Set in the near future, Mel Gibson stars as the titular Max, a police officer fighting against the increasingly hostile lands, full of marauding car and biker gangs who have no regard for life, or for laws, and especially not for law officers. A family man, Max doesn't know if he's really cut out to put his neck on the line in a losing battle against anarchy. He soon discovers there is not much escape from the criminal element that have permeated everywhere, and it's kill or be killed in the lawless and bloodthirsty territories.