The Chain Reaction is a 1980 Australian science fiction thriller film directed and written by Ian Barry.

The movie features many cast members from Mad Max, among them Mel Gibson as a bearded mechanic, in an uncredited cameo.

[3] An earthquake in rural Australia causes a dangerous leak at WALDO (Western Atomic Longterm Dumping Organisation), a nuclear waste storage facility.

Heinrich Schmidt (Ross Thompson) an engineer badly contaminated in the accident, knows that the leak will poison the groundwater for hundreds of miles around and wants to warn the public.

Lost in the woods and suffering from amnesia, he is rescued by Larry Stilson (Steve Bisley), a car mechanic and Vietnam Veteran on holiday, and his wife Carmel (Arna-Maria Winchester).

[5] Elfick says the location at Glen Davis was rumoured to be the site of an aboriginal massacre and was supposed to be cursed; he believed it because filming was extremely difficult.

Post production was reputedly very difficult with representatives from the AFC, VFC and Hoyts supervising and discussing every cut of the film.