Just one man can make a difference
Mad Max 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR
1981
Why watch it:
• The main character (and his car) are timelessly cool
• All of the characters, good and bad, are great
• It contains one of the most spectacular car chases ever committed to film
• It’s a contender for the greatest action movie ever made
Memorable scenes:
• I remember the Road Warrior
• “Just walk away”
• Face to face
• “You blew it you fool”
• “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll drive that tanker”
• “Get the bullet”
• Meeting problems head on
• The benefits of thinking ahead
Themes examined:
• The importance of having a purpose
• Clinging to the old vs embracing the new
• The lure of the abyss
• Living in the now vs having a plan
“I’m just here for the gasoline.”
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior holds three accolades: it’s one of the greatest movies of the eighties, contains one of the greatest car chases captured on film, and is hands down the best movie to ever come out of Australia.
Before its release in 1981, audiences had never seen such visceral, spectacular carnage. Imitated by many, and only recently matched in 2015 by Fury Road, The Road Warrior is essential viewing. Also, for a movie which is close to forty years old, it damn well withstands the test of time.
The Vermin have inherited the Earth
One thing to highlight immediately is the look and feel of the movie – vast, desert landscapes filled with leather bound killer bikers, stripped down cars battling amid coppery dirt, and bizarre characters, ranging from scientists to feral children. The imagery is so powerful you can almost smell it.
The Road Warrior had a look and feel never seen before, and its impact was massive. Soon after its release, it was copied, parodied and paid homage to in many forms, including:
• Wrestling - The Legion of Doom
• Music videos - Duran Duran’s Wild Boys
• Manga - Fist of the North Star being the most notable example
• An entire genre of cheap (and not so cheap), knock offs - notable examples include Warriors of the Wasteland 1983, Steel Dawn 1987 and Waterworld 1995
• A direct reference in Weird Science 1985 - Vernon Wells replicating his Wes role
Beyond the above, the Road Warrior’s influence is still felt today, from the popular TV series South Park to video games such as the Fallout 3, 4 and New Vegas.
But enough about the impact, it’s time to examine the film itself.
I Remember the Road Warrior
We begin with the V8 interceptor (a modified 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT coupe), one of the coolest cars ever shown on film. The sleek, black body and the distinctive roar of its powerful engine set it apart from the ramshackle vehicles driven by raiders. Whether in the filth of a post apocalyptic wasteland, or any other time or place, the V8 Interceptor is an awesome machine.
The driver, Max, is an extension of the vehicle. Dressed from head to toe in functional black leather, his demeanor remains ice cold during a high speed chase. Though outnumbered and outgunned, Max uses his driving skills to handle business. What’s noteworthy about the main character is how little he actually speaks - not only in this scene, but throughout the entire movie. His character is similar to the man with no name character from Sergio Leone’s legendary Dollars Trilogy. Even with Max’s sole companion, a dog, he communicates with it wordlessly. A knowing glance signifies that things are going to get intense.
The crash we then see sets the tone for how spectacular this film is – The sheer visceral delight of watching cars spin through the air and spray their shattered parts amid flying dust is thrilling. This was in an era long before CGI, so all of the crashes are for real, which heightens the intensity. Up until this point in cinema, there was nothing like this committed to film.
This is the first of many crashes throughout the film, each one more memorable, and spectacular than the last.
During this initial chase sequence we are introduced to the main henchman of the film, Wes. From his bright red mohawk, leather chaps, shoulder pads, and his strange lover / pet, everything about Wes is post apocalyptic. This is further shown by the way he chooses to express himself when pulling the arrow from his arm – the look in his eyes is not that of a human, and instead of threats, he emits an animalistic, blood-curdling scream.
This entire scene has zero dialogue, and it shows how society has crumbled. Speech is one of the key elements which separates humanity from beasts, and with this departure from speech, to feral nature humans return. Wes is an animal let loose, and Max responds in a wordless manner - blank stare, shotgun at the ready.
Wes, animalistic as he is, understands the consequences of a shotgun and opts to ride off into the desert. As Wes leaves, we are left to ponder the sinister implications. We know these two will meet again.
At this point, we see what Max has been reduced to: existing as a scavenger of the dead. During his search of the broken down tanker, we see graffiti on the side of the truck. It’s low key, but noticeable to the sharp-eyed observer. “The vermin have inherited the Earth.”
