Max clearly (to the wary viewer) cannot enter without Michael's permission

Oh, and I remember assuming that intepretation the first time I saw it. But in light of the gang invading the house without invitation in the final melee, I had to revise to that a very canny tactic on Max's part, making sure that he wasn't just able to enter but had the full advantage of their being "powerless" (his word choice at the end.)

No, I don't still have the thing essentially memorized, why do you ask? ;-D