Every Mad Max Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

THE Mad Max the franchise has evolved over time, and ranking George Miller's films from worst to best creates a clear hierarchy in terms of quality. The Australian director launched what is now considered one of the best action film franchises in 1979 with the original low-budget film starring Mel Gibson. With five Mad Max films released over more than 40 years, the franchise has managed to sustain itself through stellar reviews, strong audience reception, and Miller's ability to continue to push the envelope as viewers, Max, and others navigate the post-apocalyptic world.

Thanks to the varied quality of the franchise and the different eras to which the individual chapters belong, classifying the Mad Max The films will certainly result in a different order depending on each person's taste in films. Whether it's a taste for the Mel Gibson era of the franchise or the more modern episodes that mix CGI with practical sets, there's no denying that greatness exists within Mad Max franchise. There are also inferior points that cannot be ignored. With many data points considered, here are the Mad Max Movies ranked from worst to best.

5

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

The conclusion of the original trilogy

Mel Gibson's final Mad Max appearance wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Mad Max beyond the Thunderdome arrived when Gibson was becoming one of Hollywood's biggest stars, long before he became a more controversial figure. The threequel had expectations of developing the excellence of Mad Max: The Road Warrior and deliver an exciting third film for him and Miller. Instead of, Beyond the Thunderdome It’s the most uneven installment in the series. thanks to what appear to be competing views.

Beyond the Thunderdome is unique in the franchise as it is the only film that George Miller did not only direct, as George Ogilvie was hired to help Miller while he was still mourning the loss of his friend and franchise producer Byron Kennedy. The end result is the trio looking like a movie Miller didn't plan out beforehand. The first half puts Gibson in conflict with the Aunt Turner Entity and features the excellent fight between Max and The Blaster in the Thunderdome.

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It is during the second half of Beyond the Thunderdome that wavers. Max becomes part of a new group made up mostly of children, and the film loses much of the edge the franchise is known for. The beginning and end are almost satisfying enough to help make up for what happens in the middle. But with so many familiar elements from the series missing or not arriving at all, the film ultimately isn't all that rewarding. There has to be the worst Mad Max film after all, and Mad Max beyond the Thunderdome is the clear answer there.

4

Mad Max

The movie that started it all

The original Mad Max the film is unlike any other installment. George Miller made the film on a tiny budget and without knowing exactly what he was doing. The learning curve for a first-time director who has just put his medical career on hold can be felt at times. But, Miller's inexperience and if there is a will, there is a way that attitude can help make Mad Max a special entry in the series. This is the franchise at its lowest point in terms of budget and resources, but the director still manages to make the film exciting and bold.

There are great action sequences in the film, but they are not as focused on them and cannot be as elaborate. The chance to see Max's life as an Interceptor and with his wife and son are elements that other installments cannot offer. This does Mad Max a much quieter, character-focused and sometimes pared-down adventure. In the end, it's still a rewarding journey, as the seeds of what Miller truly envisioned for this world become clear.

This makes it a little difficult to even compare Mad Max for the other films that would follow. Miller does everything in his power to bring this world to life with the resources he has. But one can't completely escape the feeling that there's more to his brilliant mind that simply hasn't made it to the screen. Mad Max It's an excellent starting point for the series. which is still limited by your time. It's only because the movie is so good that any of the others got made.

3

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Furiosa prequel film

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga takes the franchise in a new direction by completely focusing the story on a character other than Max Rockatansky. Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the role of Furiosa as the film explores the character's youth before Mad Max: Fury Road. Following a film that is considered one of the best films of the 21st century is no easy task, but Furious ultimately proves that he is a worthy successor.

Without all the headaches that came with Fury Road, Furious it often seems like George Miller is completely loose. Time constraints are thrown out the window in the franchise's longest episode, while the action gets bigger than ever with more characters, vehicles and CGI. This can routinely result in the film delivering brilliant moments, such as the battle at Bullet Farm or the final confrontation between Furiosa and Dementus in Furiousis ending. However, the film also could have been improved if Miller had mastered the CGI, been tighter on the runtime, and more.

Among the highlights that appear, however, is the cast. Anya Taylor-Joy replaces Charlize Theron impeccablyas she fully becomes the Imperator at the end. Not only does she look like Theron at times, but she even nails her voice at different times. Chris Hemsworth is also having fun as Dementus, which helps make him one of the franchise's most memorable villains. Expectations for Furious exceed or equal the heights of Mad Max: Fury Road have always been very high, but there is still a lot to enjoy here.

