Time for yet another english-writing essay. And this time we take a look upon the Mad Max franchise. This franchise has always been special to me and I do see the 5 different adventures as nearly perfect. Even if I personally have some issues with the most famous one, The Road Warrior. However, it is time to dwell upon this mad world of mayhem and survival. And the question is: What drives Mad Max?

 

Our tale begun in the late 1970's. Australias movieindustry has reached rock-bottom. Markus has far more knowledge and facts in this, so I'd turn myself to him to explain the Ausplotation that came. But in short terms, very cheap movies were made in Australia during this period. One of the biggest motherloads is Mad Max. With simple tecniques and camera-tricks they made a hardcore tale about a cop trailing a band of nasty bikers.

 

 

The film does take place in a dark future, driven by gangs. But not the one future we know that the universe of Mad Max produced later. With the sequel came the changes we know of today. And with it came an icon about a silent "hero" in a dead world. The Road Warrior removed everything, leaving us in a land of heat and nothingness. We get more hope in the more child-freindly Beyond The Thunderdome, where Max finds himself protecting a bigger society and saving children. Fury Road showed the carnage of pure insanity, madness and what happens if you give mankind nothing to live by at all. Mad Max (the videogame) is the fifth installment to dwell more in Max reluctant escape from any responsibilities. It works as a knot, tying the films together.

 

So what drives this franchise? In contrast to Marvel, DC, Planet of the Apes and Star Wars, none of the films gives any hints about a future installment. They live by their own, doesn't reflect upon previous films or refer to them. (Just slightly in Fury Road.) There's even rumors that Max is crazy and the first film is a dream. Does it matter? Not really. It shows the human spirit in a world gone mad. Plain and simple. And tells it with different elements all the time. 

 

And in the center of these stories is Max. A man just trying to survive. No hero. Just a driver.

A human who's only desire is to live another day.

That is what drives him. And it drives him mad.