Entertainment
Netflix's Hard-R, Hardcore Sci-Fi Thriller Goes Full On Mad Max
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Given the Mad Max franchise’s influence on the pop culture landscape since it kicked off in 1979, it’s easy to call any post-apocalyptic road thriller set in the Australian Outback a cheap imitation. The way I’ve made peace with that kind of assessment is by appreciating the fact that Mad Max created its own distinct genre, where there’s plenty of room for filmmakers to work out similar concepts while still offering their own take. 2014’s The Rover, written and directed by David Michôd, is a shining example of using the punishing Australian desert as a backdrop to tell his story about a society well into its ongoing collapse.
With Guy Pearce leading the charge with support from Robert Pattinson, The Rover is a violent journey across barren landscapes inhabited by people who’ve been forgotten by the rest of the world. It’s a lawless land, but there are still clear power structures at play. Watching those structures slowly fall apart makes for a satisfying watch because society collapsed recently enough for people to remember the before times, but not so recently that they aren’t aware of where things are heading.
A Rampage For A Stolen Car
Before The Rover’s conflict is properly established, we’re introduced to Archie (David Field), Caleb (Tawanda Manyimo), and Henry (Scoot McNairy). They’re fleeing a robbery, and with them is Rey (Robert Pattinson), Henry’s younger brother. Having been injured during the robbery, Rey is kicked out of the vehicle and left for dead. During the scuffle, their car crashes, prompting them to steal a new getaway vehicle.
Unfortunately for the gang, they stole a car belonging to a nomadic loner named Eric (Guy Pearce). Having lived through society’s initial collapse roughly 10 years earlier, which resulted in the loss of his family and his farm, Eric doesn’t take too kindly to the thieves and immediately sets out to hunt them down, obstacles be damned. Stumbling upon a gravely injured Rey, who he knows was at the very least indirectly responsible for his car getting stolen, Eric brings him to a doctor to nurse him back to health before grilling him on his brother’s whereabouts.
Along the way, Eric has violent encounters with a gun-dealing dwarf operating out of an opium den, traveling circus members, and what’s left of the Australian Army, who still try to exert power over the country’s citizens despite lacking the firepower they once had. Rey, dragged along and not fully himself due to his injuries, proves to be more burden than leverage, complicating matters for Eric, who just wants to retrieve his car and get back to being a miserable drunk wandering through the wasteland.
A Madmaxian Action Flick That Stands On Its Own
While the obvious Mad Max setup can be found in The Rover, it never once feels like a carbon copy of the franchise that inspired it. We’ve got the Australian desert, car chases, and showdowns packed with firepower, but given how wide-reaching the lore is in Mad Max, there’s plenty of room for films like The Rover to occupy similar thematic territory while traveling a completely different road. Using that template as a jumping-off point, The Rover tells a more personal story about loss and revenge that would work just as well in any other setting.
Michôd has gone on record about the similarities, stating, “You put cars in the desert in Australia and people are going to think of Mad Max, and with all due respect to that film, I think The Rover is going to be way more chillingly authentic and menacing.” He’s not wrong in that assessment because there are no nitro trucks and masked marauders here. There’s no sprawling folklore that feels almost biblical. Instead, we get a raw glimpse of humanity barely hanging on by a thread, and we witness the continued collapse of society while it’s still actively happening.
As of this writing, The Rover is streaming on Netflix.
Entertainment
LA public schools pass screen time limits for students in a first
Los Angeles public school students may be returning to the age of college-ruled notebooks and Scantrons, following a Tuesday school board vote that will limit the use of computers, laptops, and tablets in classrooms.
Titled “Using Technology with Intention,” the new resolution mandates the creation of grade-level and subject-specific screen time limits across Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools, including a complete ban on device usage for kindergarten and first grade. The use of one-to-one devices, like individual Chromebooks, will be discouraged for second through fifth grades, as well.
Revised guidelines will also address video-aided lesson plans, access to video streaming platforms like YouTube, and expanded restrictions on gaming and social media platforms.
District staff must present the revised tech use policy by June, which will go into effect for all LAUSD students beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Guidelines will be reevaluated every year, and schools are tasked with tracking and sharing student screen time numbers with parents.