As Max opens the truck door, we see a corpse fall out. The bloated features may come as a shock to the first time viewer, however Max meets it with a blank stare. There is no fear, flinch or any trace of disgust. This man must have seen harrowing things to remain so emotionless.
Rifling through the pockets of the body, Max finds a musical box – his slight smile shows remnants of human emotion, but the expression is fleeting, there’s no way back to the old world.
With this lull in the action, we can take a moment to examine Max, and what makes him such an iconic character.
Though a man of few words, his outfit speaks volumes about what he has experienced, and who he is:
• Leg brace: An injury after being shot in the knee in the first movie. A makeshift brace to keep him mobile, most probably made by himself – highlighting his ingenuity.
• Cut off sleeve: His arm was run over by a biker in the first movie. Most likely broken, the sleeve would have been cut off during the initial treatment. Max still wears the jacket due to its usefulness out in the wasteland – highlighting his logical, linear thinking.
• Fingers and thumb cut from his leather glove: this allows quick, tactile gripping of the shotgun and reloading shells – highlighting his battle hardened experience.
Despite looking like the coolest warrior in the wasteland, nothing is for show. Everything about Max is geared towards wasteland survival, and this extends to his mentality. His blank expression and silence are deliberate in their design. In a world of violent encounters with killer gangs, he works alone.
During Max’s scavenging of the gyrocopter, we gain insight into his abilities as he bests a snake. This is a man that has been permanently injured by violence, but his reactions are still quicker than most. Reflexes alone aren’t enough in the wasteland however, as the Gyrocaptain springs his trap. There’s no greeting or reasoning between the two men, instead they are like wild animals circling each other. It’s here that we finally hear Max speak:
In the wasteland, the only language that’s understood is that of violence.
A key detail here, easily missed, is the placement of the Gyrocaptain’s fingers on the crossbow. (Visible especially when pinning Max’s head to the car).
If he actually fired the bow, it would damage his fingers. This indicates that he is not battle hardened like Max, and doesn’t have the killer instinct to survive in the wasteland. The truth is brought to light when they reach the car door.
As Dog comes to Max’s aid, the Gyrocaptain’s facade is lifted, revealing his cowardly persona. Unlike Max and his determined silence, the Gyrocaptain begs for mercy, offering his knowledge of an oil refinery to stay alive.
Fuel is so valuable in this world, that Max goes against the very methods that have kept him alive and takes the Gyrocaptain as a passenger.
“Smegma Crazies to the Left! The Gate! Gayboy Berserkers to the Gate!”
(Spoken by The Humungus - barely audible but visible in the subtitles)
As Max scouts the refinery, we see what the world has been reduced to: people fighting over fuel in a wasteland.
Max does nothing to help the besieged people of the refinery, instead watching from afar whilst eating a tin of dog food. During the siege, two cars attempt an escape. One is quickly overwhelmed by the raiders and the other drives off into the wasteland. Nothing is said, nor is there a spectacular action set piece. The following actions are observed through the long lens of a telescope. Both Max and the captain sit and watch as a woman is raped and a man is tortured. Through Max’s observation, we get a glimpse into the relationship between Wes and his bike passenger. As Wes pins the helpless man to the ground with an arrow, we see him exchange a look with the young man who looks on.
Though this exchange is wordless, it hints at a number of possible meanings. One interpretation is that of a perverted state of arousal, the inflicting pain on a helpless individual is something that Wes gains pleasure from, such is the intensity of his look. Another possible interpretation of it is that the young man is a prisoner, and the look is an implied threat of similar consequences should he try to escape. A third interpretation is that the young man is an understudy of Wes, and is being made, either through force or ruthless example, to be more like his animalistic big brother.
The moment is brief, but it hints at a more complex relationship between characters, and shows that everyone has layers beyond what is seen in typical action movies.
The responses of the two men observing this scene demonstrates their ability to function as human beings. The Gyrocaptain still retains his humanity, showing shock and revulsion at the brutality he has just witnessed, however Max is completely devoid of emotion, a shell of a human being. This is further demonstrated in Max’s interaction with the dying man at the crash site:
Dying man: “Thank you.”
Max: “Save it. I’m just here for the gasoline.”
