Mad Max 2

Just one man can make a difference.
Mad Max 2 (1981)
Timing: 1:36 (96 min)
7.6/10
277 480
—
no scores
7.4/10
4319
7.6/10
212000
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Release date
Budget
$2 000 000
Revenue
$23 667 907
Website
Director
Scenario
Producer
Operator
Composer
Brian May
Artist
Steve Amezdroz
Audition
Editing
David Stiven, Tim Wellburn, Michael Balson
All team (97)

Short description

Mad Max 2 is set in a near-future Australia where fuel has become the most valuable thing left. Max Rockatansky, a former police officer turned lone wanderer, roams the wastelands in search of gasoline. He comes upon a small community of survivors holed up at a refinery and fuel depot, under constant threat from a gang of violent marauders led by the charismatic Humungus. When the settlers plan to escape with a tanker of fuel, Max is drawn into their defence.

George Miller directed the film, his second of thirteen in chronological order, following Mad Max in 1979 and preceding Twilight Zone: The Movie in 1983. The screenplay was written by Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant, with Byron Kennedy producing. Mel Gibson returns as Max, alongside Bruce Spence as the Gyro Captain, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells and Kjell Nilsson. The production involved 27 credited cast members and 97 credited crew.

Made for about 2 million US dollars, the film took roughly 25 million worldwide, a strong return on its budget. On IMDb it holds 7.6 out of 10 from around 212,000 votes, while on TMDB it has 7.4 from over 4,000 votes. The critics' rating stands at 8.6 from 61 reviews, higher than the audience scores on both platforms. Across its 96 minutes, the film blends action, adventure, science fiction and thriller elements.

What's left behind the scenes

  • In one scene, Max eats dog food called “Dinki-Di”.
  • Upon its release in the US, the film was renamed “The Road Warrior” because the first part had a limited release, and the title “Mad Max 2” could have misled viewers.
  • The logo “7 Sisters Oil” can be seen on the tanker truck, which is a reference to a popular conspiracy theory at the time – that “Standard Oil” and six other oil companies control the global oil market.
  • Max's car is a “1973 Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe.” This model was made exclusively for Australia. A limited number of vehicles were exported to New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This car was not sold in the United States. A total of 949 vehicles of this model were produced.
  • Akira Kurosawa's samurai films and Joseph Campbell's book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” served as inspiration for Terry Hayes, George Miller, and Brian Hannant when writing the screenplay.
  • At the time of its release, “Mad Max 2” was the most expensive Australian film in history.
  • The film contains a quote from former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam (1972-1975): “We either break or we go through.”
  • The game Fallout features a separate quest that directly references this film. Upon successful completion, the character receives the Dog as a companion.
  • In the animated series “South Park” (1997), a poster of the film “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” hangs in Stan’s room. A scene from the film, where boys in cars besieged the girls' fortress, was reenacted in the episode “Proper Condom Use.”
  • The truck (tractor unit) that Max encountered at the beginning of the film, and later used as a fuel tanker, was a Mack R600 COOLPOWER.
  • The unusually designed vehicle, assembled from scrap metal, had two engines, both Ford 351s. However, only the front wheels were driven; the rear engine also ran but wasn’t connected to anything. It was listed in the script under the name Lone Wolf.
  • At the time of the film’s release, the oil refinery camp set was the largest film set ever built in Australia, and its destruction was the most powerful explosion in the history of Australian cinema.
  • Max Fairchild, who played "Broken Victim" and was tied to the hood of one of the gang's cars, is the only actor who appeared with Mel Gibson in both the first and second installments of "Mad Max." Bruce Spence, who played the autogyro pilot in the second film, also appeared in the third, again as a pilot, but this time he flew an airplane.
  • Akira Kurosawa's samurai films and Joseph Campbell's book 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' served as inspiration for writing the screenplay.
  • The dog, a loyal companion named Max who served as the prototype for the Dogmeat character in the computer game “Fallout,” was found in a nearby animal shelter for filming. He was very afraid of engine sounds, so special headphones had to be made for him. After filming, one of the operators took him home.

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