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The Road Warrior (1981)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 7/04, 12/04, 7/07, 7/21

RoadWarrior
7/07: It's hard to explain to somebody, who didn't first taste the pre-CGI cinema world, why The Road Warrior was a thrilling film during the early 80's.

Fast forward to today, yeah...the movie looks average although the stunts are world-class. The story is bare bones and silly most of the time. Occasionally, I'm put to sleep although the original did do that to me more often.

Yet I remember how The Road Warrior was the rage for a long time. It made Mel Gibson a household name, and he only had sixteen lines of dialogue. I sometimes wonder if Lord Humungus' hockey goalie mask served as an inspiration for Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th.

All in all, the unbelievable stunts did make The Road Warrior an outstanding picture in the heyday, but it's now outdated.

7/21: Changing my mind, The Road Warrior seems to have aged well, and it's still the best post-apocalyptic picture made.

Compared to Mad Max, the movie moves quicker, is equipped with better story, and has more interesting yet less annoying characters. Coupled with the terrific editing, the stunts are still out of the world. The opening and closing scenes are unbeatable as well.

Having only sixteen lines of dialogue during the entire film, Mel Gibson is better this time around. Instead of being too clean-cut, he's dirty and more in tune with the barren environment. There are many weird characters clad in leather. I suppose it's the only time when the bondage apparel starts to make sense. By the way, Emil Minty, who plays the feral kid, is actually a he.

All in all, a highly creative action-adventure movie, The Road Warrior is far better than Mad Max.