As we roll through Summer and toward a holiday weekend, we’re getting another blockbuster release. In this case, it’s the fifth film in the Mad Max extended universe. To get ready for the latest film, I’m giving my ranking of the previous four films. The films appear in ascending order.

No. 4: Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome (1985)
About: On the plus side, this one has Tina Turner. On the negative side, it’s not a good film. It feels like this film represents a lot of dismal parts of the 1980s. It wasn’t hard for me to drop this one to the bottom of the Mad Max list.

No. 3: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
About: Coming just a couple years after the original film, this is an interesting sequel. It leans in more to the dystopic world and has some good action sequences and peak Mel Gibson. It’s fun for what it is.

No. 2: Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
About: Coming more than 30 years after the Thunderdome, this was an unexpected return to the world. We get Tom Hardy in the lead role, but we also get the character Furiosa from Charlize Theron. That was enough to inspire the sequel we’re getting on Friday, albeit with a different cast. This film was a Best Picture nominee and featured some pretty impressive action sequences. It is among the favorites for many, and probably would top the list for a lot of people. I didn’t love it as much as some, but I appreciate the craft here.

No. 1: Mad Max (1979)
About: This is the one that started it all. It’s not a perfect film, but I appreciate the idea and the action sequences here. The driving sequences are really strong and help draw you into the world, as does a young Mel Gibson. This is probably the least dystopic the world looks, too. For me, the more grounded approach is the one that lands on top.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.