THE ROAD WARRIOR (1981)
MORGAN'S RATING
The first sequel to Mad Max takes place after nuclear war has destroyed Australia. In this installment, Max lends his aid and protection to a small band of survivors who are losing their struggle to protect an oil refinery under siege by a band of savage, mohawked marauders. Playing very much like a post-apocalyptic western (right now to Max's dog, Hondo) The Road Warrior boasts one of the most thrilling car chase scenes ever filmed.
Mel Gibson (Mad Max Rockatansky), Bruce Spence (The Gyro Captain), Michael Preston (Pappagallo), Max Phipps (The Toadie), Vernon Wells (Wez), Kjell Nilsson (The Humungus), Emil Minty (The Feral Kid), Virginia Hey (Warrior Woman), William Zappa (Zetta), Arkie Whiteley (The Captain's Girl), Steve J. Spears (Mechanic), Syd Heylen (Curmugeon), Moira Claux (Big Rebecca), David Downer (Nathan), David Slingsby (Quiet Man), Kristoffer Greaves (Mechanic's Assistant), Max Fairchild (Broken Victim), Tyler Coppin (Defiant Victim), Jimmy Brown (Golden Youth), Tony Deary (Grinning Mohawker), Kathleen McKay (Victim), Guy Norris (Bearclaw Mohawk), Anne Jones (Tent Lover), James McCardell (Tent Lover), Harold Baigent (Narrator, voice).
RUTHLESS...SAVAGE...SPECTACULAR.
FACTS PRODUCTION INFORMATION
RELEASE DATE: March 21st, 1980 (USA)
BOX OFFICE OPENING: $2.5 million (USA)
BOX OFFICE RESULT: $23.7 million (USA)
BUDGET: $2 million (USA)
- In one scene, Max eats a can of "Dinki-Di" dog food. 'Dinki-Di" is Australian slang for "genuine, real." (I'll leave you to draw your own conclusion.)
- Renamed "The Road Warrior" for North American distribution because at the time, the original film had only been released there on a limited basis, so calling it Mad Max 2 would have confused viewers.
- The logo on the tank truck is "7 Sisters Oil", reference to a conspiracy theory, popular before OPEC-conspiracy theories took over, that Standard Oil and six other companies controlled the world oil market and brought up and suppressed 200-MPH carburetor and so on to keep oil prices up.
- Because was relatively unknown in the US, the trailers did not feature Mel Gibson, but instead focused on the chases and action scenes. This was also the case in the first film's trailers.
- Director/Co-writer George Miller was given the rights to this and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdone (1985) to get him to stop aside as the director of Contact (1997).
- The original V8 Interceptor car is now in the 'Cars of the Stars Motor Museum' in England with other famous cars such as the Magnum PI Ferrari and the Knightrider KITT.
- After Mad Max (1979) was finished, all of the cars were supposed to be destroyed, including the black interceptor. But someone thought the interceptor was too good to lose, so they saved it from the crusher. This was before the film was even released. When this sequel was in its planning stages, someone found out the interceptor had somehow survived, so they tracked it down, and brought it back.
- Followed by two sequels: Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2004).  		DIRECTOR: George Miller (Mad Max). 
WRITERS: George Miller, Terry Hayes and Brian Hannant.
PRODUCER: Byron Kennedy.
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Brian May.
DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.
QUOTES
The Gyro Captain: Lingerie. Oh, remember lingerie?
The Gyro Captain: I got a recipe for snake. Delicious. Fricasee of reptile.
Max: I'm just here for the gasoline.
Humungus: I am gravely disappointed. Again you have made me unleash my dogs of war.
Toady: Greetings from The Humungus! The Lord Humungus! The Warrior of the Wasteland! The Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla.
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.
Max: Two days ago, I saw a vehicle that would haul that tanker. You want to get out of here? You talk to me.
Papagallo: If you had a contract, it was with him. And it died with him.
Max: I got all I need here.
Papagallo: You don't have a future. I could offer you that.
Curmudgeon: Ya have to come, sonny. This is where we're going. Paradise! Two thousand miles from here. Fresh water. Plenty of sunshine. Nothing to do but breed.
Pappagallo: 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. You're nothing.
CRITICAL COMMENTS
"One word: BOOM!" -- Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
"Glorious Aussie follow-up to Mad Max. Bigger crashes, more flamboyant villains, great offbeat characters. Too bad Hollywood ruined the franchise from here." -- Brian McKay, EFilmCritic.com
"The movie builds into an extended chase scene that has carved its own niche in movie lore." -- James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
"Quite simply the best action-exploitation film ever made." -- Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile