Mad max 2 critical analysis

Essay by shaunliuUniversity, Bachelor's April 2002

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Mad Max 2, one of the most successful and influential cinematic works produced in Australian mainstream cinema. Summarizes aspects of the national mythology and intertwining these within a gothic, dystopic view of the near future with a hyper kinetic editing style and this near surreal abstraction of visual form and generic conventions. What makes the film so successful does not rely on the narrative, however the mood, tone and style which combines the action.

As if to complement the film's post modern, post-apocalyptic and post-industrial setting in which the simplest material goods are valued as dearly as human life, the film however had a really low budget. Unusually, though, many of the film's most recognisable elements, such as the punk S&M costumes, the sweeping shots of bare, desolate desert and the futuristic automobiles resulted from such a low budget, yet have undoubtedly enhanced the film's visual style.

This post apocalyptic setting in a rural area already told the story in advance, without stating a particular date, time and place creates the mystery of human's future existents.

Drawing all these attention and tense in the establishment, Who is Max after all without a proper introduction? Despite the flash back at the beginning and after all, the avant-guard structure of the plot leads to a question, who is Max? The name Max was never mentioned in the text, Max himself did not tell anyone nor others calling his name. Perhaps in this near surreal setting where the behaviour stands no distinguish between humans and animals, a name after all would seem not to be anything valuable. While the strong lives and weak perishes, the film after all portrays the good vs evil state of mind. The distinguish of the two stands a large contrast even though they were all just trying...