12 Most Underrated 1980s Sci-Fi Movies

The Mad Max films have delivered some of the greatest action films of all time, and is definitely the strongest franchise in Australian cinematic history. While The Road Warrior and Fury Road are deservedly proclaimed as outstanding sequels that are every bit as good if not better than the original, the third instalment of the franchise doesn't receive the same love. While not quite hitting the levels of The Road Warrior, there is still a lot to like here.

Mel Gibson is more talkative this time as Max Rockatansky, who finds his loyalties shifting between rivals Aunty Entity and the 'Master-Blaster' for control of 'Bartertown'. The first half of the film is riveting stuff in exploring Max taking on the 'Blaster', a fight set in a cage known as Thunderdome a true epic. Tina Turner is particularly impressive in these scenes as Aunty Entity, a deliciously villainous performance from the popstar displaying that her acting skills weren't too far behind her amazing vocal talents.

The second act is a little more divisive due to the inclusion of scenes on 'Planet Erf', which is occupied by a stream of children who do verge on being a little irritating at times. Like the first entry on this list, many fans of the series were turned off by the addition of characters that seemed 'out of place'. This story arc however serves in giving genuine stakes for the epic finale, a car chase scene that tops its predecessor for pure thrills and spectacular action.