To the dying man, Max’s actions seem heroic, however they are merely steps in Max’s linear thinking: helping the man is a way to gain access to the refinery, and the precious fuel held within.
Once inside the refinery, we get to see the survivors up close, most notably the following characters:
• Papagallo - the leader
• The Warrior Woman
• The Feral Kid
We see a group close to breaking point: dissenting voices, bickering, medical aid being administered and fear mongering. As Papagallo questions Max, we see both the humanity and inhumanity of the world at play, and how Max treads the line between the two:
Max: “We had a deal. He said if I brought him back here, he’d give me some gas. There’s not much time.”
Refiner: “There was a woman in the car.”
Max: “She’s Dead.”
Refiner: “What did they do?”
Max: “It was quick. Look I just want my gas and I wanna get out of here.”
This terse exchange of information says a lot about the characters. As we see by the man’s reaction, the woman was someone dear to him, and her departure was a certain death sentence. That he still had hope for her shows a mentality that has no place in this world.
Max on the other hand, is much more pragmatic. His description of her death is not so much for consolation, but a way to bypass the usual human interaction and quickly get to the gasoline deal. Humanity still exists in the wasteland, though not in Max.
Beyond fueling his car, there is a deeper, unseen meaning to the gasoline which Max desires. He already went against his own methods in bringing the Gyrocaptain, but now he’s exposed himself to additional danger, his presence now known to a group of murderous bikers. Why would a loner put himself to such trouble for a few cans of gasoline?
The Warrior Woman takes Max to task for his proposed deal:
“Trading in human flesh, mercenary trash.”
It says a lot that Max doesn’t dispute this.
Papagallo closes the deal: “If you had a contract, it was with him, and it died with him.”
A man is as good as his word, unless he’s dead.
At this point we get a close look at Max’s V8. The envious group surrounds the car, leading to Max’s dog defending it. A brawl ensues, with Max protecting his pet.
As he shields it from blows and pleads with the group, we see signs of an emotional connection. Evidently, Max’s reason for existing is built upon two things: his car, and his dog.
Just Walk Away
The groups’ dealings with Max are cut short by the marauders return.
The fate of those that escaped earlier is revealed, strung on the front of the marauders’ vehicles like macabre ornaments. Some are dead, others broken, with one still defiant. There are signs of torture, and for the two that remain alive, death would be a mercy. We can see that the ideologies of these two groups are at polar extremes: One is barely clinging on to the ways of the old world, and the other has fully embraced the chaos of the wasteland. It’s clear that there can be no peace between them.
As the murderous gang converges in front of the refinery, we take in their look and feel. Beneath the thunderous roar of their engines, we see that all are dressed in a chaotic, apocalyptic style: Leather, chains, mohawks, fur, feathers, ripped clothing, armor, studs, spikes, masks, and bare flesh, caked in motor oil, dust and sweat.
In comparison, those in the refinery are dressed in light colors, cinematic shorthand for the good guys. Max however, is dressed in black, and is closer in appearance to the marauders. Though he may have started out as human, he is slowly descending into the abyss of the wasteland and becoming like the monsters within it. the raiders wearing police equipment and driving police cars echo this. In the first Mad Max movie, Max was also a cop, and his path is no different than those that have already turned. This is hinted at in the exchange of glances between Max and Wes.
On one level there is a recognition of their previous interaction, a look of hatred between them, but on a deeper level, Max is staring at the very real possibility of what he could become.
Toadie calls a halt to the roar of engines, resulting in a moment of silence.
This shot has a haunting quality, like a bad dream that won’t end.
It’s here that the Humungus is formally announced.
“The Lord Humungus. The warrior of the wasteland, the Ayatollah of rock and rolla!”
The Humungus is one of the most memorable villains in action cinema, for several bizarre and contradictory reasons:
• He is gigantic, with a musculature that is at odds with the wasteland. The Humungus somehow retains his imposing size while others survive by eating things like rancid dog food.
• His head is horribly scarred and burned, resulting in missing ears and cobweb like hair blowing in the wind. However his chiseled body glistens in the sun like a statue.
• The hockey mask highlights a fascinating paradox. The raiders cover their faces to filter the dirt and dust, however the mask which the Humungus wears is full of holes. These serve no purpose other than to hide his face.
• He is dressed in a few strips of leather. Whereas others shield themselves from the blistering sun, the Humungus is almost completely exposed to it.
