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The Mad Max franchise is one of the few franchises that are full of action. Starting from the late 70s, this franchise has given us 5 films so far, out of which Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) is the most recent film, which will be released worldwide on May 24, 2024. Mad Max: The Wasteland is the upcoming film in the franchise whose release date is yet to be confirmed. Mad Max, directed by George Miller and starring Mel Gibson, was released in 1979, which laid the foundation for this great action franchise. Not all the films released under it have been great from the beginning.
No. It is a franchise that has evolved with time, technology, and people’s likes and dislikes. That’s why some of its films are downright bad (even if they were made using 40-year-old technology), while some are the best. However, our ranking of these films may differ from yours, as liking or disliking a film is a personal matter. On the other hand, some people may have a special interest in 80s films, while others may like films made through modern technology and CGI that give a realistic feel. Here we are going to rank all 5 films of the Mad Max franchise based on all the points and related data.
Movie | Release Date | Critics RT Score | Audience RT Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Max | April 12, 1979 | 90% | 70% |
| Mad Max: The Road Warrior | December 24, 1981 | 94% | 86% |
| Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | July 10, 1985 | 79% | 49% |
| Mad Max: Fury Road | May 15, 2015 | 97% | 86% |
| Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | May 24, 2024 | 90% | 90% |
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
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Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) PG-13 Action Adventure Sci-Fi Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is the third film in director George Miller’s science-fiction action series in which after the events of the previous movie, Max Rockatansky faces many challenges while wandering in the harsh desert of apocalyptic Australia. Then he reaches Thunderdome, which was the domain of the Queen Aunt entity. There was no limit to the terror of that queen. Then, Max finds a group of helpless children who are struggling to survive independently and are waiting for a savior. With the help of those children, Max sets out to end the terror of the queen.
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| Where to Watch: | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Director: | George Miller, George Ogilvie | |
| Release Date: | July 10, 1985 | |
| Cast: | Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn, Frank Thring, Angelo Rossitto | |
| Runtime: | 107 Minutes | |
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) can be said to be the least impressive film in the Mad Max series. This was the third film in the series and everyone had high expectations from it based on the performance of the previous two films. But the film was quite average. If there is one film that has received the lowest ratings among all the 5 films released so far, then it is this film. Mel Gibson was last seen as Mad Max in the series. This was the time when Gibson was moving towards establishing himself as a big star. So people’s expectations of him had increased more than before.
If I were to give my opinion on why this film was average, then I can see the following elements. First, George Miller was grieving the death of his friend and franchise creator Byron Kennedy and was left alone to work on the film. He called George Ogilvy for help. For unclear reasons, Miller could not work on the movie like before, so it could be made better.
The second reason is the screenplay of this film. In the last two films, this series established itself so that we could see strong action and fights. Both the hero and the villain are seen hitting each other hard. But in the story of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Max joins a group where most of the children are. In such an iconic series, if the hero is seen fighting with the help of children, then it would be not very reassuring. And this is what happened. The film was seen leaving behind its well-known theme, which made it famous. All the movies released till now in the Mad Max franchise are rated R and this is what gives it identity. In contrast, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is the only film in the entire franchise that is rated PG-13. Now you must have understood why this film is at the bottom.
04
Mad Max (1979)
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Mad Max (1979) R Action Thriller Fantasy Sci-Fi The first film in the science-fiction action film franchise Mad Max was created by director and writer George Miller, Mad Max (1979). This first film was where it all began. The main character Max (a former police officer) is played by Mel Gibson. He goes after some vicious motorcycle thugs after they killed his family. Then we get to see some great action. This film was the beginning of this great franchise in the late 70s.
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| Where to Watch: | Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV | |
| Director: | George Miller | |
| Release Date: | April 12, 1979 | |
| Cast: | Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Roger Ward, Tim Burns | |
| Runtime: | 82 Minutes | |
The first film in the franchise and the original Mad Max film is different from its other productions. George Miller left his medical career to direct for the first time. While making this film, the director had neither experience nor budget. You can feel the director’s inexperience In some parts of the film. Despite this, Mad Max proves his determination and becomes a successful, thrilling, and daring film.
