Having watched just the earlier 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,' which I liked even though it wasn’t universally well-received, and knowing this new sequel received an astonishing ten Oscar nominations, I felt compelled to revisit the original before seeing the latest one on the big screen. This initial entry into the post-apocalyptic genre really impressed me, and it's easy to understand why both it and Mel Gibson achieved such widespread popularity. Aside from Kenneth Anger’s experimental work 'Scorpio Rising,' I can’t think of another film that so intensely focuses on vehicles and the process of getting ready—whether for driving or combat. It's remarkably well-directed and maintains a good level of tension, especially considering it was Miller’s debut, and I’m happy he’s still directing these films after 36 years. To understand how to keep a successful series going, you only need to look at the contrasting paths taken by George Miller and George Lucas in recent decades. It's disappointing that they were so limited financially that Gibson was the only one who could have genuine leather in his costume—I’m confident that isn’t an issue anymore.

Source on TMDB