How does Furiosa rank?
The Mad Max franchise is one of the greatest, and clearly one of the most influential, action sagas in the history of cinema. The films’ vision of the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the Australian desert launched countless imitators in the subsequent decades, and it’s the rare recurring series in which every installment is helmed by the same auteur filmmaker: the legendary genius George Miller. Miller’s original trilogy steadily grew in popularity with each installment, and his handcrafted action sequences and dedication to world-building soon introduced the saga of Max Rockatansky beyond Australia and to an international audience. After the original series concluded in 1985, Miller worked for decades and overcame numerous production setbacks to deliver the critically acclaimed fourth installment.
While its unclear when its titular character will undertake his next big screen adventure, the Mad Max franchise is far from over. Miller has teased the possibility of another prequel film, which would flesh out the universe even further by giving a backstory to some of the background characters. Miller may be 79, but he’s shown no signs that his passion for the Mad Max franchise is slowing him down in any way. Mad Max is the rare franchise in which each film is worthy of at least some consideration for its influence on pop culture. From enjoyable spectacles to absolute classics, here are all five Mad Max films, ranked worst to best.
5 ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ (1985)
Starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is half of a great film. The first hour of Beyond Thunderdome changed up the typical racing action sequences by introducing the thunderdome itself, distinguishing its action from the previous installments in the series. The dystopian motorcycle cage battles were a great concept and provided a new challenge for Mel Gibson’s Max, and the larger budget didn’t feel at odds with the grimness of the post-apocalypse. You also get a gloriously hammy performance from Tina Turner as the eccentric Entity, who rules with an iron fist over Bordertown.
It’s when the film goes “beyond thunderdome” that it makes a shift into being more heartfelt. The series had some sentimental moments in the first two installments, but for the first time, Max became more openly heroic when he helped a tribe of orphaned children searching for a legendary “Tomorrow-morrow Land.” While Max needed to develop for what was a temporary conclusion to his character arc, it came as a drastic shift from his usually grim persona. Beyond Thunderdome’s conclusion certainly isn’t all a wash, and the train action sequence is among the best moments in the series. It is still an underrated science fiction sequel that only suffers in comparison to the other installments in the franchise.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
- Release Date
- June 29, 1985
- Director
- George Miller , George Ogilvie
- Cast
- Mel Gibson , Tina Turner , Bruce Spence , Adam Cockburn , Frank Thring , Angelo Rossitto
- Runtime
- 107 Minutes
4 ‘Mad Max’ (1979)
Starring Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, and Hugh Keays-Byrne
1979’s original Mad Max is the film that started it all, and looking back, it’s a very different film from the rest of the series. Rather than opening like a Western fable with an established post-apocalypse, the first film explores the events that kick off the descent of society and gives insight into Max’s origins. He’s not yet the battle-hardened warrior who is essentially the Australian “Man With No Name,” but rather an honest cop who’s forced to become a vigilante to deal with the growing threat of a berserk motorbike gang.
It’s tough to say any kind words about Gibson, but he nonetheless turns in a rarely sensitive performance as Max helplessly watches his town crumble into chaos. His relationship with his wife Jesse (Joanne Samuel) is genuinely heartbreaking, and Miller does a great job of showing how Max’s loss of sanity matches the world that surrounds him. While it doesn’t quite have the momentum of the two classics above it, Mad Max is an essential viewing that paved the way for the series’ future heights.
Mad Max
- Release Date
- April 12, 1979
- Director
- George Miller
- Cast
- Mel Gibson , Joanne Samuel , Hugh Keays-Byrne , Steve Bisley , Tim Burns , Roger Ward
- Runtime
- 93
3 ‘Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior’ (1981)
Starring Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, and Mike Preston
Although Mad Max had been very popular in Australia, it hadn’t quite permeated to an American audience. In order to not confuse viewers, the sequel Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior was commonly marketed by its subtitle, but new fans had no trouble picking up where the first film left off. The Road Warrior already takes place in the middle of the conflict, with Max emerging as the sanest (or maybe craziest) warrior enough to survive on his own. It’s essentially 96 minutes of pure kinetic momentum thanks to Miller’s innovative chase sequences and the incredible rogue’s gallery of villains.
