Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

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Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

R

1981

1h 35m

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After avenging the death of his wife and young son at the hands of a vicious gang leader, Max (Mel Gibson) drives the post-apocalyptic highways of the Australian outback, fending off attacks from nomadic tribes that prey on outsiders. Falling into an encampment led by the relatively peaceful Pappagallo (Mike Preston), Max at first schemes to steal their oil, but soon becomes the group's reluctant defender against the hulking Humungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his ruthless marauders.

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Critics Consensus

The Road Warrior is everything a bigger-budgeted Mad Max sequel with should be: bigger, faster, louder, but definitely not dumber.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

We may not feel crummy after the movie, but we feel hollow... The Road Warrior is for boys who want to go around slugging each other on the shoulder and for men who wish that John Wayne were alive and fifty again.

Sep 19, 2023

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Dwight Brown

Sepia

This one is destined to be a box-office smash.

Aug 10, 2022

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Exhilarating entertainment -- and a textbook for sophisticated, popular moviemaking.

Aug 25, 2008

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Miller’s vision of collapsed governments, feral gangs, and the ramifications of ecocide have become increasingly dire and prophetic in their glimpse at the near-future.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 6, 2025

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Akhil Arora

AkhilArora.com

The worldbuilding is possibly its biggest accomplishment, as you can start to see the elements of the wasteland take shape.

May 31, 2024

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Alan French

Sunshine State Cineplex

Crafting “The Wasteland” and the aesthetic of the franchise, Miller took a huge step forward with the franchise. His action direction remains spectacular, and the editing techniques forever changed action cinema.

Rated: 9/10

May 23, 2024

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John F

What it lacks in character development compared to the original it makes up for on the production side of things, with the stunts, costumes, and cinematography all being top-notch. That said, this sequel really made me appreciate the original even more.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/18/25

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 35 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/24/25

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Jerod S

All about that tanker control, the wild outfits and how these groups survive in the barren world

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

john h

An original post-apocalyptic revenge sequel that spawned the post-apocalyptic wasteland genre way more convincingly than its predecessor. This doesn't only make The Road Warrior a sharper action film but the climax of a buildup that started in the prequel.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/04/25

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Les N

Probably the best movie I've ever seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/22/25

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Benyamin M

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is a great sequels to a great action film. And this one has cemented as one of the best sequels of all time. With a great revenge story and cinematography and action.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

Full Review

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George Miller

Director

Mel Gibson

Max

Bruce Spence

The Gyro Captain

Emil Minty

The Feral Kid

Vernon Wells

Wez

Michael Preston

Pappagallo

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Synopsis

After avenging the death of his wife and young son at the hands of a vicious gang leader, Max (Mel Gibson) drives the post-apocalyptic highways of the Australian outback, fending off attacks from nomadic tribes that prey on outsiders. Falling into an encampment led by the relatively peaceful Pappagallo (Mike Preston), Max at first schemes to steal their oil, but soon becomes the group's reluctant defender against the hulking Humungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his ruthless marauders.

Director: George Miller
Producer: Byron Kennedy
Screenwriter: Terry Hayes, George Miller, Brian Hannant
Production Co: Kennedy Miller Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround

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