Joey Magidson
In just a few short days, George Miller is going to unleash more Mad Max on the world. Namely, his prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is about to hit theaters. Between this one and Mad Max: Fury Road, Miller has really gotten his flowers as a filmmaker, perhaps later in the game than he deserves. So, better late than never, though when you look at his resume, it is fairly Mad Max heavy. Speaking of, today I’m opting to rank Miller’s films so far, with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga just about to unspool for the masses.
My review of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (found here) includes the following about Miller:
Filmmaker George Miller shows no signs of slowing down here. Once again co-writing with Nick Lathouris, the world is built out in a very interesting manner, though Miller’s direction is truly the biggest star. A standout sequence has Browne transitioning mid-action into Taylor-Joy really will blow you away, while all of the action scenes have bravura. Lathouris and Miller’s script pads out the world nicely, though it also pads out the running time in a way I didn’t need. Miller would have made a phenomenal two hour movie, though he opts for something nearly a half hour longer. The cinematography from Simon Duggan, as well as the score from Tom Holkenborg, don’t quite match up to the prior installment, but are still great on their own. There’s a hump in the middle portion, though early on and late in the game, Miller is attempting to top himself in a way that’s very pleasing. There’s a bit of repetition here that bounces off of me, but by and large, this is bombastic filmmaking that blockbuster entertainment is made to showcase.
Below, you can see my Miller list. I don’t think there will be a ton of surprises, as he’s really been at his best of late, but your mileage (no pun intended) could certainly vary. I’ll give a mild spoiler and say that Mad Max: Fury Road takes the top spot. Where does Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga show up? How about the other Mad Max installments. Well, you’re about to find out…
Here now is how I would rank the films of George Miller. Behold:
11. Happy Feet Two
10. Three Thousand Years of Longing
9. Babe: Pig in the City
8. The Witches of Eastwick
7. Happy Feet
6. Mad Max
5. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
4. Lorenzo’s Oil
3. Mad Max 2
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
What are your favorite films from George Miller? Let us know!
The gulf in quality between his best and worst films is really something else. You’ve got one of the greatest action movies produced in my lifetime and Three Thousand Years of Longing – which belongs in the S**t The Bed Ending Hall Of Fame – from the same guy.
There is undoubtedly a gulf here, no doubt.