It feels like more often than not, the original film far outweighs the sequel. That’s because far too many sequels try too hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice.
As much as I love Father of the Bride Part II, which I watched this morning, by the way, it’s nowhere near as good as the original, which is an all-time classic.
Every now and then, though, a sequel comes along that blows the original movie out of the water. Here are some examples.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
There’s no denying the cultural impact Star Wars had on audiences in 1997. As much as I love the film, it feels pretty safe: boy fulfills his destiny and helps good triumph over evil.
Empire Strikes Back ups the ante, expanding the size of George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away and throwing plenty of curveballs at the audience. We get a formal introduction to iconic characters like Yoda, Boba Fett, and Lando Calrissian. Empire improves on its predecessor and stakes its claim as the best movie in the entire franchise.
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Filming all three Lord of the Rings movies at once was a risky endeavor at the time, but one that paid off. It helps all the movies have a cohesive theme that helps them overcome any issues that arise from their place in the timeline. Fellowship of the Ring, for example, suffers from being the first in the trilogy, spending most of its time setting the stage.
You’d figure that The Two Towers would suffer from being the middle child, but somehow, it doesn’t. Despite being the second of a three-act story, it has a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end, all delivering a satisfying, self-confined story headlined by the Battle of Helm’s Deep. It’s a huge improvement over its predecessor that helps make these films so beloved.
The Dark Knight
Following the success of Tim Burton’s Batman movies, the franchise floundered under the watch of Joel Schumacher.
Years later, Christopher Nolan, who had not quite yet ascended to legendary status, took over with a gritty, more down to earth reboot in Batman Begins. With the ball now rolling, it cleared the way for one of the greatest comic book movies of all time in The Dark Knight, featuring Heath Ledger’s award winning performance as The Joker.
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier
If you don’t think The Dark Knight is the best comic book movie of all time, then there’s a chance you’ll bat for The Winter Soldier.
I absolutely love The First Avenger. It is not only a way to introduce the Captain America character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also an enjoyable period piece.
Winter Soldier knows that it has to up the ante and does so by paying homage to some of the best spy thrillers in cinematic history.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Seven years after Arnold said that he’ll be back, he made good on that promise. This time, he’s the good guy.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day is everything a sequel needs to improve on its predecessor. Arnold’s turn as John Connor’s protector against Robert Patrick’s menacing T-1000 sets the stage for several iconic action set pieces that still hold up extremely well today.
Aliens
Speaking of James Cameron, his sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror film Alien takes more of an action spin, and honestly, it’s better for it.
As frightening as Alien is, Aliens works so well as an action film that it finds a way to outperform one of the most influential movies ever made.
Spider-Man 2
Before the days of the MCU, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was the first successful modern comic book movie. It combined spectacle and action, helping to influence today’s successful comic book movies.
Then came Spider-Man 2, which made the original completely obsolete. One of the biggest issues today’s comic book movies face is dealing with the origin story. We waste the entire first act setting the stage, and then have to complete the film with limited time.
Since Spider-Man 2 doesn’t need to deal with its origin story, Raimi can let the characters grow. Peter Parker, in particular, has to deal with the consequences of his actions as Spider-Man.
Logan
We’re almost done talking about comic book movies, I promise.
Logan is a fitting ending to Hugh Jackman’s career as Wolverine, though he’d have a fantastic final hurrah in Deadpool & Wolverine several years later.
The film is living proof that the Wolverine movies should never have been PG-13. It delivers satisfying and violent action that fits the character well. Plus, it’s an incredibly emotional ending for some of the characters we’ve spent nearly two decades with.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The finale of the Dollars Trilogy, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, wasn’t met with critical acclaim upon its release, thanks in part to audiences’ lack of enthusiasm for the Spaghetti Western genre.
Over time, the film has received the praise it deserves. It is an incredible cinematic achievement that transcends the genre and whose impact is still felt today.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
I love the original Mission: Impossible film. It’s silly, yes, but that CIA scene is one of the most tense scenes I’ve ever seen.
Its first sequel, Mission: Impossible II, was a mess, but over time, the franchise found its footing, with Christopher McQuarrie being the best of the bunch. Fallout is the pinnacle of the franchise, continuing the already established story while introducing new characters to keep things fresh and fun.
Dune: Part Two
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation is a masterpiece, culminating in the success of Dune: Part Two. His touch behind the camera works so well, showing viewers what’s happening rather than telling through unnecessary exposition.
The success of Part Two is, unsurprisingly, due to how Villeneuve doesn’t have to set anything up. We already know the stakes and important characters, now it’s time for everything to play out on its own.
The Godfather Part II
Despite all the odds, Francis Ford Coppola’s follow-up to what may be consider to be a perfect movie is even better.
The film details the rise and fall of the Corleon family, intertwining events that take place before and after its predecessor. This results in masterful storytelling backed up by the performance of its strong cast.
Rather than romanticising organized crime, the sequel takes a brutal, honest look at it, leading to not just a darker tone over the film, but also a better narrative.
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