Films: Worst and best sequels?

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Having watched most* of Predator 2 last night, I'm tempted to nominate this as the worst. Utterly dumb, one dimensional, poorly-acted, no sense of pace...just awful. But An American Werewolf in Paris is probably even worse.

As for best, Aliens works brilliantly by trying to be something different to the original, and Terminator 2 is just plain better than its original. T2 Trainspotting is also a worthy sequel, as is Blade Runner 2049.

I'm sure 'll be missing things. Any thoughts?

*Couldn't be bothered to finish it...

 

[Freddy]

Back to the Future got better and better. Narnia got better as did National Treasures. Jurassic Park got worse and worse. Matrix got worse and worse.

 

[DCarmi]

Best sequels:

• Empire Strikes Back
• Godfather Part 2
• I'd also throw in Toy Story 2

Worst

• Any star Wars after the 5th film (though Rogue One is very good). So much material to work with and so little done! The final film of the 9 is particularly annoying.
• Speed 2

 

[davidf]

Are we talking direct sequels as in ‘part 2’ here, or any further sequels as well?

An American Werewolf In Paris could possibly be the worst sequel ever, but it does have competition from the Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007), S. Darko (Donnie Darko follow up), and Blair Witch 2.

The Exorcist 2, Friday The 13th Part 2, and Mission Impossible 2, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Silent Night, Deadly Night 2, Sinister 2, I spit On Your Grave 2 (2013), are pretty bad as well. I didn’t much care for Doctor Sleep, which I felt was more of a sequel to a remake of The Shining that hasn’t happened yet, seeing as it was based on the book Doctor Sleep - Kubrick’s Shining deviated away from King’s book. I believe The Rum Diaries was a sort of sequel to Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, but I didn’t get on with it at all.

Some of my favourite sequels are Aliens, Blade Runner 2049, Blade 2, Back To The Future 2, Clerks 2, Die Hard 2, and Terminator 2. Quite like the Guardians Of The Galaxy follow up, despite it not being as good as the first.

I’ve grown to quite like Psycho 2, despite it not being a patch on Hitchcock’s original. Also grown to like Escape From L.A., despite hating it for many years, and as cheesey as it is in parts - watching it recently, it’s very Grindhouse-ish, way before Tarantino latched on to the look. Many people seem to hate the recent IT: Chapter 2 follow up to Stephen King’s IT, but I really like it, especially the switching back and forth between their grown up selves and as kids as they were back in the first one. George A. Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead was a great follow up in the trilogy too.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

S. Darko

Donnie Darko is one of the few constants in my all-time top ten - I haven't dared watch this.

TESB is a good call, as is TS2.

 

[davidf]

One I forgot to mention - The Town That Dreaded Sundown.

Before I watched it, I thought it was just another remake. It’s actually a sequel, of sorts. The original film, which tells of the “true” events of what originally happened, exists only as a film in the follow up. Plus there’s more to it, as I don’t want to reveal it all. I thought it was quite a refreshing way of following up an original film, rather than just sequel or prequel it.

 

[Alantiggger]

Having watched most* of Predator 2 last night, I'm tempted to nominate this as the worst. Utterly dumb, one dimensional, poorly-acted, no sense of pace...just awful. But An American Werewolf in Paris is probably even worse.

As for best, Aliens works brilliantly by trying to be something different to the original, and Terminator 2 is just plain better than its original. T2 Trainspotting is also a worthy sequel, as is Blade Runner 2049.

I'm sure 'll be missing things. Any thoughts?

*Couldn't be bothered to finish it...

I loved Predator 2, for me it's as to HOW the first movie Should have been.
Alien was boring.

 

[jjbomber]

Worst is Toy Story 2, as it's aimed at kids not adults. Saying that, Toy Story 3 was even worse and Toy Story 4 was as much fun as a visit to the dentist.
Best has to be Terminator 2. I love The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Is The Dark Knight a sequel to Batman Begins? Heath Ledger alone put that in the mix.