Sequels (or follow up films ) that outshine the originals

edited February 2013 in General Movies & TV Posts: 2,341
Usually sequels are just pale in comparison to the original film that inspired them. (Jaws, Psycho, Indiana Jones, Die Hard...etc) but are there any out there that actually outshined the first film? There are true exceptions and some debatable.

Bride of Frankenstein
Godfather II
Wrath of Khan (though not really a sequel more of a re boot)
The Empire Strikes Back

All that come to mind at this time. Your thoughts?
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Comments

  • Posts: 1,407
    Empire Strikes Back
    X2
    Spider-Man 2
    The Dark Knight
    Wrath of Khan

    These are turkey a rarity in movies. Games is another story
  • Well first of all I think plenty of Bond films outshine DN.

    Terminator 2.

    Expendables 2.

    Bride Of Chucky

    A few more but my minds gone blank.
  • edited February 2013 Posts: 553
    Spider-Man 2
    From Russia With Love
    Wrath of Khan (in strong agreement with you there)
    X2
    The Dark Knight
    Toy Story 2
    The Empire Strikes Back
    The Prisoner of Azkaban
    A Nightmare on Elm Street 3
    Aliens (not in my opinion that one)
    The Bourne Supremacy

    Most already mentioned I grant you.
  • jka12002jka12002 Banned
    Posts: 188
    Alien 3
    Halloween III Season of the witch, That head rip scene is still one of my favorites
  • Forgot to mention Evil Dead 2. Dawn of the Dead too
  • AliAli
    Posts: 319
    Empire Strikes Back and Gremlins 2.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,328
    Empire Strikes Back
    The Wrath of Khan
    From Russia With Love
  • AgentJamesBond007AgentJamesBond007 Vesper’s grave
    Posts: 2,630
    Godfather Part 2
    From Russia With Love
    Wrath of Khan
  • Posts: 1,817
    I agree with most of the movies you've pointed out. Not so long ago, I was talking to my friends that I have the hypothesis that second parts are not usually better than the originals, except if there is a saga or series of more than 2 films.
    Anyway, the best examples of this tendency are:
    Empire Strikes Back
    From Russia With Love
    The Godfather Part II
  • 002002
    Posts: 581
    From Russia with Love
    X-Men 2
    Spider-Man 2
    Evil Dead 2
    The Empire Strikes back
    Toy Story 2
    Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom
  • TOY STORY 2
    SHREK 2
    THE GODFATHER PART II
    THE BOURNE SUPREMACY
    TRON : LEGACY



    and there are not many series that have a 23rd film that is better than the first.... imo

  • AliAli
    Posts: 319
    Good shout on Tron: Legacy, though it had long enough in gestation! Love that film, especially the soundtrack. Whoever mentioned Temple Of Doom, just no! For me thta was the nadir of the series. I'd rather watch Crystal Skull!

    I would, controversially perhaps, add Die Hard With A Vengeance despite it's lame last scenes. Willis just seemed to be having a whole lot more fun and adding Sam Jackson was genius. I watched the original last night on Film 4 and it just felt a bit flat.

    Rocky 3. Clubber Lange is just a far more serious opponent.
    Desperado
    For A Few Dollars More
    Superman 2
    Batman Returns (Pfeiffer, cat suit, enough said)
    MAd Max 2
    T2: Judgment Day

  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Well, Empire Strikes Back and Wrath of Khan seem to be almost universally approved of.

    Day of the Dead
    Live Free or Die Hard
    Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
    Resident Evil Extinction
    Star Trek First Contact
    The Dark Knight Rises
    Skyfall
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Rocky II, Terminator 2, Aliens.....
  • 002 wrote: »
    From Russia with Love
    X-Men 2
    Spider-Man 2
    Evil Dead 2
    The Empire Strikes back
    Toy Story 2
    Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom

    Yes to Spider-Man 2 and Toy Story 2 but particularly to Doom.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    edited May 2016 Posts: 7,567
    I don't agree with some of these. I prefer Toy Story, Rocky and The Terminator to their sequels.

