The worst-rated Mad Max movie desperately deserves a second chance

The Mad Max Franchise is small despite its enormous impact on pop culture. Writer and director George Miller held it very close to his heart, and although only five films have been made so far, their quality reflects pound for pound the dedication of their creator. That is one of the reasons why Mad Max: Fury Road took thirty years to come to the screen, and why its prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is so hotly anticipated. In fact, the series was long considered to be just a trilogy, and fans and filmmakers were happy with what they delivered.

This impression is reinforced by the bad reputation of the third film in the series. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Although the film did well at the box office and also received a certain amount of critical acclaim, it was largely considered the smallest film. The subsequent release of Fury Road has only reinforced this impression, as have a number of factors outside the film that have nothing to do with the film itself. In truth, it is much better than its reputation suggests, and with Furious Now in theaters, now is the perfect time for fans to give the film another proper review.

Beyond Thunderdome suffered from several factors

Many of Beyond Thunderdome Problems arose from circumstances outside the camera that ultimately affected the final productByron Kennedy – Miller's producer, who worked very closely with him on the first two Mad Max Films – died in a helicopter crash in 1983. Beyond Thunderdome was in active development at the time and the film was intended to reflect the loss. In a 2015 interview with Australian Screen, Miller spoke about the devastation of Kennedy's death and how he finished the film in what he described as a “zombie-like state”. Miller credits theatre director George Ogilvie for essentially co-directing the film while he was grieving.

The film itself also represents a major departure from the previous two films in the series: more ambitious and expansive in scope, but with fewer of the breathtaking chase scenes for which the first two films were so known. Beyond Thunderdome focuses more on the culture that has sprung up in the wake of the apocalypse, both the industrialized corruption of Auntie Entity's Bartertown and the hidden oasis where Max finds a tribe of wayward children. The adrenaline-fueled chases don't get going until the final act, and the film's PG-13 rating ensures that the chaos is more imaginative than emotional. Given the film's sense of closure and Kennedy's absence, it seemed like the right time to stop.

A final factor has also come into play in the form of off-screen controversy surrounding star Mel Gibson.. Allegations of homophobia and anti-Semitism had been brewing for decades when he was arrested for drunk driving in March 2006. During the incident, he unleashed an anti-Semitic tirade that ruined his reputation and got him blacklisted in Hollywood for over a decade. The venom of his comments has not diminished over time and has cast his work on screen in a far harsher light. These include Beyond Thunderdomein which he appears in almost every scene and who, in retrospect, suffers from his later decline. Fury Road was postponed in part because of Gibson's problems, which ultimately led to Tom Hardy being cast in the role. The change would have been unthinkable before the 2006 incident.

Beyond Thunderdome was always better than its critics claimed

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If you look at it over time, Beyond Thunderdome has overcome these setbacks admirably. In terms of hard numbers, the film did well at the box office and with criticsjust not as high as its predecessors. In addition, it always had loyal fans who considered it the best of the saga. This included Roger Ebert, who called it one of the best films of the year and praised its expanded vision of the post-apocalyptic future. Settings like Bartertown are bursting with imagination, as is Thunderdome itself, which has become the film's most enduring benchmark.

His brilliant reinterpretation of traditional gladiator combat added a wild third dimension to the arena, with the fighters bouncing around on giant rubber bands. This in turn furthered one of the film's greatest achievements by increasing the scope of the Mad Max universe beyond sheer chaos and into something resembling a proper vision of the future. Bartertown allows Miller to explore issues such as political corruption and corporal punishment through the lens of his wild imagination. Its rulers use slogans and catchphrases to captivate the populace, such as “Two men come, one goes” and “When a deal falls through, stand at the helm.”

While Max's stay at the desert oasis in the second act is not as visually compelling, it does contain a healthy dose of theology, as the children he finds there believe he is a messiah come to take them to a promised land. They tell the story of how they got to the valley using a boxy staff resembling a television screen and similar distortions of pre-war culture. Some of them take a leap of faith and venture into the desert in search of a new home. Max follows them, which ultimately leads them to the ruins of Sydney and a possible fulfillment of their prophecy. Such elements bring a huge package of reality that the saga had been lacking up until that point.

The film's greatest achievement, however, is its main antagonist, Aunt Entity, played by Tina Turner. Quite simply, it's the role she was born to play: a survivor who rises from the ashes to rebuild Bartertown brick by brick. Unlike previous villains in the saga, she's not a hair-raising warmonger, nor does she consider herself an amoral person. She views Bartertown as the first necessary step in restoring civilization. While she accepts the corruption of the place – and the personal gains she derives from it – she firmly believes that it will all lead to better things. That's a key part of Miller's expanded scope, and Turner's portrayal becomes a selling point in itself.

Fury Road and Furiosa build on the achievements of Beyond Thunderdome

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The services of Beyond Thunderdome make the film an important stepping stone between the early parts of the Mad Max Saga and its rebirth after the success of Fury Road. The latter showed that it was possible to combine the continuous action of the first two Mad Max Films with a more detailed and nuanced look at how humanity functions in the wasteland. Most notably, the villainous Immortan Joe follows in Auntie's footsteps and tries to build something new from the ashes of the old world. In his case, it's far less altruistic, as he sets himself up as a living god. However, he is motivated by the need for an heir and is forced to play politics with his followers to get what he wants.

This is due to Thunderdomes Narrative than the more straightforward stories of the original Mad Max And The Road Warrior. Furious takes the concept even further, as the title character finds himself caught between two equally despicable antagonists: a younger version of Immortan Joe and his main rival, Dementus. Their conflict is brutal and merciless, but contains subtleties that appeal Beyond Thunderdome Interest in sociology and politics. For example, it explores Immortan Joe's relationship with his “vassal states” of Gastown and the Bullet Farm, which he depends on to maintain his position of power. It also explores his fixation on his harem of women and his need to produce a healthy heir to inherit his position.

These developments come in addition to the expected action scenes, which are less extensive than Fury Road and focus on circumstances and character motivation as well as adrenaline. This allows Beyond Thunderdome in a strange position, stepping out of the saga's comfort zone to ultimately take a huge leap forward. This damaged the film's reputation at the time, as did the inevitable fallout from Kennedy's death and Gibson's disgrace. Viewed in the bigger picture, however, it proves to be absolutely essential, and its flaws are either not self-inflicted or necessary to prevent the saga from falling into a rut. Turner's performance makes it a must-see, and the most important film in the original trilogy for anyone who wants to better understand where Fury Road And Furious get your greatest inspiration.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is in theaters now.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

In the post-apocalyptic desert, Max becomes caught up in the power struggles of Bartertown, ruled by the fearsome Aunty Entity. After ignoring the town's brutal laws, Max is banished to the desert, where he meets a tribe of surviving children. Together, they plan a daring return to confront Bartertown's corrupt leaders and fight for their freedom.

director

George Miller, George Ogilvie

Release date

July 10, 1985

Pour

Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn, Frank Thring, Angelo Rossitto

Authors

George Miller, Terry Hayes, Byron Kennedy

Duration

107 minutes

Main genre

action

budget

10 million US dollars

Studio(s)

Kennedy Miller Entertainment

Sales Partner

Warner Bros. Pictures

Continuation(s)

Mad Max: Fury Road, Mad Max: Wasteland

Prequel(s)

Mad Max, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior