Sequels tend to get a bad rap that they don’t deserve. It’s the easiest take to look at a big franchise and zoom straight back to the source as the best film, decrying everything that followed. But that’s too simplistic a way to disregard sequels, especially since there’ve been plenty of sequels that soar past their origins in quality, ranging fromStar Trek II: The Wrath of KhantoPaddington 2.
I’m not aiming for the easy sequel examples for this list, though. No, I’m going into the more daring territory of defending the sequels that most viewers bashed, but I will protect with a mighty flag reading “not that bad.” I submit that these sequels are good, actually, and deserving of another watch.
2014
Runtime
1 hour 47 minutes
I don’t care if the opening number ofMuppets Most Wantedfeatures the lyrics “And everybody knows that the sequel’s never quite as good.” This was a far better film than 2011’sThe Muppetsfor doing more with the classic characters than a standard save-the-theater plot. With Kermit swapping places with a thief, there’s more danger and excitement as the iconic frog tries to save his friends from the evil doppelganger Constantine and his pushover cohort Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais).
Everything aboutMuppets Most Wantedis better than the film that preceded it. The songs are more memorable (I’ve still got “I’m Number One” and “Interrogation Song” stuck in my head), the plot is more exciting, and the comedy is more biting, with a brilliant use of cameos, staging Tina Fey as a Gulag guard and Ty Burrell as a snarky French detective. This is the kind of Muppets I love, and it’s a shame that the 2010s Muppets resurgence stopped here.
Disney+
Muppets Most Wantedfeatures the Muppets on a European tour and getting caught up in a heist.
2009
1 hour 55 minutes
After several films warning of the great war between man and machines,Terminator Salvationtakes place entirely in that dark and dirty future. John Connor (Christian Bale) continues to wage war against the vicious robots he foretold to combat. While aiding in preserving Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) to make that prophecy happen, John will work alongside Marcus (Sam Worthington), a man who might unwittingly be working for the machines.
AlthoughSalvationstill adheres to theTerminatorlore, I dug the shift towards more of a gritty sci-fi war than a modern-day battle for the future. Director McG staged some epic and brutal sequences of humans facing off against robots big and small, with an intimidating presence of Helena Bonham Carter as the voice of Skynet and one of the scariest-looking versions of the T-800 to date. It takes some time to get moving, but once it embraces the action elements, this turns into one of the more entertainingTerminatorsequels, just a step belowT2.
Amazon Prime Video
Terminator Salvationtakes place in a future where man and machine are at war in a battle for the past to preserve the future.
1 hour 30 minutes
Saw VIcontinued the rickety road of keeping the Jigsaw murders coming, even after the mastermind died three movies ago. For this chapter, Jigsaw’s long-term plan turns to healthcare. For failing to save the ailing old man, healthcare workers are thrown into a series of traps where they must choose between life and death, the same way they denied coverage to the sick and dying.
Because of its topicality, thisSawsequel cuts much deeper and reflects the darker concerns of healthcare costs at the time. But even if you don’t care about the theme, some quality kills use this concept well. The carousel scene, where only two healthcare employees can be saved from a shotgun blast, is genius in its staging and what it says about the healthcare system that decides who lives and who dies.
shudder
Saw VIfeatures the Jigsaw killer targeting the healthcare workers who wronged him in a series of vicious and violent traps.
2010
2 hours 5 minutes
Many years after the events ofTron, Flynn’s son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund), is searching for his father, who went missing many years ago. His search leads him to an old arcade, where a machine transports him to the digital world of The Grid. Sam arrives in a deadly world where his father resides, but also his evil avatar, Clu (Jeff Bridges), who has taken over this dominion and aims to conquer the world outside computer programs, speed-bike chases, and battles of discs.
Tron: Legacywasn’t as wondrous as the earlierTronfilm, but it explored deeper technological evolution concepts for its potential and harm. Although it slows down in some spots to explore these themes, the setting is intoxicating with its deep, contrasting colors and a delicious electronica soundtrack by Daft Punk. The staging was so cool that it continued with theprequel/spin-off animated series,Tron: Uprising.
Hulu
Tron: Legacycontinues the digital adventures within the Grid as Flynn and his son wrestle it back from a rogue program.
1995
2 hours 2 minutes
After two grim Tim BurtonBatmanfilms, director Joel Schumacher gave the caped crusader a splash of color with the more exuberantBatman Forever. With the lead now played by Val Kilmer, Batman must now face off against the eccentric villains of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey). He’s not alone, however, as he finds help in the young Robin (Chris O’Donnell).
Batman Foreveris not generally viewed favorably because of the huge tonal shift it took from the pitch-blackBatman Returns. But for being a big and flashy superhero adventure rather than a gothic drowning in the shadows,Foreverends up being a lot of fun for the performances, ranging from Kilmer’s restrained fragility to Carrey’s over-the-top deliveries. Schumacher just had fun with this film, fearing little of how silly the costumes might look in their neon glaze.