Mashable Light Speed
The resolution cites increasing concern about the effect of screen time on young minds and alleged screen addiction, including recent Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies that show a correlation between high screen time and adverse health effects. The board was unanimously in favor of the tech restrictions, with one recusal.
“We know that tech is not going away and can be a powerful tool in the classroom. This is not about going backwards. This is about rethinking school time and screen time in schools to ensure we are doing what actually helps students learn best,” board member Nick Melvoin said during Tuesday’s meeting.
“This is not about going backwards. This is about rethinking school time…”
Advocates, parents, and even students have spent the last year lobbying for greater tech restrictions following the passing of a 2025 bell-to-bell cellphone ban restricting the use of personal devices during school hours. Schools Beyond Screens, a national classroom tech safety coalition founded by LAUSD parents and teachers, helped craft the resolution in collaboration with board members and co-sponsors Melvoin, Karla Griego, Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Jerry Yang, Kelly Gonez, and Rocío Rivas.
“Now is the time for a safe and science-backed approach to classroom technology, one that is not guided by Big Tech talking points like screen value over screen time,” the organization wrote in a press release following the decision.
“There is much work to be done, and this is only the beginning, but today, we are proud, grateful, and – for the first time in a long time – hopeful. Our kids may yet have the kind of public education that they deserve — one that is proven effective and free of undue digital distraction, harmful content, and corporate exploitation.”
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Social Good
Family & Parenting
Entertainment
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is at the lowest price weve seen all year
SAVE $75: The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $224 at Amazon, down from the standard price of $299. That’s a 25% discount.
$224
at Amazon
$299
Save $75
Packing up for an adventure means figuring out how to bring along a soundtrack. A trip to the cabin or a lakeside campground all deserve to be experienced with a great playlist. If you could use an upgrade before summer to get a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, check out this deal at Amazon.
As of April 22, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $224 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $299. That’s a 25% discount that takes $75 off the price. It’s also the lowest price we’ve seen at Amazon so far this year.
A compact speaker with a scratch-resistant aluminum shell is exactly what we should be packing on adventures. With an attached carabiner, the B&O Explore speaker is designed to clip onto your backpack when you hit the trail. Or you can utilize the rubber base to set it on a rock or even in the sand. It’s both waterproof and dustproof, adding to the durability.
Bang & Olufsen notes this model gets up to 27 hours of playtime before it needs to recharge. It weighs under 1.5 pounds, so it won’t add much bulk to your gear. It takes about two hours to recharge the Beosound Explore.
Mashable Deals
Before summer kicks into high gear, add the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore speaker to your pack. It’s ready for any adventure you have planned.
Entertainment
Get some new wrist candy with the CMF Watch Pro 2 at its lowest price ever
SAVE $39.01: As of April 22, get the CMF By Nothing Watch 2 Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79. That’s a discount of 49% and the lowest price we’ve seen.
$39.99
at Amazon
$79
Save $39.01
There are tons of smartwatches on the market if you’re in need of one. But if you’re willing to look beyond the Apple Watches or Samsung devices out there, you’ll find an awesome alternative from the Nothing brand that’ll save you some serious cash. Not only is it more affordable than the competition, but it’s got everything you could want and then some. In fact, one of the models is on sale right now.
As of April 22, get the CMF By Nothing Watch 2 Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79. That’s $39.01 off and a discount of 49%. It’s also the lowest price we’ve seen.
This affordable smartwatch not only comes in an attractive form factor, but it has just about everything you could ask for. It has your average comms tools like Bluetooth calling and gesture control, a built-in mic and speaker, contacts, message reminders, and music control. But from there, it offers a wide range of sensors and data to help you take control of your health.
It offers a portable blood oxygen saturation monitor, a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and so much more. All of this data, including workout information, steps, and much more, can be synced across all your favorite fitness apps, including Apple Health and Google Health Connect. There are 120 sports modes to choose from, GPS positioning, and even a 3D warm-up exercise guide to help get you on your feet each day.
Mashable Deals
With interchangeable watch straps and an attractive face, this extremely reasonable smartwatch is definitely one to rival Apple and Samsung. You’ll want to grab yours while it’s still down to the lowest price we’ve seen.
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