The first half is good and then you're presented with a different film to finish the runtime. (But there are reasons for how it happened like that)
shareFrom Wikipedia for anyone interested in what happened.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was the first Mad Max film made without producer Byron Kennedy, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 1983 while location scouting for the film. While the film was in development before Kennedy's death, director George Miller was hesitant to continue without his producing partner. "I was reluctant to go ahead," said Miller. "And then there was a sort of need to – let's do something just to get over the shock and grief of all of that." A title card at the end of film reads: "...For Byron".
Miller ended up co-directing the film with George Ogilvie, with whom he had worked on the 1983 miniseries The Dismissal. "I had a lot on my plate," said Miller. "I asked my friend George Ogilvie, who was working on the mini-series, 'Could you come and help me?' But I don't remember the experience because I was doing it to just... You know, I was grieving." Together, Miller and Ogilvie used a group workshopping rehearsal technique that they had developed
You can't blame Miller, losing a close friend and someone who he worked with closely on his films like that so near to the film starting. It's definitely a film of two halves, the first been a very good Mad Max film. And other half just not clicking at all with the kids get involved. It took him 30 years to get another Mad Max classic with Fury Road and it was worth the wait.
Not in the same league as Road Warrior. I say around the equal or just slightly less then first one, I like the punky feel to the first film more and more over the years although it drags in places especially in the second half with the stuff with Max's wife. I know you didn't ask but not in the same league as Fury Road.
As a few have said already, it's definitely a film of two halves. I don't mind the second half but it just doesn't feel like a Mad Max film at all. But the first half is very good film. And Tina Turner's song is pretty damn good.
Basically Fury Road and Road Warrior, are classic's of their genre and as films. The first film and Thunderdome have a lot of things to recommend them but are flawed especially in the last third. Thunderdome is definitely worth a watch though.
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4 is not Mad Max
it's awesome. all the Mad Max movies are totally different. you either like Ewoks or you don't.
shareHands down the worst of the first three, but that's not to say it's bad in and of itself. Just a bad case of whiplash for the third one to suddenly get all Disney-ish on ya. I enjoy it a lot despite its fruitiness.
shareHard to say how you'll take it upon viewing. I know back when it came out, I was seriously let down that it wasn't nearly as good as The Road Warrior. It's still not, but The Road Warrior was one of the all time great action movies, and has influenced the look of the post-apocalyptic genre every since it debuted. That's always going to be a really tough act to follow.
That said, if you can just take the film on its own merits, it's actually a good, solid, entertaining sci-fi action movie.