Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome – Mad Max 3 (1985)

Directed by: George Miller | 107 minutes | action, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn, Frank Thring, Angelo Rossitto, Paul Larsson, Angry Anderson, Robert Grubb, George Spartels, Edwin Hodgeman, Bob Hornery, Andrew Oh, Ollie Hall, Lee Rice

There are few film series that owe their popularity almost entirely to one part in the series. In those series where this is the case, there are even fewer where it is not the first part that enjoys that popularity. The ‘Mad Max’ cycle is a dubious exception to this rule: After a qualitatively subpar first part, the much better successor ‘Road Warrior’ followed in 1981, brimming with hard action and spectacular chases. This is therefore seen as the best ‘Mad Max’, but it was really just the only acceptable film in an abysmal trilogy.

The third part tried to change tack again in 1985, but this only partially succeeded. Although ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ starts very promising: Mad Max ends up as a prisoner in the Thunderdome, a meter high steel cage in which prisoners have to fight to the death. Max faces the invincible Master Blaster, but guess who will win in the end! The action and tension in this first half hour are of a high level, but after this the Thunderdome collapses like a house of cards. The film certainly gives the impression that from the moment Mad Max walks out of the Thunderdome, the inspiration suddenly ran out with screenwriters George Miller and Terry Hayes. Too bad, because the Thunderdome concept with which the first half hour is filled could have been developed a little more. This wry fact of post-apocalyptic gladiatorial combat provides the best action of all three ‘Mad Max’ films.

In addition, the ‘Mad Max’ cycle also provides a misanthropic vision of what the world might look like after the bomb. The idea that in this situation people would take over the same bad habits of a civilization from thousands of years ago is not even that far-fetched for the little cynic. So far the only possibility to accuse ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ of any kind of depth or social criticism, now back to the story:

Mad Max ends up in the desert after the first half hour and discovers a group of wandering children that he decides to take care of. If a group of children is involved in an action film, it quickly gives the impression that they have been written in the story to attract a younger or at least a broader target group to the cinema. If that is the case, then that concept misses the mark with Mad Max because the films are really too violent and gloomy to appeal to such a wide audience.

Totally ironic is the fact that the same Mel Gibson, who portrays the blunt title hero in this somewhat raunchy B-film cycle, brought the story of Jesus’ agony to the cinemas in 2004 (with perhaps even more blood and violence like in the ‘Mad Max’ movies, that is)… ‘Mad Max 3’ is definitely not a good movie. It is not the least of the series but that is entirely due to the first part; it really fell apart.