After avenging the death of his wife and young son, Max (Mel Gibson) drives the post-apocalyptic highways of the Australian outback, fending off attacks from nomadic tribes. Falling into an encampment led by the relatively peaceful Pappagallo (Mike Preston), Max schemes to steal their oil, but soon becomes the group's reluctant defender against Humungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his ruthless marauders.