Every Mad Max Saga Movie, Ranked

Welcome to another edition of Thunderdome! The third installment of the saga, "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" isn't a bad movie by any means, but something has to sit at the bottom of this list. Two different movies fighting for supremacy, "Beyond Thunderdome" at its core shows Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) entering Bartertown and meeting its self-made ruler, Auntie Entity (the incomparable Tina Turner). Max is thrust into a gladiatorial battle against Blaster (Paul Larsson), the representative for Auntie Entity's rival, Master (Angelo Rossitto). "Beyond Thunderdome" made such a deep cultural footprint, calling lands of battle or intense situations "Thunderdome" is still practiced today — even by folks who have no idea what they're referencing.

Unfortunately, it's also the least focused of Miller's "Mad Max" movies with bizarre, tonal inconsistencies. There is a stark bleakness hanging over this saga, yet "Beyond Thunderdome" often forgets this with action set pieces that play more like "Looney Tunes" than high-octane thrills. There's a colony of forgotten children living in the Wasteland "Lord of the Flies" style, and this plot often feels like it's battling against Auntie Entity's antics in Bartertown. All the same, "Beyond Thunderdome" is equal parts ambitious and audacious, so it's still a stellar watch and a vital component of the saga.

Oh, what a lovely day! The six-time Academy Award-winning installment of the "Mad Max" saga ushered in an entirely new era for George Miller, with breathtaking visuals, balls-to-the-wall action set pieces, and worldbuilding without the budgetary restraints of yesteryear. This is a film so explosive and so unabated, just watching it feels like you've just run a marathon. Essentially two eruptive chase scenes sewn together by sensational stunt performances and the introduction of the franchise's best character, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), Miller proved to the world that he had crafted the ultimate action franchise, and no one else could come close.

Max was given a casting change with Tom Hardy stepping into the role and despite his and Theron's fiery on-set feud, the two made absolute magic together. Miller expanded the Wasteland outward and introduced the Citadel and its ruler Immortan Joe, played by Hugh Keays-Byrne who famously played the antagonist Toecutter in the original "Mad Max" film. As the wandering loner, Max plays second banana to Furiosa on her quest to take down Joe and the Citadel once and for all, but the characters introduced in "Fury Road" are easily some of the best. Pale-painted War Boys, the flame guitar-playing Doof Warrior (this franchise's Boba Fett), The Five Brides, and the Vuvalini have all become downright iconic in their own right, and had this been how Miller sent his saga off into Valhalla, we would have been truly blessed. However...

You ever see a dog hold a man at gunpoint?

"Mad Max 2," rereleased as "The Road Warrior," picks back up with the heroic loner Max Rockatansky as he ventures across the post-apocalyptic Outback in search of supplies, resources, and the almighty gasoline. This is where Miller stops treating Max like an antihero and more of a mythic folk legend, as the film reveals that the now-grown Feral Kid who Max crossed paths with is the film's narrator, having become the Chief of the Great Northern Tribe thanks to Max saving his life as a child. He notes that he never saw the Road Warrior again, leaving the audience to determine what aspects of the story are factual and what is the result of a man's recollection of his childhood. But the biggest strength of "The Road Warrior" is in its pacing, taking the audience on a full-throttle journey rather than throwing them into the fire and hoping they don't burn out before the credits roll.

This is also the film where Miller showcases his most biting commentary on the fall of humanity and the misplaced values of a patriarchal society. His vision is crystalized, and the practical stunt-work is so remarkably dangerous that it's a miracle everyone made it out alive. It's lean, mean, and without the technological advancements of "Fury Road" or "Furiosa," only had the safety net of old-school filmmaking techniques to pull off the spectacular stunt work and junk car mayhem. Not to mention, Max stays a relentless jagoff for the entire film, hardened by the Wasteland and not yet ready for a typical hero's arc as shown in "Fury Road." It's a bold creative swing by Miller, and one that paid off tenfold. "The Road Warrior" is not just about Max, but a look at how quickly society crumbles. It may not be the "best" film from a technical standpoint, but it's thematically the most important film in the entire series.