Max patrols a barren, dusty world where petrol and violence are more precious than morality. The highways are hunting grounds for gangs and police, and lost souls drift through a society left to its own devices. Amidst the roar of engines, explosions and growing brutality, his belief in order crumbles. When his best friend dies during an operation and the sadistic Toecutter destroys his family, Max becomes ‘Mad Max’, who, armed and driven by revenge, roams the scorching streets of Australia to hunt down the gangs and restore justice. Mad Max is director George Miller's uncompromising debut. With minimalist storytelling, relentless car chases and raw violence, he created a unique apocalyptic style and popularised the apocalyptic road movie. The film marked a turning point in the action genre, influenced later blockbusters and drew international attention to Australian cinema, while at the same time vividly reflecting social fears about resource scarcity, violence and the breakdown of order.