Mad Max (1979)

Mad Max barely lets Max get mad until the movie is nearly over. For most of its 88 minutes, Mel Gibson plays a tired highway cop who wants to quit, spend time with his wife and baby, and never see another motorbike. That’s a strange way to build a revenge movie, and the middle stretch, a seaside getaway with a lot of waiting around, sags hard. But when George Miller hits the road, it’s thrilling. The camera sits low, right at bumper height, so every chase feels like you’re about to get flattened. Hugh Keays-Byrne’s Toecutter is a truly creepy villain, a gang leader who giggles like he’s at a party only he was invited to. Steve Bisley’s Goose is the most fun guy on the force. The cars look homemade, which somehow makes them scarier. It holds an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. A 7.0 because the chases are electric and the story takes its sweet time showing up. $738 says you give your car a name tonight, and it has the word Interceptor in it.

What works: The low, fast chase photography and Toecutter’s giggling menace make every road scene feel dangerous.

What doesn’t: The middle drags through a long family getaway, and Max himself is a bit of a blank until the final stretch.

Who it’s for: Fury Road fans curious where it all started, and anyone who likes car chases with real cars.