Review: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

George Miller's third entry in his iconic Mad Max franchise is possibly the most unabashedly cheesy entry in the series, yet still manages to find its place among the likes of the far more visceral Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Fury Road. In what was really the first properly budgeted Mad Max film, Miller, and his co-director George Ogilvie hype the franchise up to it's extremes, going bigger, louder and hammier, and in many ways, that's what gives it it's own, uniquely 80s charm.

Miller, working in tandem with Ogilvie, goes for a more over the top aesthetic this time around, with Max being far more talkative then any prior or subsequent entries. Blending it with a very eighties motif of children playing a key role in the plot, a supremely hammy (yet enjoyable) antagonist played by a pop singer, and a power ballad over the end credits, it is much more a product of it's time then the more timeless previous entries. However, part of that very same eighties aesthetic is what gives it it's charm for me. Miller still has a strong hold on visual storytelling, and the action sequences are still quite good.

On top of that, the addition of the children manages to soften the film, and while, yes, one could argue they add a somewhat unneeded addition to the franchise, it also helps remind the audience why we like Max. Sure, he might make a show of being a loner and not caring about anybody but himself, but deep down, under that rough, damaged exterior, is a man who cares deeply for those in need of help, and, when the going gets tough, will put his own life on the line to help them. Also, Gibson, who is still in top form (as always with Max), has organic, realistic interactions with the children, and the film avoids making them insipid comic relief, instead making them relatable, and approachable, with a logical reason for being the way they are.

Meanwhile, in contrast to the softer moments of the children, the town of Bartertown is a supremely over the top and spectacular World of Ham. Lead by Tina Turner, who is obviously having the absolute time of her life in the role, as is pretty much every character in Batertown. And of course, the Thunderdome sequence is great. It's a well constructive and imaginative fight, with the whole bungee chords of doom, and the swinging around and swiping at each other with makeshift weapons while a wild crowd of onlookers chant the motto of Thunderdome "TWO MEN ENTER! ONE MAN LEAVES!" It's a crowning moment of 80s action insanity, and since it's directed by Miller, it's beautifully constructed.

Now, the more down tempo moments are where the film suffers. By going for a more extreme, over the top aesthetic, Thunderdome at times has trouble grounding itself in the way that the other Mad Max entries have been able to do. Mostly the prelude to the children is a bit uneven, bouncing between the ham and cheese of Turner and the Thunderdome battle, with a portrait of the town of Bartertown itself. Also, yes, the integration of the children is a bit awkward, mostly because they come about half way through the movie, and weren't mentioned previously. However, Miller and Ogilvie make it work for the most part, and given that Miller was in the midst of grieving the death of his close friend, and prior Mad Max producer Byron Kennedy, who had died in a helicopter crash while location scouting for Thunderdome. As such, Miller was working on this film mostly to try to cope with his depression, which would explain why it might not feel as raw or visceral as previous entries.

However, overall, I still enjoyed the film. Yes, it's cheesy, but at the same time, it's cheesy! And since it's still quite good on a technical level (Dean Semler's cinematography especially), and I buy the subplot with Max and the kids, it still manages to be a fun, if somewhat cheesier and over the top entry in the Mad Max series.

4 out of 5 stars.