Last Updated on August 3, 2021
The majority was definitely in agreement with the outcome of our last Maniac Cop Face-Off that part 2 was the superior installment. It was also nice hearing everyone’s general affinity for the fun, classic series.
We are heading into a desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland for today’s Face-Off off the recent news about a Fury Road that will soon be coming our way as well as the similar themed The Rover which opened this past weekend. Hell yes, it’s time to get Mad with Mr. Mel Gibson so fill up your gas tanks as we pit Mad Max up against The Road Warrior!
Max
In our initial introduction to Max, he hasn’t quite yet earned his “Mad” tag. However, he is already the best at what he does: chasing down road scum and bringing them to justice. But he also has a family man side that humanizes him from the rest of his pack. In fact, he even gives up on his job for family half way through, only to be turned into his bad-ass Mad self when they are taken away. It’s damn harsh and hardcore.
Max is a full-on mad lone warrior right from the start here in the sequel. He doesn’t take any shit and knows what to do in order to survive. Even when people think they have him in their clutches, he still comes off as cool and in control. It’s one of the first perfect examples of what a true action movie hero is and should be.
Vehicles
Max’s black Ford Falcon Interceptor is an exquisite piece of raging road machinery. Modified with a Concorde front end and a supercharger protruding through the bonnet, it truly is a car to be reckoned with. There’s also the fast yellow Ford Interceptors that Max and his fellow MFP colleagues drive, plus the zooming Kawasaki KZ1000 driven by Goose.
Mad Max’s Interceptor fearlessly makes its return as do the zipping Kawasaki motorcycles. From there, we branch off into some major, increased-budgeted forms of wheels. There’s a dune buggy that is perfect for off-terrain driving, a f*cking huge Mack R600 Coolpower, and a gyrocopter for taking to the skies. Not to mention the suped-up truck driven by Humungous. The sequel’s vehicle’s rule!
Bad Guys
Nightrider is a pretty fun crazy guy at the flick’s opening as he flees from the MFP’s, trash talking all the while. However, it is definitely Toecutter’s evil show as he absolutely chews the scenery as his gang’s ruthless leader. Balancing a perfect mix of menace and charisma, he is clearly a psycho force to be reckoned with.
Max is fighting the bad guys from Weird Science. Just kidding. Well, he is, but said bad guys came here first. Humungous certainly looks intimidating with his muscles and hockey mask, but his outfit is so skimpy. Kinda takes away from his stature. Also, Wez is pretty formidable, but also kinda girly with his pink mohawk and S&M garb.
Action
We plunge into the wild drag strip that is the highway immediately with Mad Max. An insane high speed chase is underway with the MFP and bad guy Nightrider. It really kicks off the flick with a bang. From there, we get Goose eating it in a fast motorcycle crash. Lastly, there is Max’s rather quick, but still harsh hunting down of those that killed his family on the road.
This flick seems to go from one awesome action set piece to the next. First Max is fighting on the road for fuel, then he’s thrown into this fight for survival between a somewhat peaceful group and a band of psycho marauders looking to kill the group and take all their fuel. There’s fighting in cars, there’s fighting on foot, there are arrows, guns, flame-throwers, and boomerangs. It’s fantastic!
Finale
After the heartbreaking loss of his family, Max fully evolves into his Mad persona, taking to the road to exact his revenge. It is utterly bad-ass and I only wish it lasted a little longer. But I suppose when you drive as fast as Max, the revenge can’t help but be swift. Regardless, when he forces Toecutter to crash head-on into a semi-trailer truck, it rings out as an awesome victory.
It’s an all out battle for survival between Max’s fuel clan and the crazy marauders that begins on the land and ends on the road. This is how you do an epic action movie ending. Max is driving the big rig, trying to take his new friends to freedom while Humungous and his cronies are chasing them down. There’s collisions, explosions, deaths, and triumph. It is utterly satisfying.
The Road Warrior
It would appear that The Road Warrior completely ran over Mad Max. I wish it wasn’t such a landslide, but I couldn’t help calling it as I saw it. Road Warrior really just feels like the better movie, although both together are an excellent pair! What do you road ragers thing? Which Max is your fave? Please fire them bullets below! And feel free to send any future Face-Off ideas to me at [email protected].
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