2

Mad Max: The Road Warrior

The original Mad Max sequel

If the original Mad Max Miller was learning on the job with limited resources, Mad Max: The Road Warrior it’s him beginning to master the craft and the tools at his disposal. This movie finally seems like the model for everything that would follow. The standard 1980s aesthetic of the first film is thrown out as the sequel fully embraces the post-apocalyptic landscape of The Wasteland. Desert dunes, the fragmented state of humanity, modified vehicles, and more all become important components of the The road warriorso much so that all subsequent films had to follow suit.

The road warrior This is where Mel Gibson also shines as Mad Max. This is a version of the character who was broken and haunted by his past, and Gibson does a great job commanding the screen just based on his presence. He isn't asked to say much, but Max's seriousness never fails to be felt when he is present. Gibson is far from the only highlight of the cast, as the introduction of Bruce Spence as Captain Gyro and Kjell Nilsson as Lord Humungus are also memorable.

It's thanks to The road warriorIt's a story of action becoming a much bigger element to the franchise, and Miller eliminates that here. The car chases are bigger and more impressive than those performed before. The film's reliance on practical stunts and the incredible skills of the stuntmen involved is obvious throughout, with the third act chase being an impressive sequence. Mad Max may have been where the franchise began, but The road warrior is where Miller starts about what the series would actually be about.

1

Mad Max: Fury Road

The 2015 re-release is an all-time classic

There is no debate about which film deserves the top spot in this ranking. Simply put, Mad Max: Fury Road is the best Mad Max film. What makes it even more miraculous is the number of times it almost never happened and all the problems it had to overcome. Miller developed the film for decades before finally putting everything in place, and yet Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy's rivalry, the grueling filming conditions, and Miller's filmmaking style nearly destroyed everything. Despite everything, Mad Max: Fury Road managed to succeed thanks to Miller's undeniable vision.

Almost every detail in Mad Max: Fury Road It looks like it was thought out and executed perfectly. It's Miller's mind coming to life like never before. The action scenes and car chases are mind-blowing, and Junkie XL's soundtrack pulses throughout the film with help from Doof Warrior. The cars, sets and costumes are also exquisite. Yes, the story is quite simple in terms of following the characters going to The Green Place and returning to the Citadel, but there is some excellent character development and world-building that comes through with Max, Furiosa, Nux, the wives, and Immortan Joe. .

Recasting Mel Gibson with Tom Hardy as Max was a necessary move, and Hardy finally delivered a performance that set him apart from his predecessor. But this is not his film. Fury Road it's so good because of Charlize Theron's Furiosa. She immediately entered the pantheon of iconic sci-fi action characters, as Theron brought power, anger, and vulnerability to the character. The film works in large part because Furiosa manages to steal the spotlight from Max, transitioning the franchise to make her the new protagonist.

Fury Road and Mad Max at its biggest scale, biggest action and most exciting while also introducing some of the most compelling characters to exist in the series. Claim that you are the best Mad Max the film is a no-brainer, considering it holds the franchise's highest score on Rotten Tomatoes, was nominated for Best Picture, won six Oscars, and is the highest-grossing entry in the franchise. Adoration for him also only grew over time, with Mad Max: Fury Road among many lists of the best films of the decade and century. This is not just the best Mad Max film, is one of the best films ever made.

What will the future of the Mad Max franchise be like?

When George Miller finally got the green light to make his new Mad Max films, he had two films that he said he wanted to do. The first was Mad Max: Fury Road, and the second was Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. He struggled to finish the first film thanks to a hectic production, and then the second arrived with very few difficulties, but with lower box office and critical reviews. With both films offering different ways of fighting for Miller, this puts the entire future of the franchise in question..

There were rumors that more Mad Max films are coming, with Tom Hardy saying he has been tapped to star in three more films in the franchise after Fury Road. Miller then said he had plans for a film called Mad Max: The Desert (through Variety). "ANDeverything is based on numbers and how things are perceived. Inevitably, it's a business,” Hardy said at the time. However, these comments appeared in 2015; everything that has happened since then has been Furious. Miller said he still had plans during the promotion Three thousand years of longing (through Weekly entertainment):

"As we reach the end of the [Furiosa]the chronology, basically, we had to see that Mad Max was hidden somewhere because we know what happened. The writers know what happened with Mad Max the year before and we have a whole story about it, which I'd like to do someday if I get the chance."

George Miller said they have the story, which was written like a novel. He said that after Furiousthey can turn it into a script and move on. George Miller also said that this film would be a character-driven narrative about Max, similar to what they did with Furiosa, but with the same big action scenes that fans of the film enjoyed. Mad Max franchise have become accustomed. Sadly, Furious Disappointing box office results resulted in Tom Hardy saying, "I don't think that's happening" (via Forbes).