While the film has some impressive action sequences, they are less central and detailed than later films. This special installment gives glimpses of Max’s life as an interloper and his family life with his wife and child, providing a more intimate, character-driven narrative. Therefore, while the film often feels quieter and smaller, it remains a rewarding journey, laying the foundation for Miller’s larger vision for the series.
Comparing Mad Max to its successors is challenging due to its unique context. Miller makes the most of his limited resources to bring this world to life, yet his broader ideas couldn’t be fully realized on screen. Still, Mad Max serves as a great foundation for a series limited to its era but vital to the creation of its successors. Its quality ensured the franchise’s continuation.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) R Action Adventure Sci-Fi George Miller’s all-new offering, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is an action-adventure sci-fi film that is a prequel to the 2015 film ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. This is the story of Furiosa’s life. In it, we see that just after the “end of the world” begins, Furiosa is kidnapped and brought to a powerful and ruthless warlord. She is forced to work for that warlord. She starts looking for ways to return home and confronts her rivals. Furiosa’s circumstances, her surroundings, and the cruel world shape her into the strong personality that we have already seen.
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| Where to Watch: | In Cinemas | |
| Director: | George Miller | |
| Release Date: | May 24, 2024 | |
| Cast: | Chris Hemsworth, Anya Taylor-Joy | |
| Runtime: | 148 Minutes | |
The film “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is the fifth film in the Mad Max franchise. It has Furiosa as the main protagonist, as the film’s name suggests. We were introduced to this character named Furiosa in the fourth film of the series, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). In which Furiosa and Max ally and fight against an evil lord. In “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” we are shown the events of Furiosa’s childhood and youth that happened before Fury Road.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is different from other films because with this film its makers have opened new doors for the franchise. Mad Max has been at the center of all the films in the series so far. For the first time, a film has been made by keeping another character at the center, apart from this main character. In this way, the audience will remain interested in the franchise and will not feel bored watching the same character doing different things. Fury Road achieved immense success and earned the distinction of being one of the best films of the 21st century. It is indeed a tough challenge for any other film to follow in its footsteps. However, George Miller has made a great effort to make Furiosa a commendable successor by showcasing his grand vision. Although Furiosa has tried to touch those standards, it has lagged a bit.
Still, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” has a lot to offer. Its most special feature is its star cast. Anya Taylor-Joy has been brought in to portray the younger version of Charlize Theron, who played Furiosa in Fury Road. Anya, with the help of the filmmakers, has beautifully portrayed Theron’s look and mannerisms on screen. Also, she reminded us of Theron’s voice while delivering important dialogues and while watching the film, you will feel that Anya was the younger version of Theron. On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth’s acting as the villain of the film, Dementus, is also excellent and he gave a memorable performance. Hemsworth is usually seen in the role of a hero. Therefore, his fans will be delighted to see him in a villainous avatar.
The film has been given a very long runtime so that every small and big detail can be shown well. Along with this, it is the longest film in the series. Real action has been filmed in the film and the dependence on CGI has been reduced, so the scenes do not look artificial. In this film, you will get to see highly modified bikes and vehicles, which hardly anyone would have imagined. This film will especially be liked by those who like to watch car and bike chases and vehicle fight action. Spectacular scenes like the fight in the bullet farm and the fierce fight between Furiosa-Dementus make the film memorable.
02
Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981)
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Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981) R Action Adventure Sci-Fi Mad Max: The Road Warrior aka Mad Max was the second film in George Miller’s action sci-fi franchise after the first original Mad Max film. The main character of the movie, Max, continues his journey across post-apocalyptic Australia and comes across some people who have a stock of gasoline. They and their stock are threatened by some bandits. Max saves everyone from those bandits. Even though this was the second film in the series, the director gave people a hint with this film about the direction the films in the series were going to take and we see proof of this even after so many years.
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| Where to Watch: | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Director: | George Miller | |
| Release Date: | December 24, 1981 | |
| Cast: | Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Vernon Wells | |
| Runtime: | 96 Minutes | |
The second film in the franchise, “Mad Max: The Road Warrior”, seems to set a format that all subsequent films have to follow, whether they want to or not. So what is that format? The scenario of a world devastated by cataclysmic destruction, desert everywhere, the fragmented state of humanity struggling for life and resources to survive, vehicles modified beyond imagination, and fights for oil, water food, and so on. All these emerged as the main components of this franchise. If you look at the other films in the series, you will understand that this format has been adopted in all the films, especially after “Mad Max: The Road Warrior”, and this trend will continue in the future as well.
