Starts by ticking you into thinking it's going to be one of the 47 million _Mad Max_ rip offs that was released around the same time, but quickly takes a left turn into "poignant social commentary". Keeps the punks though, so that's cool.

_Final rating:★★★ - I personally recommend you give it a go._

In the world of Dead-End Drive In a series of disasters have led to society struggling, there's a crisis with food, finance, and employment. Australia, where the story is set, is suffering along with the rest of the world. Gangs of dissolute youth are fighting authority. Make no mistake with the crashing cars and punk look of the youth this is'Mad Max-lite' for sure but not at the stage of Mad Max 2 for instance, there are some semblances of society and organisation.

Make no mistake this is a very odd movie - it could be more 80s unless it was 'Eighty Ways to Enjoy the Eighties in Eighty Minutes' the costumes and strange stilted acting make it very much a product of its times.

Nevertheless, the characters are engaging and fun in their own quirky ways. Crabs is not a tough-guy, he wants to be, but he's not quite there but neither is he a dumb dweeb so in these little things does Dead-End Drive In pop it's head above the crowd of the eighties 'weird' poppies.

Crabs is a very engaging character. He wants to become a tough guy, but no matter how much he works out, runs and eats, Crabs is still regarded as a "scrawny b*****d". Yet, as soon as he's stranded in the drive-in, he wants to get away. He wants this so badly, he irritates his girlfriend and also incurs the wrath of people spray painting "Crabs can't get it up" on his car. Carmen, incidentally, is so attractive I spent the movie slightly slack-jawed.

There are some spectacular stunts and violent action and considering the film is over thirty years old that's what style of action, stunts, effects you are going to get. This has to be remembered when viewing.

Much like the world the film is set in the film is rough and ragged around the edges but it is trying to say something to the viewer about how we alienate those that are nuisance and that we don't like. Crabs can see he is in his times ghetto and we know what that makes him and what it makes his captures.

For those that don't like older films, that like polish and nuance then I'd say this film probably isn't for you but if you want to see the world just before Mad Max came along well this is sort of that film. Grab a drink, settle in on a nothing-night and have a laugh. Don't take it too seriously, you'll have fun.