Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

Directed by George Miller and screenplay by Miller, Terry Hayes, and Brian Hannant, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the story of a man driven by loss as he reluctantly help a group of settlers deal with marauders wreaking havoc during a post-apocalyptic period in Australia. The film is a sequel to the 1979 film in which Mel Gibson reprises his role as Max Rockatansky as he tries to cut himself off from humanity only to realize what he needs to do to regain. Also starring Bruce Spence, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Michael Preston, and narration by Harold Baigent. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a thrilling and high-octane film from George Miller.

The film follows a man who would go on the road with his dog as he finds himself dealing with crazed marauders where he later finds a small village with lots of gasoline that is being threatened by marauders as gas is now the biggest currency in this post-apocalyptic environment. It’s a film that forces a man to deal with the demons from his past as he struggles to survive with just by himself as he knows that there are marauders just creating havoc and doing whatever they can for one bit of gasoline. The film’s screenplay that feature opening and closing narration by Harold Baigent as an unknown character who describes the events that led to what has happened showcases a world that has lost its way.

Max Rockatansky is just passing by trying to salvage whatever he can find as he would encounter a gyro pilot (Bruce Spence) where he would show him an oil refinery that is constantly attacked by the marauders. He agrees to help them retrieve an oil rig in exchange to get his car fixed and with his own supply of oil in return. Yet, things become complicated due to the marauders including a crazed henchman named Wez (Vernon Wells) who just likes to kill no matter what while he also wants revenge for the death of his companion in the hands of a feral boy (Emil Minty) that befriends Max.

George Miller’s direction starts off with a montage filled with stock footage and images from the previous film as it relates to the chaos that lead to the events in the film as this opening montage is presented in a full-frame 1:33:1 aspect ratio before being presented in a widescreen format in the 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Shot on location near the mining town of Broken Hills, New South Wales in Australia, the film play into this world that is quite desolate and chaotic where it’s cars that kind of rule the land as they’re used as weapons all in the need to get oil so the marauders can wreak havoc. There are some wide and medium shots Miller uses to capture the scope of the location while he would use close-ups for a few moments in the action but most of its usage is on the characters in the non-action scenes as a lot of those shots are straightforward.

In the action scenes, Miller maintains a realism in the way stunts are performed as well as the intensity of the action where much of it is on the road with some of it on the air. Miller also maintain some focus on what is at stake as well as identifying the people at the oil refinery who just want to live and restart their lives with Max unsure if he wants to help them. The film’s climax is intense as it play into the stakes as well as what Max has to do to help these settlers find hope. Overall, Miller crafts an exhilarating yet intense film about a loner trying to help settlers deal with marauders in a post-apocalyptic world.

Cinematographer Dean Semler does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the natural approach to the daytime exterior scenes as well as the usage of low-key lights and fire for the scenes at night. Editors Michael Balson, David Stiven, and Tim Wellburn do excellent work with the editing as it captures the energy of the action with some jump-cuts as well as some transition wipes and dissolves to help play into the non-action scenes. Art director Graham “Grace” Walker does amazing work with the look of the cars as well as the oil refinery which looks a bit like a fortress. Costume designer Norma Moriceau does fantastic work with the costumes as some of the marauders wore some kind of strange leather gear with spikes and masks.

Makeup supervisor Lesley Vanderwalt does nice work with the makeup from the look of some of the characters as well as the Mohawks of some of the marauders. Sound editor Bruce Lamshed does terrific work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the action as well as the sound of gun fire and engines as it add to the film’s chaotic tone. The film’s music by Brian May is superb for its bombastic orchestral score that add to the action and suspense as it is a major highlight of the film.

The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Arkie Whiteley as the captain’s girlfriend whom the gyro pilot is fond of, Max Phipps as a marauders crier Toadie, Virginia Hey as a woman warrior who isn’t fond of Max at first, Michael Preston as the settlers’ idealistic leader Pappagallo, and Kjell Nilsson as the marauders’ charismatic leader Lord Humungus who is never seen without his mask as someone that wants to bargain with the settlers or else would cause mayhem. Emil Minty is fantastic as the feral kid who wields a boomerang that can kill people as he is fascinated by Max despite the fact that he never says anything other than scream and bite.

Vernon Wells is excellent as Lord Humungus’ henchman Wez as this Mohawk-sporting marauder who is quite wild and vicious as he shoots arrows from his arms. Bruce Spence is brilliant as the gyro captain as a gyro-copter pilot who is kind of the film’s comic relief as a wanderer that is trying to survive as he would eventually be an ally of Max. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson in an incredible performance as Max Rockatansky as a loner with an Australian Cattle Dog who is just moving along to not deal with anything as he reluctantly help some settlers as a way to get him back in touch with reality as it’s a very restrained yet chilling performance from Gibson.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a phenomenal film from George Miller that features a great performance from Mel Gibson. Armed with dazzling visuals, high-octane action sequences, and a chilling story of survival in the post-apocalyptic world, it’s a film that offers so much in terms of what is expected in action films but also provide something more as it’s about a man trying to come to grips with loss and his reluctance to reconnect with humanity. In the end, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a spectacular film from George Miller.

