Top 10 Best Sequels
1. Aliens – 1986
After the success of Ridley Scott’s Alien it was always going to be a hard act to follow, so who better to accomplish this than James Cameron.
Cameron having already directed another sci-fi blockbuster The Terminator was the ideal man for the job.
His vision for this film was brilliant, picking up pretty much from where Scott’s left off, with Ripley floating in deep space.
What makes this an exceptional sequel is that it follows the story through to the next stages to perfection but at the same time being its own film. A fantastic cast also helped along with some brilliant action sequences makes this a clear sequel favourite.
Sequel Success Rating:
(5/5)
2. Die Hard 2: Die Harder – 1990
How could you follow up storming a building full of terrorists, hmmm, what about storming an airport full of terrorists!
Die Hard 2 ticked every sequel box and was bigger and more explosive that it’s predecessor.
John McClane (Bruce Willis) was back and back with a big bang, “How can the same thing happen to the same guy twice?”
From ejecting himself out of a stationary cockpit to exploding a jumbo jet mid flight, this film went all out to please audiences, and it did!
Some critics might say that this lacked the Alan Rickman evil, and I can see what they mean. That said Renny Harlin pulled it off and avoided the curse of the sequel.
Sequel Success Rating:
(3.5/5)
3. The Godfather Part 2 – 1974
It’s going to take a massive film to stand up to The Godfather which quite simply is one of the greatest films in cinematic history.
The acting performances were sublime from Pacino and De Niro which you’d expect nothing less of course.
The film moves back and forth focusing on the lives of both Michael and Vito Corleone, as they attempt at growing the family business.
As they are shown through different eras Pacino and De Niro are never on the same screen together, we’d have to wait for Heat for that great event.
Add to that the supporting cast of Diane Keaton and Robert Duvall and you have something nothing short of magnificent.
Sequel Success Rating: (5/5)
4. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back – 1980
What’s not to love about Star Wars, it had everything in it that a sci-fi could and should have.
The storyline was perfect and even today it gets debated in universities across the world, delving into the depths of the archetypal hero and villain.
For its time the special effects were extremely dated, but I’d have these three early films over the more recent ones any day. Alec Guinness had something that Ewan McGregor will never have.
The choreographed fight scene between Skywalker and Vadar was exceptional, the ultimate battle between good and evil. Not to mention the extravaganza that was the battle on the Hoth system.
Sequel Success Rating: (5/5)
5. The Bourne Supremacy – 2004
Jason Bourne was a breath of fresh air, and set the tone for the spy thriller once again.
With the world awash with James Bond, Bourne was a brutal force that couldn’t have given a toss if his Martini was shaken or stirred.
The Bourne Identity showed what Bond was now aiming to be, as it (Bond) was trying to move the franchise away from cheap one liners,and almost comic like action sequences which for one minute could not be taken seriously.
So after the success of Identity director Paul Greengrass gave Supremacy a more gritty feel, and with it built on the ground work laid out by the original.
It was quite simply, one of the finest, well scripted big-budget thrillers for some time.
Sequel Success Rating:[Rating;4.5/5]
6. Terminator 2: Judgement Day – 1991
Where do you start with T2? Do I have enough space to list all the known movie clichés and superlatives, suffice to say that this is Cameron’s best work. Don’t give me that “but what about Avatar….?”
Arnold Schwarzenegger was immense, and this was a film that was ground breaking in terms of special effects and the use of CGI technology.
It has some great action sequences and a brilliant storyline that continues from where the first ended.
It also introduced one of the great villains of the piece in the T-1000 which was cooley and sinisterly played by Robert Patrick. It moves from one scene to the next setting up climax after explosive climax delivering an ending that is satisfying.
Such a shame we had to endure a badly directed third!
Sequel Success Rating: (5/5)
7. Batman Returns – 1992
The first Batman was a Gothic triumph for Tim Burton, it was dark, slightly disturbing and took a lot of inspiration from the graphic comics. It certainly wiped the memory of Adam West in lycra!
So when Burton came back for a sequel along with the impressive Michael Keaton it was nothing short of brilliance.
Having dispatched the Joker in the original, it was the turn of Catwoman and the Penguin to take on the role of Batman’s arch nemesis.
Yet again the film was very dark, as it should have been. The plot well scripted and for fans of the comics it lived up to expectations.
Keaton wanted too much money for a third, Burton left and Joel Schumacher stepped in to give us what can only be described as two of the worst films in comic book adaptation history!
Sequel Success Rating: (4/5)
8. Lethal Weapon 2 – 1989
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover were the perfect pairing for this successful action franchise, albeit until the fourth film when they were clearly “too old for this shit”.
Lethal Weapon 2 gave its all to make sure that the sequel was every bit as good as the original, and it was.
Director Richard Donner had great script to work with, thanks to Shane Black who also wrote the first film.
But the master stroke was not the action scenes or the love hate relationship of Riggs and Murtaugh, it was the inclusion of one Leo Getz hilariously played by Joe Pesci. The successful actor gave the film a lift although he wasn’t as effective in the last two films.
That said, they are and will always be enjoyable pieces of cinema.
Sequel Success Rating: (5/5)
9. Toy Story 2 – 1999
What’s not to love about Toy Story, the film designed for children became an instant hit with adults alike.
The characters were lovable in their own way and the plot was delightful to follow.
It was also the first feature length outing for Pixar, a studio that would become a global figure in future films to follow. Toy Story 2 never let anyone down, and was just as good if not better than the first.
It won’t get the title of greatest sequel of all time, but its charm and skilfully woven jokes can and still be enjoyed by all years after its release.
Sequel Success Rating: (5/5)
10. Blade 2 – 2002
The franchise that put Wesley Snipes back on the action map after some fairly inept performances to say the least.
While the first film was OK and had enough hard core violence to satisfy any fan, Blade 2 went that one step further to crowd please.
Guillermo Del Toro’s blood thirsty follow-up to Stephen Norrington’s 1999 cult hit is clearly up there with some of the best vampire classics, that much is certain.
The slick fight sequences and special effects are pretty mind blowing as Snipes dispatches one vampire after the other in a range of unusual and unique ways. The villain, Nomak (Luke Goss), is sickeningly good and the introduction of the Bloodpack echos the band of merry men and women from Aliens.
Either way it was certainly a surprising success, again let down by a disastrous third installment!
Sequel Success Rating: (4/5)
Disagree with anything here, maybe there is a sequel we missed out, well leave a comment and let me know!
