This early Mel Gibson film from Australia is a cult favorite, but I fail to see a rational reason why. For the first half of the film, Mel Gibson and family run around empty highways in a (presumably) post-apocalyptic world, crossing paths with street thugs and motorcycle gangs. In the second half of the film, disaster strikes, and Gibson kills stuff. Failing to provide either intellectual or visceral entertainment, Mad Max is little more than a film-length showcase of boredom and sadism. The cinematography and minimalistic soundtrack are effective, and there are a few horrific moments -- but as these aesthetics lack anything substantial to support, who cares?