Mad Max Trilogy

All three of filmmaker George Miller's desert apocalypse films starring Mel Gibson as the vengeful Max are collected in this set, which features the Blu-ray debut of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). The original low-budget Mad Max (1979) introduced a grimy, gritty social milieu on the verge of collapse, revving it up with careening car chases and savage wrecks. An impossibly baby-faced Mel Gibson plays both rebel and reliable family man—a cool cop in black leather and a souped-up V8, driven to seek revenge after his wife and son are murdered. By the time The Road Warrior (1981) rolled out, Max was all scar tissue and survival instinct, a dark loner in the harsh Australian outback. Here, Miller carves out a defining production aesthetic of scavenger style and guerilla attitude, while his action scenes combine comic book mythos with a visceral punch. Beyond Thunderdome never rises to the heights of The Road Warrior, turning Max into a savior of lost children, but Tina Turner offers a memorable turn as Aunty Entity, the rock star MC of the Thunderdome death-matches. Extras include audio commentaries, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and an intro by Leonard Maltin for The Road Warrior. If you already own the first two films on Blu-ray, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is also available separately on Blu-ray for $19.98. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)