This time, Max comes across the desert city of Bartertown. Its rousing slogan hanging over the gate says: "Building a Better Tomorrow." Bartertown is a thriving (but cutthroat) community run by the imperious Aunt Entity (Tina Turner). The action makes its appearence when Max is forced to fight for his life in the arena Thunderdome. ("Two men enter, one man leaves.")
When Max breaks the rules he is sent to the desert to die. But Bartertown hasn't seen the last of him...
This film is a great conclusion to the Mad Max Trilogy. Though not as energetic as the previous film, there are still great scenes of action and an exciting chase sequence towards the climax.
The tribe of children who rescue Max from the desert speak like the characters in the post-nuclear book "Riddley Walker". There is a certain irony in this as the children believe Max is the messiah Captain Walker.
Bruce Spence reappears as the pilot who helped Max in "The Road Warrior". His teeth don't look as rotten this time. Or is it a different character? There were excellent performances by all the actors.
The Mad Max Series and "Gallipoli" are the only films I've seen of Mel Gibson's. I think I also saw his first movie "Summer City" (1977). Earlier in the year I heard a rumour about a fourth Mad Max film without Mel Gibson. I hope it's not true!
Max (Mel Gibson) has just been robbed of all his belongings in the middle of nowhere in Australia. He searches for the thief and this leads to Bartertown, a unique society built upon methane energy dependent on pig manure, no less.
Max's search leads him to Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), Bartertown's lawmaker, who strikes a deal with him. All Max has to do is kill a certain somebody in Thunderdome arena and he'll get provisions in return. Not everything goes according to plan and Max is banished to the desert where he is rescued by a small group of lost children.
For those expecting the action of The Road Warrior you might be disappointed. While there is a good bit of action in Beyond Thunderdome, it's not as much as its predecessor and doesn't have as much energy. However, Beyond Thunderdome should be noted for having what is perhaps one of the best action sequences in American film history with the gladiator fight in Thunderdome arena between Max and the gigantic Blaster. The sequence is undeniably inventive and clever; it involves the two men tied to bungee cords that allow them to spring and leap throughout the arena and grab any weapons placed all around such as a mace, chainsaw, spear, etc.
What makes the film so good, though, are its successful attempts at creating complex societies. Bartertown is a sight to behold and is made all the more interesting by the rituals the "citizens" perform and the laws they obey.
As for the performances, Mel Gibson excels and gives a fine performance as usual. Tina Turner is a real surprise as the villainess; she certainly knows how to act and delivers a fairly good performance. Most of the supporting cast do a decent job with the material they're given. Angry Anderson, in particular, is quite humorous as the henchmen who rarely talks and mostly grunts, screams, and yells in exaggerated tones.
After Brian May's exciting score in The Road Warrior, Maurice Jarre takes over the job and composes a score that is quite poetic and, at times, lush and beautiful.
As with all the final scenes in the Mad Max films, this one ends perfectly. This time, we get the feeling that humanity has hope so long as men like Max are around.
