Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | Mel Gibson, Tina Turner | 'Thumderdome' an Allegorical Look at the...

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | Mel Gibson, Tina Turner | A great great film.

DVDs:

Mad Max Beyond Thu...

	Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Mel Gibson, Tina Turner Warner Home Video, 1997 average customer review:based on 64 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

'Thumderdome' an Allegorical Look at the Post-Apocalypse!

Many viewers/reviewers have somewhat disregarded "Thunderdome" as being the least of the "Mad Max Triology" films. On the contrary, I found it to be the best and most thought provoking! If you were looking for merely mohawk-headed goons driving dune buggies and lots of stunt men being blasted into wasteland dust, I suppose the first two films DID top Thunderdome on the violence-for-naught scale. However, the wealth of metaphors that abound throughout Thunderdome -- the underworld where "muck" fueled the world above, symbolic of the very third-world oil interests that uphold today's modern society...and the "Lost Children of the Desert" (Hebrews?) who develop an entire religion based upon "Captain Walker's" notes that parallel a kind of "Dead Sea Scrolls," scripture of sorts -- more than make up for the lack of trademark violent scenes. (Even though there's plenty of that for me!) But to me, this final chapter in the Mad Max Triology was the best, and perhaps it was too bad the saga ended here. Because the screenwriters were apparently just beginning to feel the "wind up their asses" and put some real literary weight behind what had otherwise been just another radioactive round-up of raucous dune buggy races and pointless violence. Thundersome went beyond the superficial and gave us something sorely lacking in the first two films: quality sci-fi screenwriting! And this made it a "stand-alone" work in its own right, even if you hadn't seen the first two pictures!

for more information click here

A great great film.

This movie takes my breath away. I love The Road Warrior, but something about this film grabs me more -- Tina Turner's campy introduction ("Tantan -- play something -- TRAGIC."), the children chanting "Walker" on the plane, and that ending, which I find very haunting and beautiful. It's a perfect mix of the vulgar and the beautiful. One of my favorite films.

A Worthy Sequel

The third chapter of the Mad Max films can't possibly outdo the success of The Road Warrior, but it's a worthy successor, an exciting film with a very interesting story.

Mel Gibson's Max is back again and finds himself helping another group of ragtag characters. Max finds his way to a town called Bartertown and is forced to engage in a gladiator battle to the death. After refusing to kill his beaten enemy, he's dragged back out to the wasteland, there he's rescued by a group of tribal children. A small group from Bartertown is looking to escape to "The Promised Land" Max and some of his young rescuers lead the way.

Tina Turner is on hand as the wicked Aunty Entity, ruler of Bartertown. Bookending the film are two excellent songs from her as well. Mad Max "3" is a worthy sequel, while not as intense as the previous two, the story is thought provoking and while a bit slow paced, the ending is more than worthwhile. Maurice Jarre's music score isn't as intense but does create an appropriate epic atmosphere. George Miller and George Ogilvie are the directors and create both a sequel and a film that can stand on it's own.

for more information click here

Not as fast, but not without merit

The third Mad Max film takes place fifteen years after the events in the Road Warrior(Mad Max 2), in a post nuclear age. Max(Mel Gibson) loses every thing in a raid(like he hasn't lost enough already). Following the trail left behind, he winds up in a scummy place called Bartertown. The ruler of Bartertown, Aunty(Tina Turner) commissions Max to kill a man who is preventing her from total control of Bartertown. This movie doesn't have the same kinetic energy as the previous two, but keep in mind that this is a world where cars are useless, because there's no fuel to run them. The thunderdome death match, and the car chase at the end is all there is for action. But to compensate, George Miller presents to us a more human side to Max, which has laid dorment since his familie's death in movie one. Proof of this comes in his interaction with the Waiting Boys(sort of a tribute to Lord of the Flies), and the result of the death match in thunderdome before hand. As an actioner, is doesn't give much(though what's given is still good). As a story of rediscovering your soul and purpose, it's a winner. I would have given it four stars if the orchastrated music score was better. Watch Angry Anderson in the final car chase for some comic relief.

for more information click here

Only way the third one could have been done

Before I move in to analyse the film itself, I'd just like to take a moment to tell you why this picture, essentially 'Mad Max 3', could not have been anything else but a notch above mediocre. It's easy. Despite the fact that George Miller was still directing, there were too many realities unfolding at the time. 'The Terminator' had set a high standard for sci-fi, as had 'Return of the Jedi'. Also, four years after 'Mad Max 2', there was quite a bit of lost momentum kicking around. This movie does manage to present itself well in terms of casting, set and style, however the plot possesses too many kinks. Case in point: there is a direct correlation between the tribal children and Ewoks! Yeucchh! How much did Miller want to hurt his picture? Also, the Master-Blaster concept was quick to get old. Although there is a lot of realism in the sense that Max never gets to really drive like before and the ending is none too wholesome, too many quirks in story-delivery serve only to dilute the thrills. Still, there's enough material left to make the movie quite salvagable and even then, it looks good, notwithstanding a distinct dearth of firepower and heavy reliance upon Dark Age weaponry. Ace performances are given by Tina Turner, Gibson and Angry Anderson. I'd heard a great deal of hype about this film back in '85 when I was eleven years old and it took a while to get to it. I wasn't impressed when I did see it but, to be fair, I wasn't exactly annoyed either. 'Beyond Thunderdome' is all right and if you've seen the other two and require closure on the story, you may as well get it.

for more information click here

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, page 10, 11, 12, 13

products you might be interested in

recommendations

Movies to watch during a heat wave...
I've seen the future...and it sucks.
Apocalypse and other bad days
Best Post Apocalyptic Movies
DVDs