George Miller Films: Mad Max - (Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet) – (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome) – (The Witches of Eastwick) – (Lorenzo’s Oil) – (40,000 Years of Dreaming) – (Babe: Pig in the City) – (Happy Feet) – (Happy Feet Two) – Mad Max: Fury Road - (Three Thousand Years of Longing) - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - (Mad Max: The Wasteland)

© thevoid99 2017

Commando (1985 film)

Directed by Mark L. Lester and screenplay by Steven E. de Souza from a story by de Souza, Joseph Loeb III, and Matthew Weisman, Commando is the story of a former Delta Force commando who is forced by a South American dictator to kill a leader or else the commando’s daughter is killed forcing the man to take action. The film is a simple story that revolves around a commando who is being pushed into doing something he doesn’t want to do while knowing that his daughter’s life is on the line. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Vernon Wells, James Olson, David Patrick Kelly, Alyssa Milano, Bill Duke, and Dan Hedaya. Commando is an ass-kicking and exciting film from Mark L. Lester.

When a man is being forced to kill a political leader by a dictator in the hopes that he can save his daughter’s life knowing that she’ll still be killed if he does the deed. It’s a dichotomy that is uneasy but if that commando is John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger), then that dictator is going to need a lot of body bags. It’s a film that manages to be very simple in its premise where this former commando is dealing with old foes who definitely have a grudge towards him all because Matrix is a man that stands for what is right as the only thing he has in the world is his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). Knowing that Jenny is likely to be killed, Matrix uses his skills as a commando to do whatever it takes to save her with the help of a flight attendant named Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) who understands the severity of the situation. It’s a film that manages to do so much with a simple story while the script itself does have some funny one-liners and puns that Matrix says like “I eat Green Berets for breakfast”.

Mark L. Lester’s direction is quite simple though it starts off in a very dark way when some individuals are being killed as it is a total contrast to the peace and tranquility that Matrix is having with his daughter. Yet, the film would take a dark turn once Matrix is in danger as Lester’s usage of close-ups and medium shots come into play. Much of the film is shot in California where it would be set in different places in South America as it maintains something that feels like it’s set in another world. Especially in the film’s climax where Matrix arrives at the home of the dictator Arius (Dan Hedaya) where it becomes one of the film’s most violent moments. Some of which is very ridiculous but Lester knows it’s ridiculous which makes it so fun to watch. Especially in the way Matrix kills soldiers as if he is this one-man army as Lester adds a lot of humor to some of the violence no matter how gruesome it is. Overall, Lester creates an exhilarating and explosive film about a commando trying to save his daughter from the bad guys.

Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti does excellent work with the cinematography from some of the daytime lighting schemes in the Californian mountains to the usage of lights for the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Glenn Farr, Mark Goldblatt, and John F. Link do amazing work with the editing from the opening credits montage to the stylistic cuts in the film‘s action sequences including its bloody climax. Production designer John Vallone and set decorator Robert Gould does nice work with the film‘s set design from the home of Arius to the cabin home that Matrix lived in at the Californian mountains. Sound mixer Donald F. Johnson does terrific work with the sound to capture the intensity of the fights and the gunplay that occurs. The film’s music by James Horner is wonderful for its mixture of brooding electronics with calypso percussions and orchestral flourishes to play into the air of suspense and action.

The casting by Jackie Burch is amazing as it features notable small roles from Bill Paxton as naval interceptor, Bill Duke as a former Green Beret that works for Arius in Cooke, David Patrick Kelly as an associate in Arius in Sully, and James Olson as Matrix’ former superior General Kirby who would inform Matrix about some mysterious occurrences involving Arius. Alyssa Milano is wonderful as Matrix’s daughter Jenny as this young girl dealing with being kidnapped as she manages to talk some shit towards Arius. Vernon Wells is excellent as Arius’ henchman Bennett who was an old ally of Matrix who despises him as he wants Matrix dead.

Dan Hedaya is fantastic as Arius as this dictator who has a grudge towards Matrix for usurping him as he wants him to kill the man who had replaced him in his old country as a form of torture. Rae Dawn Chong is superb as Cindy as this flight attendant who joins the ride by accident as she helps Matrix do what is right while being funny and be crafty with a bazooka. Finally, there’s Arnold Schwarzenegger in a phenomenal performance as John Matrix as a former commando that is being pushed to the breaking point about what he’s asked to do only to refuse in an attempt to save his daughter. It’s a performance that has Schwarzenegger be a total badass as well as saying some funny puns and one-liners as it’s one of Schwarzenegger’s quintessential performances.

Commando is a remarkable film from Mark L. Lester that features an incredible performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a film that isn’t just an entertaining action movie but one that does what it needed to be and more while not being afraid in making itself look ridiculous which adds to the film’s unique approach to humor. While Commando is a spectacular film from Mark L. Lester, there is a lesson to all of this. It’s one thing to kidnap a young girl and be forced to carry out an assassination. If that girl happens to Alyssa Milano and her father is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then Jabroni, you’re about to be fucked.

© thevoid99 2015