    More controversially, I think the creativity and the scale and vision that went in to The Godfather made it the greatest film of the second half of the 20th Century.
    The Godfather Part 2 was bigger and more epic, but could never match the impact of the first film.

    Bride of Frankenstein, mentioned by @OHMSS69 is probably the greatest of all sequels.
  • Posts: 3,336
    The prime example here is:

    The Empire Strikes Back
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Indy and the Temple of Doom? That was awful imho. I much preferred Raiders & Last Crusade. The only thing I found remotely enjoyable about Temple was the opening scene. Then it detoured to shrieking Spielberg wife & annoying kid.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited May 2016 Posts: 15,686
    'Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade'
    'Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back'
    'The Bourne Supremacy'
    'The Bourne Ultimatum'
    'Captain America The Winter Soldier'
    'Captain America Civil War'
    'The Dark Knight'
    'X Men Days of Future Past'
    'Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol'
    'Mission Impossible Rogue Nation'
    'Mad Max Fury Road'
    'Terminator 2'
    'The Expendables 2'
  • Posts: 3,336
    'Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade'
    'Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back'
    'The Bourne Supremacy'
    'The Bourne Ultimatum'
    'Captain America The Winter Soldier'
    'Captain America Civil War'
    'The Dark Knight'
    'X Men Days of Future Past'
    'Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol'
    'Mission Impossible Rogue Nation'
    'Mad Max Fury Road'
    'Terminator 2'
    'The Expendables 2'

    Nice list, agree on all execpt: The Last Crusade.
    Oh and haven't seen Civil War, but i will probably agree on that one aswell.

  • Posts: 1,052
    Temple of Doom is not half bad, I would say I prefer Raiders and Last Crusade but it is a nice change of pace and has a different feel to it, love the rope bridge scene.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Temple of Doom is not half bad, I would say I prefer Raiders and Last Crusade but it is a nice change of pace and has a different feel to it, love the rope bridge scene.

    100% agree.
  • Posts: 2,341
    Bride of Frankenstein
    Aliens*
    *I place the asterisk because though Aliens is more entertaining than Alien, they are two different genres. Alien was straight horror while the sequel was action-adventure.
    Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer
    Superman II

    Many will place T-2 Judgement Day over The Terminator but I prefer the first movie.
    ditto in regards to The Dark Knight and Batman Begins.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,368
    Count me in as a member of the club that prefers 'The Terminator' to 'Judgment Day,' even though they're both terrific movies.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I'll have to disagree on T2. One of the greatest movie experiences I've ever had. The first one is great too, but quite different. Sort of 'b' movie like.

    Same goes for Aliens vs. Alien. Agreed that they are quite different genres, but both very good. I used to like the 2nd one more when I was younger. Now I prefer the first.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited May 2016 Posts: 15,686
    Probably the single greatest experiences I've had outside of 007 was seeing 'The Dark Knight' on the big screen. I just knew halfway through the film that I was seeing something very, very special.
  • Posts: 108
    Batman Returns, thanks to a fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, and Danny Elfman's vibrant score - he also scored the first Batman, but he turned it up a notch for Batman Returns. Danny De Vito was also great in this movie.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Batman Returns, thanks to a fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, and Danny Elfman's vibrant score - he also scored the first Batman, but he turned it up a notch for Batman Returns. Danny De Vito was also great in this movie.
    +1. Agreed. I think we might be in the minority, but I also much preferred this one to the more renown predecessor.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    I jump back and forth on Terminator and T2. I love both equally, and every now and then I prefer Evil Arnie over the T1000, and sometimes it's completely opposite. T1 and T2 are equal to me. Salvation is the best of the post T2 films, better than T3 and leaps and bounds over Genishyt.
  • Posts: 108
    bondjames wrote: »
    Batman Returns, thanks to a fantastic Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, and Danny Elfman's vibrant score - he also scored the first Batman, but he turned it up a notch for Batman Returns. Danny De Vito was also great in this movie.
    +1. Agreed. I think we might be in the minority, but I also much preferred this one to the more renown predecessor.

    I also found the story of the predecessor too meager. Michelle Pfeiffer alone is enough to outshine the predecessor. I always feel she really gave it all and very much enjoyed it as well.
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