This film can make the second place on our list due to many reasons. The first of which is that the way the second film in the series has adopted the standards of the scenario is very important. As a second reason, Director Miller seems to have mastered the limited resources and equipment available to him. This was the second film he directed and he had now started to understand how to make the best use of resources. Another reason is the screenplay and performance of this film.
The Road Warrior’s excellent story made it a big and important element of this action franchise. Miller left no stone unturned to present it in the best possible way. Max’s character, who is completely broken due to the events that happened to him and is always troubled by his past, is enough to make him mad in the end. Mel Gibson has given a great performance in this role. In this film, Gibson is not allowed to speak much on screen. But still, you feel connected to that character. Also, Gibson has portrayed his seriousness very well on the big screen. The franchise started with Mad Max, which was a kind of introduction to Max. But the second film seems to tell in which direction this franchise is going to go. On the other hand, “Mad Max: The Road Warrior” is better than its first film in every way. Be it the car chasing scene, practical stunts, camera angles, or background music.
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Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
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Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) R Action Adventure Thriller Fantasy The most successful and best film of the Mad Max franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth film in the series. It stars Tom Hardy as Max Rockstansky and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa. In the story, Max is kidnapped by an aggressive and evil cult group, while escaping from them he meets Furiosa. Furiosa is a warrior woman of the cruel leader’s group. But she is working on a plan to escape from his clutches with some female prisoners. Due to some events, Max and Furiosa unite and rebel against the cruel leader Immortan Joe.
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| Where to Watch: | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV | |
| Director: | George Miller | |
| Release Date: | May 14, 2015 | |
| Cast: | Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Riley Keough, Courtney Eaton, Abbey Lee, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley | |
| Runtime: | 120 Minutes | |
The number one movie on our list is Mad Max: Fury Road. But you may ask why. There are many reasons for this. The movie has a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb. On the other hand, Rotten Tomatoes has given a rating of 97% and Metacritic has given a rating of 90%. So 90% of the audience has liked it. It was nominated for Best Picture and has won six Oscars. Not only this, it is the highest-grossing film of its franchise. This movie did get initial success, but over time, people’s craze for it increased, which happens with very few films. Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that has been included in many lists of the best films of the decade and century. It is not only the best film in the Mad Max series, but it is one of the best films ever made. Due to all these things, it is not wrong to claim that this is the best film in the Mad Max franchise.
Director Miller deserves praise for delivering such a wonderful film. But why? Because he had to face a lot of difficulties in making this film. From casting to the fight between Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy to the problems in shooting to the problems created by Miller’s filming style, many factors were affecting the completion of this film. Miller faced many situations when it seemed that everything was over. But after developing the film for decades and overcoming all the challenges, he finally released this film after getting everything right. Even after all this, the success of a film like this (in fact, it is included in the list of best films) was nothing less than a miracle. Therefore, mastermind Miller deserves congratulations for this.
There are many other elements involved in making the film great. Casting Tom Hardy as Max was a commendable move. Hardy has brought life to the character and hardly any other actor can be imagined as Max. Undoubtedly, Hardy has brought alive the character of Max, on whose name this series was running, and his acting in this film has also been praised. But knowingly or unknowingly, the film did not completely belong to him. The other main character, Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, was appreciated not only by critics but also by the audience. This story is presented in such a way that Furiosa is the guiding and leading character and Max is her assistant. It would not be wrong to say that Fury Road became so great and successful only because of Charlize Theron’s character Furiosa. She emerged as a living example of power, anger, revenge, and rebellion. Due to this single film, she became a main character in the category of sci-fi action characters and people started talking about her everywhere. You can guess how important the character Furiosa is from the fact that the next film of the series after Fury Road was based on her.
The story of Mad Max: Fury Road was kept very simple and instead of making it complicated, more emphasis was given to great action and adventure. Highly modified war tanks, jeeps, bikes and other vehicles chasing each other add excitement. Warriors and heroes attack each other dangerously in those vehicles. The film is brought to life by the warlike drums and background score that shakes you and does not let you look left or right for even a moment in the entire film.