The Road Warrior plays out like the classic Westerns of Shane or Once Upon a Time in the West, with the young “Feral Child” (Emil Minty) recounting the story of a mysterious stranger who briefly did an act of good. Max could’ve been a mute vehicle to connect the set pieces, but Miller crafts an engaging character who remembers his duty to protect innocents. He begrudgingly comes to the aid of a villager at a refinery settlement when they’re threatened by a marauder gang. While Hugh Keays-Byrne had set a precedent for the series’ bad guys with his role as Tocecutter in the first film, the great Kjell Nilsson’s performance as Lord Hummungus raised the stakes as a ruthless, yet intelligent warlord.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
- Release Date
- May 21, 1982
- Director
- George Miller
- Cast
- Mel Gibson , Bruce Spence , Michael Preston , Max Phipps , Vernon Wells , Kjell Nilsson
- Runtime
- 96 minutes
2 ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Tom Burke
Although the action is just as jaw-dropping as any of the previous installments in Miller’s franchise, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an emotional revenge odyssey that shows the true depravity of the Mad Max universe. By showing the early days of Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) before she became a veteran warrior, the film chronicles how heroism emerges from the unlikeliest of places. There’s a primal, angry energy to the film that is unique from the passive nature of Max in the other films. While many prequel films are unnecessary, Furiosa only makes the subsequent installments in the franchise more emotional.
The new characters in Furiosa instantly prove themselves to be worthy of the franchise’s legacy. With the monstrous character of Dementus, Chris Hemsworth creates a manipulative, sadistic antagonist whose cruelty goes beyond the inherent ruthlessness of the desert. Furiosa is a film short on dialogue, but the sharp interactions between the titular character and her new ally Jack (Tom Burke) are surprisingly profound. Miller manages to heighten the visual splendor by finding creative ways to mark the passing of time, thus distinguishing Furiosa from any other science fiction Western. With themes of feminine rage, escalation, environmentalism, obsessions, and the cyclical nature of violence, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an exhilarating blast of energy that speaks to the ills of current society.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- Release Date
- May 24, 2024
- Director
- George Miller
- Cast
- Anya Taylor-Joy , Chris Hemsworth , Tom Burke , Alyla Browne , Nathan Jones , Angus Sampson , Daniel Webber , Lachy Hulme
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is in theaters now.
1 ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’
Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult
To say that the fourth film in the saga was facing an upward battle would be an understatement, as Miller had been in development hell since the 90s and beset with production setbacks and a challenging shoot when he finally wrangled a new cast together. However, all skepticism faded away once Mad Max: Fury Road made its way to audiences. Few films are immediately accepted into the lexicon of cinematic classics, but there was an immediate understanding that Fury Road gave classics like Die Hard, Predator, or The Matrix a run for their money for the title of greatest action movie ever made. With an innovative blend of practical effects, brilliant makeup, tortured philosophies, and female empowerment, Miller redefined the style of The Road Warrior with an even more relentless nonstop chase.
Both shockingly violent and hauntingly beautiful, Fury Road is also the best depiction of Max’s role in the wasteland, and is still the best Mad Max movie to date. Tom Hardy’s superior take on the character isn’t meant to be lauded as a hero but rather swept up in the spectacle as he’s haunted by the demons of his past. As great as Hardy was, he was completely upstaged by Charlize Theron’s incredible performance as the new heroine Imperator Furiosa. The protector of a band of female child-bearers of the warlord Immortan Joe (who Hugh Keays-Byrne returned to play), Furiosa was an inspired new protagonist with a compelling character arc. Fury Road cut out the fat that any modern blockbuster had. It became one of the few franchise films to make serious awards bids, earning six Academy Award wins and nominations for Best Picture and Best Director.
Mad Max: Fury Road
- Release Date
- May 13, 2015
- Director
- George Miller
- Cast
- Tom Hardy , Charlize Theron , Nicholas Hoult , Hugh Keays-Byrne , Josh Helman , Nathan Jones
- Runtime
- 120
This article was originally published on collider.com