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It could be argued that the man known as Max Rockatansky was not cut out for life in a post-apocalyptic world. The character was brought to life by Mel Gibson in one of his best movie roles of all time and, while his survival skills and ruthlessness helped him survive when humanity took a nosedive, it was all due to his fragile mental state.
Throughout the Mad Max franchise, the character revealed his state of mind through a series of memorable quotes that stand above the rest. Whether fully embroiled in paranoia, or experiencing moments of rare lucidity, the few words spoken by Max were enough to establish his character’s iconic status through the films.
Updated on September 1st, 2021 by Derek Draven: Ever since the first Mad Max film, the character has had to contend with the worst elements of a society gone totally off the rails. Despite the character’s increasing misanthropy and isolationism, he still manages to show up and lend a helping hand, even if he’d rather not. That makes him a reluctant anti-hero, but a hero nonetheless. His best quotes epitomize the mind of a man saddled with guilt and trauma who still veers back into the green every now and again, for the betterment of those in his circle.
15 “I’m Scared, Fifi. You Know Why? It’s That Rat Circus Out There. I’m Beginning To Enjoy It.” (Mad Max)
“I’m scared, Fifi. You know why? It’s that rat circus out there. I’m beginning to enjoy it. Look, any longer out on that road and I’m one of them, ya know?”
A lot of foreshadowing took place when Max uttered this quote in the original Mad Max film. As the world descended further into chaos and lawlessness, Max was subjected to a level of violence and mayhem that he’d never been accustomed to. Eventually, it started permeating into his very soul, and he felt comfortable with it.
His self-awareness level is to be commended, especially when he remarks on the fact that he may soon turn into the same kind of person as the criminals on the road, but with a badge to justify it. This quote is heavy on foreshadowing, and it becomes more apparent throughout the Mad Max sequels, turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
14 “That Thing In There…That’s Not The Goose. No Way!” (Mad Max)
Max and the Goose were the best of partners, even if the latter was a little too headstrong and impulsive. Those qualities would end up catching up with him when he crossed Toecutter’s gang a bit too far. They took revenge on him for the death of the Night Rider at Toecutter’s demand, burning him alive.
Traumatized by the event, Max refused to acknowledge the fullness of what happened, which might be a coping mechanism. Max was already feeling like he was coming apart at the seams, but he never had to face down the death of such a close friend before. The stakes were raised, and this quote showed Max knew that he was in too deep.
13 “I Don’t Wanna Wait 10 Years To Tell Ya How I’m Feeling About Ya Right Now, Do You Know That?” (Mad Max)
After Max and his family decide to go on vacation following the attack on Goose, he finally has a chance to focus on what matters, instead of the chaos and lawlessness of the road. While enjoying some R&R with Jessie, he tells a story about how he looked up to his father when he was little and was proud of him
Even then, he had trouble expressing his feelings, but marrying Jessie has finally allowed him to express them. This is a major moment for the character, as it shows how much trouble Max has with emotion, even when things are going well. His fear of loss is tied directly to this emotional barrier, and they feed off of each other.
12 “The Chain In Those Handcuffs Is High-Tensile Steel.” (Mad Max)
“The chain in those handcuffs is high-tensile steel. It’d take you 10 minutes to hack through it with this. Now, if you’re lucky, you can hack through your ankle in 5 minutes. Go.”
Max snapped after his wife and child were ruthlessly run down and murdered by Toecutter and his gang, and his personal vendetta was swift and harsh. After taking out the gang, Max goes after its only remaining survivor, Johnny, and gives him a chilling ultimatum.
It’s a pivotal moment in the film as Max indulges in the sadism he was afraid he’d start to enjoy. From that point on, he ceases to be the man he once was and turns into the kind of self-serving drifter seen in Mad Max 2, and Fury Road.
11 “The Deal Was I Wouldn’t Kill You. I Reckon You Got A Bargain, Don’t You?” (Mad Max 2)
After the events of the first film, Max had turned into a cold, bitter, and resentful misanthrope who was only interested in survival – not comradeship. After overpowering the Gyro Captain, the two struck a deal through which he would show Max a nearby heavily guarded oil refinery.
When the Gryo Captain tells Max that he would let him go after he showed him the gas, Max corrects him with this quote, which is both chilling and intimidating at the same time. It’s a testament to how ruthless Max had become, and he wasn’t afraid to double-cross those he made deals with, simply by splitting hairs for his own gain.
10 “I’m Just Here For The Gasoline.” (Mad Max 2)
Max wasn’t particularly interested in helping his fellow survivors, especially after learning of Lord Humungus, one of the most dangerous characters in the Max Mad franchise. After his gang runs down two settlers who leave the oil refinery, Max heads down to save the life of one who is still alive after being shot with a crossbow.
When thanked, Max utters this quote, which lays his cards out on the table. By bringing him back to the oil refinery, Max will have a way to get inside and strike a deal with the settlers, all for his own gain. The plan was entirely self-serving, which was in line with his survive-at-all-costs character at that point. Fortunately, his humanity would break through in the end.
9 “If It’s All The Same To You, I’ll Drive That Tanker.” (Mad Max 2)
After Max formulated an initial deal with the settlers, his plan fell through and he was left gravely wounded by Humungus’s crew. Realizing that his first deal didn’t exactly endear him to the settlers, Max decides to sweeten the pot by offering to drive the tanker out of the compound, despite his wounds.
