10 Movie Sequels WAY Crazier Than The Original
3. Mad Max 2
George Miller's original Mad Max is a relatively modest, low-budget revenge thriller, establishing a uniquely dystopian outback vibe, but in a way that largely feels relatively grounded.
The bulk of the story sees Max (Mel Gibson) attempting to stop a violent motorcycle gang, and ultimately avenge the death of his wife and young son at their hands.
But following the film's success, Miller received more than ten-times the budget for the sequel, which despite releasing just two years later is in a whole other stratosphere.
In Mad Max 2, society has completely collapsed and the remaining dregs of humanity are largely bloodthirsty, primitive barbarians, with Max proving one of the rare exceptions.
It's a film with villains including the gimp suit-wearing brute Lord Humungus (Kjell Nilsson) and the mohawk-clad Wez (Vernon Wells).
While Miller himself has stated that he only views the Mad Max movies as direct sequels in the faintest sense - given their loosey-goosey internal continuity - Mad Max 2 nevertheless injects a weapons-grade dose of insanity into the comparatively believable dystopian world of the original film.