8.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
In an apocalyptic future, Max helps a small band of survivors who are losing their struggle to protect an oil refinery under siege by a band of savage marauders.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon WellsAction | 100% |
Thriller | 98% |
Sci-Fi | 84% |
Adventure | 22% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Mad Max 2, or The Road Warrior, as it is known in the US, is a great action film. Even though it was made a generation ago, it's set in a near apocalyptic future where oil has run out and civilization has crumbled, so it might well be a movie released today. When it was released in the 80's it was a very exciting film to watch, with all its car stunts and non stop action. The Australian film was also one of the first films that Mel Gibson did (the latest being reviewed Signs), and with the iconic character of Max the little mad one, both actor and creation became stars and an ingrained part of our culture. Mad Max 2 was actually the sequel to the previous Mad Max, another Australian production, both directed by George Miller, and its success pushed the wave of the Australian invasion. Subsequently, the first Mad Max was re-released in the US, and a third sequel was later made and released. Since most people in the US hadn't seen the first Mad Max before, most people experienced this second movie first, as a standalone piece.
Warners has given us Mad Max 2 in a clear 2.39 transfer from an element that looks clean and
sometimes looks almost brand new. The movie didn't look this clean on the original presentation
I saw. With a VC-1 bit-rate in the 20's the image seems solid for the most part, except for
shots done on location in available light, specially a night. The worst shot, occurring on a night
excursion by Max to transport gasoline on foot hiding from the desert gang, looks just like how
an underexposed photograph does when its pushed to the limit, and on top of that the shot has
this lighter area coming from the left that seems to be the result of either a location light source,
lens flare, or maybe actual fading of the film element. Noticeable because the transfer tries to
bring out the maximum detail possible of that scene onto the BD. On the DVD, this scene is
almost totally black, and you can barely see anything.
So having no real worries about
wrong grain, DNR, and sharpness, which on those respects, the transfer is satisfactorily fine, the
main issue to note about this transfer is that, it has color timing different from
previous video incarnations and seemingly from the original prints. Pointed out by Blu-ray.com
Forum member and disc producer dvdvision, the transfer hasn't been color timed like the
original, compared to the DVD and Laserdisc. While I remember the theatrical presentation being
visually exciting and earthy (a warmer tone), this Blu-ray color seems to strive for a totally
neutral, cooler, straight transfer from the source element. It may be that the original color
balance should be slightly warmer, darker, pungent and arid. In comparison to the Blu-ray's
deeper
blue skies, pale beige sand and earth, and fully green bushes, the DVD colors suggest the notion
that
sunlight from
an apocalyptic sunset was striking at the locations, the earth was dry, and skin tones all looked
more
vibrant. You could try setting your display's color temperature to it's warmest setting, or boost
the color slightly but it wouldn't be the same. Even the Helicopter Man's pants looked more of a
bright yellow orange, while on the Blu-ray his pants are almost a pale pastel yellow. You can see
comparisons here, here,
and here. That's the
only dissatisfaction I
have with the transfer, which based on
image structure alone, specially compared to the DVD, trounces any previous version, having
superior enlarge-ability on a big screen that a DVD can't even touch. And this is truly a movie
where the larger you watch it the better it gets, which the BD provides for your viewing
pleasure.
Mad Max 2 The Road Warrior comes on this Blu-ray Disc incarnation with a DolbyDigital 5.1 640
mb/s soundtrack. The 5.1 stereophonic remix favors the music more than the mono mix I heard
on my theatrical viewing (the theater I went to didn't have any fancy "Dolby Stereo" back then) so
it was a pleasant, albeit different, experience this time. On the theatrical, the dialogue and engine
sound effects were predominant but this wider stereo presentation lends the Brian May music a
better showcase among all the explosions , squealing tires, engine rumble (that beginning
Interceptor roar is great!), and crashing metal and debris.
Complete with 30 seconds of Exit music. (Although I didn't like having a title card telling me all the
time the music played that it was the exit music)
The Blu-ray comes with a very interesting Director and Cinematographer's Audio
Commentary where they have a great time reminiscing on how things were back then and
the particulars of shooting, even taking about film stock speeds, shooting in the desert
with
available light, the stunts, the dog and even Mel. ;). When they mention the ratio, is the
customary "2.35", even when Anamorphic projection hasn't been that shape since the 70's and
the
film is truly 2.39. I mention this so that in the case that you listened to this, you woudn't start
worrying,
as the disc is in the proper ratio.
Also included is the two and a half minute Trailer, letterboxed in 1.85 4:3 coded
mpeg-2
SD, whose faded colors in some way resemble something of the original theatrical memories,
and
a 3 and a half minute SD Leonard Maltin introduction where the renowned film critic
gives us an overview of the film explaining the history of the distribution of the Mad Max films
and
the innovative action and its influence on movies, while the film plays in a big theater screen
behind him, the way the movie should be viewed (and thanks to 1080p projectors and Blu-rays
you can emulate this now at home).
Well what's there to conclude about the Mad Max 2 Blu-ray? Color pays an important part of
setting
the mood, and in that area, the disc, looking neutral, and cooler, and "accurately" flat, doesn't
reach
the best color representation possible. That's not to say the colors on the disc look bad or off, in
fact
they look pretty good, nice blue skies, normal skin tones, there's the red blood, etc. But they
don't
look warm, worn, arid and excitingly hot, as the apocalyptic world of a Road Warrior should
be.
But at the same time, the BD is obviously the best quality version available and in many respects
the preferred source to watch the movie as it has been seen in a couple of decades. Plus the
music and effects sound fine and widely appropriate for the film, in fact much better and finer
than
most mono/stereo optical sound theaters of the era could ever achieve. Because of
those factors, I recommend watching Mr. Mad Max on Blu-ray: A Panavision/CinemaScope-wide
image
can really only be experienced as it should and appreciated fully on a big screen, to get the
maximum in velocity, thrills, and excitement. And in that respect, after many years of pan and
scan and tiny letterboxed SD images, it is a pleasure to relive the movie with that kind of
excitement.
Mad Max 2
1981
Mad Max 2
1981
Mad Max 2
1981
Mad Max 2
1981
Mad Max 2
1981
wrong audio tracks
1981
1981
Corrected Disc / Mad Max 2
1981
1985
Collector's Edition
1979
2015
2020
2015
Director's Cut
2009
Collector's Edition
2013
2010
2009
+BD with the 3 versions
1991
2007
2008
2004
Special Edition
2000
2010
2013
2013
3 Disc Edition
2012
Ultimate Collector's Edition
1986
2015