Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
BBB.5
(out of 5)
Think of this one as the Return of The Jedi of the Mad Max series: not bad but too obviously a part of a franchise and more geared to its younger target audience. Mel Gibson is once again the furious hero of the title who finds himself robbed and alone in the middle of the Australian desert. He stumbles upon a place called Bartertown where he seeks shelter, immediately recruited to fight in a gladiator arena where the town’s two rival heads (one played by a scintillating Tina Turner) fight out their power over the people. Gibson also comes upon a group of orphan children who survived a plane crash during a nuclear war and now think him a hero and ask him to lead them to a safer place than where they are. The series has definitely lost its edge in the third installment, but it hasn’t lost its sense of fun, so go ahead and watch it; you won’t admire it but you won’t really regret it either.
Directed by George Miller, George Ogilvie
Screenplay by Terry Hayes, George Miller
Cinematography by Dean Semler
Produced by George Miller
Music by Maurice Jarre
Production Design by Graham ‘Grace’ Walker
Costume Design by Norma Moriceau
Film Editing by Richard Francis-Bruce
Cast Tags: Adam Cockburn, Adam McCreadie, Adam Scougall, Adam Willits, Amanda Nikkinen, Andrew Oh, Angelo Rossitto, Angry Anderson, Ben Chesterman, Bob Hornery, Brian Ellison, Bruce Spence, Charlie Kenney, Christopher Norton, Dan Chesterman, Daniel Willits, Edwin Hodgeman, Emily Stocker, Emma Howard, Flynn Kenney, Frank Thring, Gabriel Dilworth, Geeling Ng, George Spartels, Gerard Armstrong, Gerry D’Angelo, Heilan Robertson, Helen Buday, Hugh Sands, James Napier Robertson, James Wingrove, Joanna McCarroll, Justine Clarke, Kate Tatar,Katharine Cullen, Lee Rice, Liam Nikkinen, Luke Panic, Marion Sands, Mark Kounnas, Mark Spain, Max Worrall, Mel Gibson, Miguel López, Ollie Hall, Paul Daniel, Paul Larsson, Pega Williams, Rachael Graham, Ray Turnbull, Rebekah Elmaloglou, Robert Grubb, Robert Simper, Rod Zuanic,Sally Morton, Sandie Lillingston, Shane Tickner, Shari Flood, Susan Leonard, Tarah Williams, Tina Turner, Toby Messiter, Tom Jennings, Toni Allaylis, Tonya Wright, Travis Latter, Tushka Bergen, Virginia Wark, William Manning
Golden Globe Award Nomination
Best Original Song-Motion Picture (“We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)”, music and lyrics by Terry Britten, Graham Lyle)
