The Franchise Chronicles: MAD MAX

By Edward O'Hare

Welcome to the first installment of The Franchise Chronicles, a new series of articles where I sit through every entry in a film franchise by myself (because Bill said thanks, but no thanks) and write down my immediate reactions for all of you to nosh on (I promise it’s all for you guys). My goal for these pieces is to get to the core of what works about these sagas and explore how they evolve over time.

First up in our journey is George Miller’s dystopic saga about a righteous man and the unforgiving road: Mad Max. The first installment is much smaller in scope than its sequels, but still packs all of the bite.

Mel Gibson’s first adventure as Max Rockatansky has very modest production values and the sparse budget works to the film’s advantage. At times is almost seems as if director George Miller just had access to a handful of friends and few muscle cars. The early scenes are a touch reminiscent of Roger Corman’s motorcycle romps of the 1970s, however, Miller’s innovative style and the acting performances take this to a whole new level. (Coincidentally, the film was distributed by American-International Pictures, who also released many Corman classics.)

The bad guys roll in fast and the starkness of the town makes them feel even more threatening. The town feels isolated, so far off in the bush that civilization has pretty much abandoned it. The police force is running so lean and pathetic that it feels like some cops join more out of vanity or glory, than actual duty.

For a large part of the film, it doesn’t even feel like Max is the main character. He looms in the distance, as Joe Goose (Steve Bisley) does some heavy lifting, dealing with Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and Johnny the Boy (Tim Burns), taking the gang’s mischief much more personally. It is this obsession that leaves Joe lying in a hospital bed, wishing he was dead.

Sure, Max establishes his prowess as a cop in the film’s opening sequence, but I did not really connect with him as a character until he saw Joe in the hospital, covered in burn marks. I also love the fact that Miller neglects to show Joe’s charred face, but instead lets the viewer imagine it based on the horror of Max’s reaction. Joe’s condition makes Max realize the futility of the police force and convinces him to take his wife and child and get out of there.

The rest of the film slowly leads Max to the conclusion that, while the cops may be useless, someone needs to step up and protect this world from the garbage. Side note: I think Max and Jessie (Joanne Samuel) are terrible parents. This is evidenced by the fact that we see plenty of moments of them enjoying the beach and their child is nowhere to be found. I like that Max wears all white during this part of the film. It is a simple way to emphasize that he thinks he is pure and free but will eventually have to don black leather again to take care of business.

The real tragedy of Max losing his family is that it almost feels necessary for the safety of this crazy world. The climax of this film happens very fast, but the journey that we have been on with Max makes us truly savor in his vengeance. The moment the credits roll, I was ready to follow Max for another 10 movies.

I hope you've enjoyed this initial trip down the franchise highway. Next week, we will find out what happens when Max needs to stop for gas.

Edward O’Hare, nickname TBD, has been poking around the deep caverns of pop culture for some years now. His hobbies include making Starfleet org charts and badgering people who haven’t seen the Adventures of Captain Marvel movie serial from 1941. He one day dreams of teaching Bill Simmons that superheroes and pro athletes are not all that different.