Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

A big shift towards the mainstream compared to the previous parts, also thanks to the participation of Tina Turner. Still, a properly wacky affair, during which I had quite a good time. Some scenes, like the fight in the arena with the chainsaws, were good, others less so (there was too much shit for my taste), overall a very decent sequel. (11/05/2003)

The worst for last, but fortunately it's not all that bad. When we arrive in Bartertown and the great fight in the titular Cathedral, everything is still fine, but as the kids arrive, the film starts to turn into a kind of adventure spectacle for the whole family, which is bad, bad, bad. Well, these are the tastes of American viewers. At least we get to enjoy the action scene with the "locomotive" at the end, although it's spoiled a bit by the kids again, and the great looking vehicles (especially Auntie's turbine-powered one and the one covered in cowhide). Maurice Jarre's music is also more than good. So three and a half crazy stars. (29/05/2015)

As much as I was impressed by the second installment, the third one was underwhelming, and it wasn’t Tina Turner's fault. Too many kids and shamefully little action and suspense. The Road Warrior certainly deserved a much better follow-up. (24/06/2016)

A big budget made a big film this time. The post-apocalyptic world is amazing. Not only the magnificent set design, but the overall feeling of the film is at the best possible level. Although Tina Turner is as good an actress as she is a singer (take that as you will) and the terribly politically correct themes such as the rescue of young children dampen the benevolence of viewers who loved the previous two films, there's nothing to do other than to enjoy every last grain of sand from the Nothing, a gripping spectacle that for once doesn't rely on cars (only to impress you with the breathtaking chase at the end) and also deals a little with the world around it. Mel Gibson successfully rivals a diamond in terms of overall toughness and I believe everything that he does. I can also safely say that underneath the Thunderdome clearly resides the best film in the franchise! (27/08/2006)

Not much action, bad actors, no plot, and on top of it all, some kind of wannabe philosophical musings about a new world. It really doesn't work together. Surprisingly, considering the increased budget, the film doesn't live up to expectations. The several beautiful shots of the desert horizon have little to do with the finances, and the production design is not particularly impressive. Everything feels very cheap and it doesn't have anything to do with the attempt to evoke a sense of authenticity of desert dwellings. Tina Turner is quite a monstrous acting mistake and I don't quite understand her presence here, and the whole skeletal structure of the plot is tragic, literally about nothing. The Thunderdome is essentially present only in the opening fight, and the rest is Mel Gibson wandering, dying, searching for himself, leading a group, etc... The worst part. (19/01/2007)