HBO Max
Batman Foreverfeatures the Caped Crusader facing off against the wild villains of Two-Face and The Riddler in a bombastic version of Gotham City.
1982
1 hour 36 minutes
Season of the Witchgave Michael Myers a night off from theHalloweenfranchise with a different sort of horror for the holiday. Adopting more of an anthology format, this film leads more into science fiction involving Halloween masks that kill children. The scheme, born from a Celtic ritual, is conspired by local mask-maker Conal Cochran (Dan O’Herlihy), and the only ones who can stop him are Doctor Dan Challis (Tom Atkins) and Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin).
This entry gets a lot of hate for being the onlyHalloweenfilm not to feature serial killer Michael Myers, but it does fine without his masked presence. The premise is wild and features some memorably horrific scenes, as when a kid’s head melts inside a mask, and snakes crawl out of the holes. It does get campy with its effects, but the divergence was refreshing and would’ve made for a more exciting series of films if the anthology format hadn’t been shunned after this sequel.
Halloween III: Season of the Witchfeatures a sci-fi horror plot of using Halloween masks to control children.
1985
1 hour 27 minutes
Freddy’s Revengeis the most divergent of theNightmare on Elm Streetmovies, and it is often decried for that reason alone. Shirking the characters of the first film, this sequel finds the teenager Jesse Walsh being haunted by visions of Freddy. But instead of using his claws to rip the teen to shreds, Freddy decides to use Jesse as a vessel to escape the dream world and enter our own, where he can slaughter while his victims are awake.
WhileA Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revengehas been criticized for its absurd staging and refusal to continue with key characters, this sequel is more enticing for its vocal subtext of the queer experience. Jesse’s struggles with keeping Freddy at bay are staged like keeping homosexuality closeted. Thankfully, the film has been better recognized for its gay subtext over time and explored better in the documentaryScream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge features the dream killer Freddy trying to escape his dream realm and enter our own, where he can kill many more teenagers.
1992
1 hour 54 minutes
After the claustrophobic horror ofAlienand the action intensity ofAliens, where do you go next? For director David Fincher, he sent Ripley to a dark and grimy prison. Trapped in this hell, her problems go from bad to worse when a xenomorph shows and starts smearing blood on the rust-stained walls.
Alien 3is considered the black sheep oftheAlienfranchise (which we’ve ranked), to the point where even Fincher doesn’t like the film. He might not dig it, but I loved how the film posed a different type of terrifying setting with its bleak landscape and industrial decay. It also features one of the most memorable shots in the franchise, of a terrified Ripley turning away from a mouth-extending xenomorph.
Alien 3continues the adventures of Ripley in a prison setting where she must once again fight the Xenomorph aliens.
2021
2 hours 28 minutes
Returning toThe Matrixmovies after many years, Lana Wachowski’sThe Matrix Resurrectionsfound something more to explore in its tale of simulated worlds. Neo and Trinity have their memories erased by the machine-made digital world they occupy. They soon realize the lies they’ve been sold and break free of a system that stripped them of identity.
Instead of crafting a safe legacy sequel, Lana threw caution to the wind and created the most biting film she could. The sequel even directly calls out Warner Bros. for demanding more Matrix movies and those who misinterpreted its themes. I was relieved thatResurrectionswent with a more inspiring story of breaking convention rather than adhering to it. And that’s worth more than bullet time and a Hugo Weaving cameo.
The Matrix Resurrectionsreturns to the simulated world as Neo and Trinity struggle to regain their identity and memory after it has been stolen.
1994
1 hour 58 minutes
AlthoughStar Trek: The Next Generationhad its share of crossover cameos,Generationswas exciting for the big meeting of Captain Picard and Captain Kirk. Prior to that event, the film focuses on the impending doom of the Nexus, a red ribbon that traps those who enter in a dimension where time doesn’t exist. It’s a story loaded with starship action, Picard dealing with grief, and Data handling emotions.
Generationstends to get a lot of flak for not delivering on what Trek fans desired most. While not a fan service affair, the thematic focus on family, legacy, and death are strong in this film. It’s not the best Trek film, but it is definitely one of the most emotional, especially for Patrick Stewart’s incredible performance.
Paramount Plus
Star Trek Generationsposes Captain Picard and Captain Kirk in a battle to save the universe from the time-destroying force known as The Nexus.
I’m aware that these sequels were not as revered by audiences or critics upon their release. But time can heal all wounds, and I think those who might’ve been too quick to dismiss these films might be surprised by how well they’ve held up. Give these films a re-watch or a first-watch if you’ve only gone off reviews and hearsay. Love them or hate them, I will always make a case for liking these films.