It would prove to be a rare display of compassion on his part, even if he believed he didn’t have a say in the matter. By leading the gang’s forces away with a decoy tanker filled with sand, Max was able to save the lives of the settlers, while obtaining what he desired at the same time. It’s obvious that he was pleased with being able to save the settlers, but it took him reconnecting with his good side first.
8 “The First Place You’ll Find Is A Sleaze-Pit Called Bartertown. Now If The Earth Doesn’t Swallow You Up First, That Place Sure As Hell Will.” (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
This quote comes courtesy of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. When Max stumbles upon a group of children descended from the passengers of a crashed Boeing 747, they tell him the story of how they came to be, and their plans to locate the civilization known as “Tomorrow-morrow Land.” Max urges them to stay within the safety of the oasis they’ve found for themselves, rather than venture out.
After telling the children about the fall of civilization and all the technological advances that are no longer in existence, he gives them some tough love. This quote shows how, for all his ruthlessness and manipulative tendencies, Max still realized that nothing was more important than saving the lives of children who were innocent from what was going on in the world.
7 “I Ain’t Captain Walker. I’m The Guy Who Carries Mr. Dead In His Pocket.” (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
The oasis children believed Max to be “Captain Walker,” the original pilot of the Boeing 747 that crash-landed, who had returned to fix the plane and fly them to safety. Not only does Max vehemently deny this, but he goes a step further by warning the children about himself.
Talking in their child-like lingo, Max makes reference to “Mr. Dead,” believing himself to be a danger to others. This quote strengthens the potential reasoning behind Max’s decision to not go with the settlers at the end of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, and that theory is further cemented in Fury Road when it becomes clear that Max is running from his own guilt over those he couldn’t save.
6 “My Name Is Max. My World Is Fire And Blood.” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Fury Road switched up the formula a bit by adding Max’s own inner monologue as the narration. This was a deviation from previous films where others provided the vocal exposition and backstory. Here, Max’s mind is at the center of the chaos, and the audience sees the world through his eyes more than in any other film.
This quote is both poetic, and poignant. The world of Fury Road is much more menacing and violent than anything seen before, and it appeared as if things were only getting worse. After suffering a terrible tragedy, Max’s mind was already on the verge of going bestial, and this quote shows how badly he’s circling the drain.
5 “I Am The One That Runs From Both The Living And The Dead.” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
The death of Max’s wife and child in the first film was what broke him, but the torment didn’t stop there. Each time he tried to help people, he ended up getting many of them killed. No matter how many people he ended up saving, he would continue to be haunted by all those he could not and this quote beautifully sums up that integral aspect of his character.
In Fury Road, Max is haunted by horrible visions of Glory, a little girl he tried to save and reunite with her mother. In the incredibly badass Mad Max prequel comics, both were run down by a vicious group called the Buzzards, an opportunistic gang in rival opposition to Immortan Joe’s reconstructionist War Boys. There is speculation that Fury Road takes place before Mad Max 2, which would explain why his character in that film is so utterly unscrupulous.
4 “How Much More Can They Take From Me? They Got My Blood, Now It’s My Car!” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Max’s V8 Interceptor is the coolest vehicle Mad Max franchise, and perhaps the only thing he felt a genuine connection to in a desolate world. When the War Boys attacked and captured him, they paid insult to injury by converting his car into a vehicle for their aggressive campaigns.
Max’s Interceptor was the only thing he considered reliable. He was so attached to it, in fact, that he would hunt down anyone, and risk everything to get it back. This might be his attempt to hang on to the only stable thing in his life, especially following the deaths of his wife and child. His love for it, however, does make for some more humorous moments, such as this quote.
3 “That’s Bait.” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
After narrowly escaping Immortan Joe and his crew, Max, Furiosa and the rest of the brigade make their way into the desert where they come across the Vuvalini clan, an all-female tribe. At first, they see a naked woman at the top of a structure crying out for help, which is the first sign of trouble.
Max immediately recognizes that it’s a trap intended to lure in unsuspecting travelers, and he utters this quote, which has gone on to become meme-worthy unto itself. The key takeaway here is that Max has seen it all, including the worst aspects of humanity who will do anything to trick others and take their belongings.
2 “You Know, Hope Is A Mistake. If You Can’t Fix What’s Broken, You’ll, Uhhhh…You’ll Go Insane.” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Max was never one to mince words, especially when it came to the state of the world. Realizing that societal breakdown was complete by the time Mad Max: Fury Road took place, Max made survival his number one priority.
His words of advice weren’t exactly uplifting, but they are poignant and have resonated with fans. Believing that a broken world could be saved would be enough to drive anyone “mad” through repeated failures, not to mention a complete loss of faith in humanity.
1 “Max. My Name’s Max. That’s My Name.” (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Max was largely uninterested in sharing any personal details of himself with others, especially considering his penchant for misanthropy and a desire to remain a drifter. However, he’d break his own rule at the end of Mad Max: Fury Road with this unassuming–yet significant –quote that he gives after saving Furiosa’s life and bonding with her throughout the course of their quest.
His name would have massive meaning for those who crossed his path and were able to survive because of his actions, no matter how reluctant he was to perform them. In some circles, Max’s name passed into legend, immortalizing him as a hero in his own right. That was never his intention, but it might have been cathartic for a man plagued with guilt and torment.
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