One of the best action films to come out in recent memory is Mad Max: Fury Road. With its highly stylized post-apocalyptic setting and fast-paced car-based action, it quickly cemented itself as a fan favorite of 2015 (it didn't get that Best Picture nomination for nothing). However, one man has taken his fandom a bit too far and will be going to jail instead of Valhalla. This Mad Max fan was arrested after a number of real weapons styled after the movies were found in his quad.
One fan considered himself a real-life Road Warrior. Jack Lee Ernest, 39, was driving around in the California desert before he was pulled over by the Sheriff's Department at 11 p.m. on Thursday. Ernest was driving a quad on Old Highway 59 in Barstow when he attracted the attention of a San Bernardino Sheriff's deputy. The deputy attempted to pull him over but Ernest tried to ride away. He was "detained for suspicious behavior" and after a search of his person and vehicle, the deputy found numerous weapons that would be more appropriate for an apocalypse than a late night drive.
Per Deadline, In Ernest's possession were a set of brass knuckles (illegal) and a sawed-off shotgun (even more illegal) that resembled the weapon used by Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy's characters from the Mad Max movies. Ammo was "tactically attached" to the shotgun and the deputy also found a pair of big knives that were positioned for quick access. Ernest claimed that he "fashioned himself as Mad Max" and has been booked on suspicion of possessing illegal weapons.
It's not quite clear what Ernest was doing with all these weapons or what he was up to that night (hopefully he wasn't looking to steal some gasoline or water), but we can all agree that this is taking fan worship too far. It's also unknown which Mad Max Ernest was attempted to emulate but it's not exactly a huge compliment to either version. The incident is reminiscent of a man who styled himself after the Joker and has been arrested twice on various charges.
Mad Max is a film series that follows the titular anti-hero as he wanders a desolate wasteland where souped-up rigs and gasoline are the sources of power. Earlier movies featured Mel Gibson in the title role, but the most recent one starred Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. It scored universal praise, celebrated for its impressive stunt work and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning six of them. It's definitely a film worthy of praise, but maybe not this exact kind.
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