• His voice is not animalistic like Wes, instead soft with a slight Nordic accent. Added to this, he is the most eloquent person in the wasteland, with a manner of speaking which is completely at odds with his monstrous appearance.
In addition to the above, the Humungus doesn’t seem as violent as the rest of the raiders, yet they all bend the knee to him. It would seem that in a post – apocalyptic wasteland, a ferocious character like Wes would be the leader. However, it’s the Humungus that rules the barren wastes, with Wes as his pet.
This reason for this is shown during the Humungus’ “Dogs of War” speech:
As the Humungus is talking, The Feral Kid launches a surprise attack, killing Wes’ partner.
Wes becomes enraged. He defies his leader and screams for revenge.
Whilst the Refiners look on with fear, The Humungus overpowers Wes, choking him unconscious.
As Wes passes out, the Humungus consoles him, speaking softly and at the same time with calculated menace: “We’ve all lost someone we love, I understand your pain. But we do it my way. Fear, fear is our ally.”
Not only is the Humungus physically stronger than the most ferocious member of his gang, he possesses an intellect which rivals the Gyrocaptain.
In this initial appearance, The Humungus demonstrates high emotional intelligence and long term strategy, yet in contrast, he has torture victims on the front of his rig. This mixture of intelligence, strength and brutality leads to a disturbing notion. It would be easier to stomach if there was a monster behind the hockey mask, however there is something far worse. The pale blue eyes that peer out from behind the mask are those of a rational human being. These are the eyes of a person that compared the old and new worlds, and willfully chose to embrace the anarchy of the wasteland.
The Humungus closes his speech with the famous line: “Just walk away.”
The urge of “just walk away” shows psychological cunning. Rather than threaten them with violence, he appeals to their rational side, yet he does so with a simmering intimidation. Essentially they have been given a Hobson’s choice: leave the refinery and face death in the wasteland, or die at the hands of The Humungus.
You want to get out of here? Talk to me.
As the group bickers, it’s Papagallo alone that counters The Humungus’ offer. Not only does he counter the rabble’s eagerness to walk away, but he also highlights a key theme throughout the movie:
Papagallo: “Let’s say we do leave, what then?”
Without a purpose, they lose what little humanity they have left.
This is echoed in the meeting of Max and the Feral Kid.
Their interaction barely passes as human. The child, a remorseless killer, flashes his weapon at Max, who in turn shows a musical box pilfered from a bloated, rotting corpse. Immediately the Kid’s attention is caught, and the earlier posturing and intimidation is forgotten. Living in the present moment, without thought or purpose beyond instinctual urges is behavior seen in animals. Max and the Feral Kid communicate entirely in grunts and blank stares.
Compare this with Papagallo: focused on the future, and the purpose that unites the survivors. It’s Papagallo’s vision that is keeping them from descending into the abyss.
Max: “My ride and all the juice I can carry.”
One of the few times Max speaks during the movie is when stating the above terms in exchange for a tanker. His interactions with the survivors are solely out of necessity, rather than the more human behaviors of empathy or collaboration. This lack of humanity is further highlighted during Max’s trek to the tanker. He runs into the gyro captain again, and there is a distinct lack of camaraderie or kinship between them, despite their earlier dealings. Instead Max forces him at gunpoint to carry the guzzoline.
Remember Lingerie?
As they scavenge the dead looter by the gyrocopter, Max reveals that he never had ammo for his shotgun. The empty shotgun is symbolic of Max’s character – Built for a purpose, but empty. The shotgun analogy extends to those in the wasteland, with purpose as ammunition, and the gun as the consequence. With ammunition they can defend or they can destroy, the consequence being humanity, or anarchy.
Max’s emptiness is demonstrated during a brief interaction with the Gyrocaptain:
Gyrocaptain: “You’ve gotta understand the basics of aerodynamics.”
Max: “Shut up.”
Without a purpose, he chooses neither humanity nor anarchy, his existence lying somewhere in between.
Face to Face
As Max ploughs through the raiders’ camp, we see shots of the raiders at rest: a mechanic under car, another is getting a haircut, two lovers in a tent, this is evidence that they have their own society.
They are human after all, needing down time and human interaction like those inside the refinery. It’s here that we can see the flip side of life in the wasteland. For the raiders, it’s the committing of horrific acts that provides a sense of purpose to their existence. This leads to an intriguing notion. With the exception of the Feral Kid, the collapse of civilization is within living memory for all of the characters, including the marauders. This point, though barely mentioned in the film, is disturbing in its implications. These were people that functioned in society before the collapse, some of them wearing police uniforms and driving police cars indicates that they held positions of authority.
Did the wasteland sandblast them into becoming sociopaths, or was this sadism always present within them, waiting for the collapse of civilization?
A specific example that alludes to this can be seen as Max and the Humungus come face to face. As Max speeds back to the refinery, the Humungus pulls out a gun from an ornate box.
Inside the velvet lined case, we can see evidence of his background.
(details taken from Madmax.fandom):
”The photograph of the couple appears to be from the WWI-era (1914-1918). The man is wearing a British officer field uniform (tunic, Sam Browne belt, jodhpurs and cavalry riding boots) and the woman wears fashions common around 1916-1920. There are two silver medals (possibly service medals), two commonwealth service stars, a large Prussian Totenkopf and Australian Military Forces uniform insignia amongst others.”
This could possibly have been picked up whilst scavenging, however there are indications to the contrary: the tactical mind, sadistic displays of power, European accent – this is a descendant of World War II.
Open the Gate!
In what should be a triumphant return, Max brings the tanker, and defends the refinery. This changes the opinion of those in the refinery towards Max:
The entire group now see Max as a hero, someone who will lead the way in their bid for freedom.
Max’s response however, shows how broken he is:
Max: “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, but I’m leaving.”
We see how much the wasteland has warped Max’s mind: others cannot be saved, only yourself. With his part of the deal done, it’s time for payment, and the end of the relationship.
Outside, The Humungus reveals the true nature of the man behind the mask:
The Humungus: “You have defied me! You will know the vengeance of The Lord Humungus! I promise you… nobody, nobody! Gets out of here alive!”
The night time performance by the raiders is biblical: we see a montage of rain in the desert, dancing raiders, and torture, all lit by fire and backed by the Humungus reciting Von Goethe’s poem: "Der Erlkönig" (a Gothic poem describing the death of a child at the hands of a supernatural being).
As terrifying as this is for those inside the refinery – we can see that Max shows no reaction.
This lack of fear is not bravery, more disconnectedness, apathy and cold logic. Those inside the refinery are doomed, but as a distraction to the raiders, they will enable his escape. Rather than help their cause, he puts all of his stock in himself, a lost cause.
This is demonstrated in Max’s response to Papagallo’s offer:
Papagallo: “Look, l don't have time for long speeches, l want you to drive the tanker.”
Max: “Sorry. We had a contract. l kept my part of the bargain.”
Papagallo: “We'll make a new contract.”
Max: “l've got all l need here.”
Papagallo: “You don't have a future. l could offer you that. Rebuild our lives.”
Max’s blunt refusal results in an investigation by Papagallo. His probing provokes a response from max, showing us his inner workings:
Papagallo: “What is it with you? What are you looking for? Come on, Max, everyone's looking for something. You happy out there, are you? Eh? Wandering one day blurring into another? You're a scavenger, Max. You're a maggot. Do you know that? You're living off the corpse of the old world. Tell me your story, Max. What burned you out, huh? Kill one man too many? See too many people die? Lose some family? Oh, so that's it. You lost some family. That make you something special, does it?”
Everything which Papagallo says rings true, prompting a response from Max:
It is clear that this is a raw nerve, and here we see the reason for Max’s nihilistic existence. Papagallo realises this:
Papagallo: “Do you think you're the only one that's suffered? We've all been through it in here, but we haven't given up. We're still human beings with dignity. But you, you're out there with the garbage.”
Max’s existence is laid bare by the figure most in touch with his humanity. Everyone, even the raiders have lost someone they love, and whether he joins the ranks of the good or the bad, a key element of humanity is existing amongst others. What Max is, is below that of a human, as Papagallo puts it – “a maggot… living off the corpse of the old world.” This solitary and nihilistic existence will is worse than living as a raider or a refiner, because there is no meaning to it.
