Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Movie Review

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

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Written by: Terry Hayes, George Miller
Directed by: George Miller, George Ogilvie
Starring: Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
After being exiled from the most advanced town in post apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen.

Verdict
The franchise is a fun concept, but this entry is an imitator. I don't care that it's not rated R. It's not the lack of gore, but the tone of the movie that feels contrary to the Mad Max universe. This starts strong with the Thunderdome, then becomes a kids adventure movie. As a single entry it's hard to recommend, but as part of the overall franchise it expands the world.
It depends.

Review
The Mad Max franchise is comprised of movies that make up the legend. Mad Max: Fury Road is a distillation of the Mad Max franchise, with a focus on gasoline, including a supercharged V-8 interceptor, and the over the top hallmark. The original Mad Max is dark and violent. Mad Max 2 is the original blue print for Fury Road. Beyond Thunderdome is another Max adventure that's a lot softer.

I love the franchise world. It's got a great vibe and aesthetic. The movies do a great job of depicting disparate civilizations trying to survive. In this entry, Max ends up in Bartertown with a standard plot. He'll use his specialized skills to curry favor from the local leader.

Welcome to Thunderdome.

The Thunderdome fight is creative. Max and Blaster are in a steel cage with weapons hanging from the ceiling. Only one man may exit.
Unfortunately that's where this movie peaks. Max ends up in another settlement run by children. The intriguing city of Bartertown is quickly abandoned. This is where the movie becomes more slapstick. I don't mind the kids, but this feels like a kids caper movie. Max the character and setting are more interesting than this plot. Max helps the children for no real reason other than he's the protagonist. The tone of the movie doesn't match the franchise. It becomes sillier.

Mel Gibson plays Mad Max.

I don't know what influenced the plot, but this is less of an indie post apocalypse action movie like the first two and closer to something a studio would churn out, catering to lowest common denominators.

Each movie feels slightly separated, as if each is a myth about Max traded by those left behind. Maybe that's how this was envisioned, the child settlement sharing this story and thus why it seems aimed at kids. That's a big excuse to give to this movie which is easily my least favorite of the franchise.