Every successful movie these days seems to get a sequel. It’s hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice, so some sequels lean so heavily on the concept of the first film that it feels like a lazy rehash (see:The Hangover Part II), while others reinvent the wheel a little too strongly, resulting in a sequel that loses its connection to what made the first movie so popular (see:The Matrix Revolutions). That’s what makes crafting a sequel so difficult, and only in very rare cases are sequels actuallybetterthan their predecessors.
So with sequels continuing to be Hollywood’s go-to when an original film or concept is a smashing success, we thought we’d look back at the select few follow-ups that actually improved upon their predecessors.
All three ofSam Raimi’s entries into theEvil Deadfranchise are classics.Evil Deadis a straight up horror.Army of Darknessis slapstick comedy gold with horror leanings. ButEvil Dead IIis where Raimi struck his pitch-perfect balance between the two leanings and established his singular directorial voice.Evil Dead IIis a lunatic demon possession tale that’s constantly bursting at the seams of its structural straightjacket with moments of unhinged violence and comedy, alternating at rapid fire, keeping the audience off balance with a tonal tilt-a-whirl.
But if there’s chaos on screen, Raimi always feels in command behind the camera, maneuvering through the madness without a wrong step, and his skill is matched by Bruce Campbell, an actor with an uncommon set of performance tools at his disposal who can bounce between the role of leading man and comedic relief so casually and confidently, you almost forget how few actors can pull that dance off. Dollars for donuts,Evil Deadmight be the most successful horror franchise of all time. Each film is a triumph – hell, even the remake and TV series are solid – butEvil Dead IIis a concentrated dose of everything that makes the franchise special. —Haleigh Foutch
Before Sunset
One of the best and most unlikely trilogies in cinema history isRichard Linklater’sBeforeseries. It was never intended that way—1995’sBefore Sunrisewas simply crafted as an intimate, dialogue driven story of first love starringEthan HawkeandJulie Delpy. But the trio reunited for 2004’sBefore Sunset, catching up with the characters once more and then finally returning again in 2013’s terrificBefore Midnight. All are phenomenal, butBefore Sunsetsticks out due to its real-time narrative, as Linklater follows Jesse and Celine’s 80-minute reunion before Jesse has to catch his plane. The “ticking clock” device adds a layer of tension throughout, as you the viewer just want these two to seal the deal. IfSunriseis a “falling in love” story andMidnightis a “staying in love” story,Sunsetis a “being in love” story, and there’s something sweet about the affection and romance here that makesSunsetspecial. It’s honest and raw, but also warm and touching. –Adam Chitwood
Toy Story 2
Toy Storywas a groundbreaking film in the field of animation, and it was just an all-around great movie to boot. It made Pixar a company to watch, so it’s not likeToy Story 2had a low bar to clear. And yet it surpasses the original in every way. It’s better animated, it expands the world, builds upon the characters, and hits some serious emotional gut-punches. It’s one of the best films the studio has ever done, which is saying something when you look at all of the classics they’ve made over the years. And yetToy Story 2holds up beautifully, and I’m not sure if anything in the franchise will ever top it. –Matt Goldberg
Batman Returns
Maybe it’s sacrilege to sayBatman Returnsis better thanTim Burton’s admittedly groundbreaking 1989 filmBatman, but it’s a more assured, more cohesive, and more crazy film than its predecessor. WhileBatmanfound Burton flirting with the darker aspects of the Batman and Bruce Wayne persona,Batman Returnsis flat-out insanity. Burton’s aesthetic here is much more confident, crafting a wonderfully art deco-influenced version of Gotham from top to bottom. And the villains are perhaps some of the best in superhero movie history.Michelle Pfeifferbrings dimensionality to Catwoman as Burton paints the character as a sort of mirror for Bruce/Batman, showing someone else who dresses up and kicks ass, but takes things much further into the violence and revenge aspects.Danny DeVitois downright terrifying as Penguin, but it’sChristopher Walken’s Max Shreck who is secretly the most dastardly of the bunch, as Burton also weaves some serious political satire into the fabric of the film.
