Fantastic Fest 2008

Brief Description:
Sequel to MAD MAX puts the pedal to the metal, then both pedal and metal alike explode in a death-shower of indescribable awesomeness. (Lars)

Full Description:
While it's sometimes depressing to realize that civilization is crumbling all around us, and that the combination of global warming and energy-based geopolitical strife will likely cause the destruction of the social order as we know it in a dozen or so years, it's also comforting to watch THE ROAD WARRIOR and realize how fucking cool it's going to look. Seriously, Mel Gibson as Mad Max runs into a spot of trouble here and there but his car kicks a thousand tons of ass. The movie is directed with so much skill and a serious movie buff's aptitude for the exact, perfect photographic angle or cutaway shot that it transcends the flat ugliness of the outback terrain and makes it a primal battleground for what's left of Good vs. rampaging, triumphant Evil. THE ROAD WARRIOR has a bit more Hollywood in in than MAD MAX but the conflict is fantastic. Lord Humungous and his triple-ugly crew of leather-punk shit starters are hall of fame bad guys and they enforce their own brand of social Darwinism with a gnarly mailed fist. It's up to Mad Max to be the de facto justice system in the midst of a war between the gasoline crazed thugs and the perpetually oppressed good guys, who just want to raise their awesome feral children and fly their super-incredible autogyros. It's a film that has contributed whole volumes to the visual and aural language of film-making. Directed by George Miller at his Spielbergian peak. The photography, editing, stunt-work, art-direction and costume design are all divinely inspired, as if a force from beyond wanted to warn us about becoming too reliant on petroleum-based fuels. We're ready to listen now. (Lars Nilsen)

(NOTE: At both MAD MAX and ROAD WARRIOR free outdoor screenings, in addition to the fun onscreen, Chef John Bullington will be serving up classic Australian meat pies, shrimp on the barby and there will be plenty of giant-sized ice-cold Foster's to wash'em down with. Also, come prepared, we're having a Vegemite sandwich eating contest before the film.)

This film is sponsored by Foster’s.