Though Max remains defiant, we can see that Papagallo has hit upon the truth. This is evident when the Feral Kid tries to escape in Max’s car. Max is clearly conflicted by his decision. These people are a force for good, but they are doomed. As the opening narration told us, Max was broken by the new world, and he is unable to forge relationships. This is not due to lack of ability, but because he fears losing those that he cares for. In the brutality of the wasteland, it’s better to be alone than to care. Living off the corpse of the old world shows us that Max doesn’t want a future, or dignity. What he wants is gasoline.
As he prepares to head off into the night, we hear parting words that ring hollow:
Max: “Well, see you around.”
In such a godless, apocalyptic existence, this is at odds with reality. It serves to highlight Max’s paradoxical existence, living in the new world, but still unable to give up his connection to the old.
You Blew it You Fool!
As Max drives into the night, we see Wes in a meditative state.
In a manner that borders on the paranormal, he detects the sound of Max’s engine and gives chase. In comparison to Max’s inability to let go of the old world, Wes has embraced the chaos of the wasteland, and has adapted to it, becoming something other than a man. In the ensuing chase, the reality of the wasteland kicks in. Max is quickly dealt with and his car is totaled. An interesting point here is that before going for the kill, they go for the gasoline first, to perpetuate their reign of terror.
Max is badly injured, and his car is a wreck. The dog, out of loyalty, makes a pitiful last stand against the approaching attackers, its barking silenced by a crossbow. As Max is about to be killed, his last card is played.
Wes’ reaction is telling here – he shows anger, not for losing the gasoline, but because he didn’t get to kill Max by his own hand. This is a man that has revels in the abyss of the ruined world, The Humungus’ favorite dog of war.
Assuming Max to be dead, the raiders drive away, leaving him to crawl through the dirt. He has nothing left, and is at his lowest point, yet he continues dragging himself. Even with nothing left, Max still shows no emotion, only a grim desire to continue his existence.
It’s this scene which shows us Max’s reason for being: He refuses to die, but he also refuses to live – His existence is essentially that of a cockroach, feasting on the detritus of a ruined world.
For someone that turned their back on humanity, this should be the end. However the human qualities of hope and kinship, dismissed by Max, are the very things which come to his rescue.
After a dream like return flight, Max wakes up in the refinery. Hasty preparations indicate the group are leaving imminently. Barely able to walk, he finds and confronts Papagallo, offering a new deal. Something has changed in Max:
Max: “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll drive that tanker.”
Papagallo: “The offer is closed. Too late for deals.”
Max: “No deals, I want to drive that truck.”
Papagallo: “Why? Why the big change of heart?”
Max: “Believe me, I haven’t got a choice.”
Both men are forced to concede to an altered plan:
Papagallo: “You should look at yourself Max, you’re a mess.”
Max: “Come on, cut the crap! I’m the best chance you’ve got.”
No further words are needed, the deal is struck.
It’s here, when Max has lost everything, that he finally has something to live for.
The stakes are now set for one of the greatest car chases ever committed to film.
Why is the chase so effective, visceral and shocking?
The answer is multi faceted:
• To begin with, much like the French connection, they did this for real. Everything which you see on screen was planned, performed and filmed in reality (except for one moment which was not planned, but resulted in a spectacular shot).
• The way the chase is filmed: low angles, no dialogue, and skillful editing, create a frenetic, pulse pounding sequence.
• We are familiar with all of the characters in the chase. having seen the human side of these people, there’s an emotional resonance to all of the deaths, even the raiders.
• The deaths are brutal, with nothing stylized or elaborate, just simple grim unfair reality.
An example of how brutal this chase scene is, can be seen in the death of the Warrior Woman – she attempts to save the mechanic, gets shot and ends up hanging over the side, bleeding out onto the asphalt below.
She doesn’t even kill any of the raiders in her time atop the tanker. The mechanic in turn, tries to save her. In the ensuing struggle they are both pulled from the tanker and crushed beneath the wheels of the raiders.
Their deaths aren’t poignant or filled with meaning, but they were good people trying to help. The most crushing aspect of their demise, beyond the brutality is how pointless their effort was. They did nothing helpful, and now they are roadkill.
After this, there’s violent payback. Max pulls out the shotgun, killing one driver. We then see a crash with a spectacular wipeout, of a real person flying through the air! In reality, this wasn’t meant to happen, (the stunt went wrong, resulting in the stuntman badly breaking his leg) however the shot was so incredible that it ended up in the finished film. It’s another piece of magic in the movie, a spectacular shot that can never be recreated.
