Comments


  • mariefuller80
    July 22, 2008
    Mel Gibson brings a strong presence and easy confidence to Max.
  • Aritosgold
    November 8, 2007
    This movie rules^^
  • MRFI
    September 14, 2007
    OK what can be said about this excellent movie? Well lets start with its the beginning of the best movie trilogy(and the only) that Australia has to offer. It was and still is the most unique movie that has been mimicked(badly i might add)so as far as i am concerned it stands out 100%!
  • pabeerhead59
    April 7, 2007
    it was good, crazy ,ive seen many times
  • oJACKTHESTRIPPERo
    November 18, 2006
    FIRST SEEN THIS AT THE STARLINE DRIVE IN IPSWICH QLD I WAS TOO YOUNG TO GET IN WITH ITS R RATEING AND I CLIMBED THE FENCE WITH A FULL LEG PLASTER AND HAVE BEEN HOOKED EVER SINCE

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