---
title: "Mad Max: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/mad-max/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/mad-max"
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 9
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Mad Max (1979): what the critics said

Critics' score 77 from 9 reviews: 9 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

## Slant Magazine

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 November 2020. 

The critic praises Mad Max as a miracle of economic filmmaking that builds tension from scaled-back action sequences and superb car chases on a tiny budget. They highlight the Australian landscape's effectiveness and Mel Gibson's charismatic presence in the role.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/mad-max-4k-review-george-miller-kino/)

## The Guardian

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 February 2020. 

The piece presents the 1979 original as a high-adrenaline masterwork and landmark achievement that fuses Ozsploitation with the sophistication of the Australian New Wave. It singles out the film's kinetic action language and low-to-the-ground chase camerawork, already evident despite the low budget and rudimentary production values.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/13/mad-max-40the-anniversary-how-low-budget-original-remains-film-making-feat)

## The New York Times — Elvis Mitchell

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 February 2000. 

The review finds the original Australian version a punk western with comic-book volatility and strong visual intensity that holds up as a riveting classic. It singles out Mel Gibson's early presence and Miller's kinetic reflexes for particular praise while noting some dated elements.

[Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/021100mad-film-review.html)

## Empire — William Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

The review notes that director George Miller cast unknown Mel Gibson in the lead of this low-budget Australian film, setting both on the path to success. It describes the plot briefly and concludes that the film, now with original accents restored, is simple but effective.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mad-max-review/)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Rating **. 31 December 1978. 

The review calls it a fast-moving exploitation picture with a simple revenge plot but praises its kinetic energy and filmmaking craft. It singles out George Miller's direction, the camerawork, and the stunt work as what makes the film stand out beyond its genre trappings.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1978/film/reviews/mad-max-1200424469/)

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 August 2022. 

The original Mad Max stands as a triumph of less-is-more ingenuity and lean, hungry B-movie aesthetics that aligned perfectly with its era. It singles out the propulsive silent-movie slapstick tradition and the stripped-down apocalyptic authenticity for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/08/25/movies/george-miller-career-arc-three-thousand-years-of-longing)

## Collider — Zach Laws

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 31 May 2024. 

The original Mad Max presents a disturbingly realistic vision of society on the verge of collapse that feels eerily relatable today rather than fantastical. It singles out the visceral, grounded car crashes for praise, crediting Miller's ER-doctor background and the modest production's tangible power.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/mad-max-1979-look/)

## Digital Spy — Ben Rawson-Jones

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2015. 

The critic revisits the 1979 original as a timely counterpoint to Fury Road, praising its tense depiction of societal breakdown, precise action choreography on a low budget, and strong female characters who act with spirit and agency. Miller is singled out for building emotional impact through the destruction of Max's family and for themes that remain relevant decades later.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/re-viewed/a648509/re-viewed-mad-max-how-does-the-1979-original-compare-to-fury-road/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2008. 

The critic finds Mad Max a powerful, essential viewing experience despite flaws in acting and crude dialogue, because it is otherwise so well made with its stark violence and outback setting. It singles out the intense, affecting portrayal of violence and its psychological damage, noting how the compromised hero marks a turning point in 20th-century cinema.

[Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/mad-max-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/mad-max.md