This is an ambitious movie in every regard, and while the level of weirdness and darkness scared off Warner Bros. and took viewers aback, in hindsight it’s still one of the most stylish and memorable superhero movies ever made. –Adam Chitwood
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Yes, we’re including sequels to sequels in this list too. While directorChris Columbus’Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneandChamber of Secretsdid a nice job of laying the foundation for the franchise to come, it wasAlfonso Cuaron’sHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanthat really set to the tone for how these increasingly dense books could be adapted successfully to the big screen. While Columbus’ films offer slavish devotion to the source material, Cuaron makesJ.K. Rowling’s book his own with artistic flair to spare. The decision to focus the stories on Harry would prove key to handling the unwieldy length of future books, and Cuaron’s aesthetic ambition truly makes you believe in magic. –Adam Chitwood
Christmas Vacation
There is no debate:Christmas Vacationis the bestVacationmovie. The original is a swell road trip comedy, and it certainly holds up to this day, butChristmas Vacationis a bona fide holiday classic that really zeroes in on the joys/horrors of being with your family at Christmas. The ensemble here works extremely well, and it’s a testament to the performances that even when the story veers into absurdist territory, it kinda makes sense. We are all Clark Griswold. –Adam Chitwood
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Another sequel that’s better than its predecessor for pure insanity reasons isGremlins 2: The New Batch. FilmmakerJoe Dantehas admitted thatthisKey & Peelesketchisn’t far off from how they brainstormed this follow-up, but the movie has more to offer than a slew of crazy unique gremlins. If the first film was an Amblin horror movie,Gremlins 2is a straight up satire taking aim at corporatism. In a stroke of genius, all the action takes place at a cutting edge Manhattan business building, offering a wide array of locations and settings for gremlin mayhem. Dante takes aim at any and everything, always keeping things entertaining along the way, and while the sequel lacks the terror of the first film, it more than makes up for it in dark comedy. –Adam Chitwood
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
In 2011,Joe Johnstonhad the opportunity to direct what could be considered a spiritual successor toThe RocketeerwithCaptain America: The First Avenger. This World War II-era period picture introducedChris Evansas both the scrawny, undersized Steve Rodgers as well as the pumped-up, nigh indestructible Captain America. As a war-time superhero story, it worked. But it was theRusso Brothers’ follow-up,Captain America: The Winter Soldierthat brought the conflicted Cap into contemporary times and masterfully worked in a plot wrinkle inspired by classic 1970s political thrillers.
The Winter Soldierexcels on a number of levels: It ties into both the MCU and Marvel’sAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.through the reintroduction of Bucky Barnes and Hydra’s infiltration respectively; the visceral, kinetic action sequences are some of the best the MCU has to offer; and the political intrigue and espionage present throughout the film help it to stand apart from similar superhero fare. (Plus, it’s gotRobert Redford. I mean, c’mon.) On a character level, this is the most conflicted Captain America has ever been, both personally and professionally, as he attempts to bring Bucky back from the brink while dealing with the fallout from Hydra’s treachery.The Winter Soldieris heads aboveThe First Avengerand a solid stepping stone on the path to Rodgers’ ultimate conflict inCaptain America: Civil War.– Dave Trumbore
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Ahead of its release,The Hunger Gameswas looked upon skeptically by folks who thought it was simply another attempt to cash in on the female-drivenTwilightlove. DirectorGary Ross’ adaptation was anything but, offering a harrowing, grounded, seriously affecting dystopian sci-fi drama. And while the first film is solid, directorFrancis Lawrencedoubled down with the sequelThe Hunger Games: Catching Fireto make one of the most supremely entertaining pieces of blockbuster cinema of the last decade. Anchored by a tremendous lead performance fromJennifer Lawrence, with scene-stealing work fromStanley Tucci,Jena Malone, andSam Claflin, this filmmovesbut also has something to say. It’s the rare blockbuster that’s thrilling, smart, and thought-provoking all at once. –Adam Chitwood
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
One of the greatest sequels ever made,Terminator 2: Judgment Dayis further proof thatJames Cameronis kind of unbeatable. No matter how silly or wrongheaded his ideas may seem, we’ve learned never to bet against Cameron because he always delivers.Terminator 2turns Cameron’s contained sci-fi thrillerThe Terminatoron its head, not only makingArnold Schwarzenegger’s bad guy the hero this time around, but exploding the scope and mythology of the story in compelling ways. But it’s the characters ofTerminator 2that endure, as the film is really the story of a boy in search of a father, with Schwarzenegger serving that surrogate role to a tragic end. It’s moving, thrilling, and ambitious, and whileThe Terminatoris a very good film,T2is a great one. –Adam Chitwood