Similar to Aliens 1986, there seems to be no way that the protagonist can defeat the enemy. Max is injured, outnumbered and outgunned. He’s not a professional killer, just a man with exceptional skills and nothing left to lose.
The raiders now get onto the tanker, leading to the end game – some of the survivors return to help, including the Feral Kid, having stowed away on the truck.
Max battles with the raiders and Wes attacks with a mace. With options running out, Max brakes hard, sending Wes over the hood, seemingly to his death.
As Papagallo tries to rescue the feral Kid, The Humungus hurls a trident, swiftly killing him. Pappagallo’s death is neither spectacular nor memorable. Instead his car simply slows down and sputters to a stop in the wasteland, his vision for the future seemingly headed the same way.
The Gyrocaptain also tries to help, but is shot and crashes to the ground. This is a telling theme throughout the movie, whenever a character tries to help, death or disaster soon follows.
As a last gasp attempt to escape, Max performs a tight turn, resulting in a memorable shot of the truck against the sun, pursued by marauders. The sun is coming down, time is running out, not only for Max, but for humanity itself.
Max orders the Feral Kid to get the last bullet. Earlier in the film, we saw Max refuse to take the child in his car due to the potential dangers of the wasteland. Here however, he has accepted the nature of the wasteland. This results in a child crawling on the hood of a speeding truck, inches from death and destruction.
Get the Bullet!
The next scene is one that all viewers new and old are sure to remember.
The sound of a heart beat, the outside world dimmed, senses are stretched to their limits. The Humungus speeds up, silence in the bedlam, tense faces…
The Feral Kid reaches out:
Though lasting seconds, this scene is memorable because of the meaning within it. The two feral beings, Screaming at each other are like a mirror image. Wes could be his father, or his future. This also shows the future in this world: humans reduced to grasping and screaming, eyeball to eyeball. Max is the only one still thinking. He reaches out and drags the Feral Kid back inside. His cold detached persona showing its value in the wasteland.
Meeting Problems Head On
It’s here that Max solves his Humungus problem and it is spectacular:
No CGI, no special effects, no miniatures. The film makers crashed a car into a tanker at full speed. The explosion is horrific in its realism but also beautiful in its visceral eruption of car parts. It’s a metallic flower blooming in the wasteland.
The resulting crash of the tanker, combined with the pulse-pounding music and skillful editing, brings this incredible chase to a memorable end.
The Benefits of Thinking Ahead
As Max crawls from the wreckage, we are left to wonder why the fuel tanker isn’t a smoking husk.
Papagallo’s plan is revealed.
This leads us to a key thought: Did Max know that he wasn’t carrying the fuel?
The way that he catches it in his hands and looks at it tells us he didn’t.
The Gyrocaptain returns with a wry smile. What could it mean?
It could be relief at being alive.
It could be the laugh of a succesful trick being pulled off.
In switching the fuel before the escape, Papagallo not only tricked the raiders, but also Max. The entire chase having been sound and fury signifying nothing. This is a nod back to Max’s shotgun bluff earlier. Papagallo performed the same trick on Max, and the Gyrocaptain knew.
The realization dawns on Max:
He lets down his shield. Max is human after all.
This leads us to our final point of analysis – What, if anything, can we take from this movie?
Max has skill, but neither heart nor vision.
The Gyrocaptain, though intelligent, is cowardly.
Papagallo, though noble, doesn’t have the cold blooded decision making required in the wasteland.
Every other character in this world has embraced the wasteland, living solely in the present. Individually, the three main characters are going nowhere. But it is through Papagallo’s vision, borne of long term planning that their skill sets are brought together to create success.
It was Papagallo alone who was thinking long term. He knew that he didn’t have the skills or the nerve to carry out his plan, but with the arrival of Max and the Gyrocaptain, he saw in them the qualities needed to succeed. He even factored in his own death.
Papagallo’s idea lived long beyond him, a true visionary. Human ingenuity outlives the animalistic pursuit of the now, but it demands a level of craftiness, grit, luck and determination to see it through to fruition. They needed someone like Max, someone with that cold, hard edge.
When the world has gone to shit, you cannot rely on the goodwill of your fellow man.
You need cunning and guile, but to have the balls to pull it off, you need someone that has gazed into the abyss.
Someone that has a touch of madness.
