It has often been said that, outside of a few exceptions, sequels don’t live up to the original films and get looked down upon, but there are some really good ones that are unfortunately viewed in a negative light. To be fair, some sequels deserve poor reception, like Speed 2: Cruise Control and Dumb and Dumber To.
Of course, there are also all-time great follow-ups like The Dark Knight, The Empire Strikes Back, and Toy Story 2. A handful of movie sequels actually lie somewhere in the middle, though, either flopping or getting blasted by fans unjustly. Whether it’s a horror film, superhero fare, or an action sequel, these are movies that deserve more love.
Evil Dead (2013)
If you really look at it, Evil Dead might be the most consistently good horror franchise ever. The first film is a horror classic and its two follow-ups were also great, though they veered into comedic territory. When a 2013 installment was announced, over two decades after the previous installment, fans were skeptical.
Evil Dead feels like a remake of the original but was confirmed to be a sequel by director Fede Álvarez, who said that many “coincidences” were the fault of the Naturom Demonto book. This version only holds a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is the worst in the franchise.
However, there’s a lot to like with Evil Dead 2013. It’s incredibly gory and the practical effects look fantastic while paying homage to the original. Jane Levy turns in an incredible performance as the protagonist Mia, despite the impossibility of living up to Bruce Campbell, and Álvarez proved he was a horror filmmaker to watch.
Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)
The first Halloween from 1978 helped set the table for slasher movies forever and created both Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, two icons in the genre. The sequel was solid and then the third installment, while also underrated, told a completely separate story without Michael Myers being included.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers indeed brought the villain back and worked as a soft reboot in the franchise. The film was poorly received, with many critics saying it failed to recapture the scares of the original movie, and while that was true, this entry remains underrated.
There’s one particular scene where it seems like multiple versions of Michael Myers are around and it’s genuinely unsettling. This film also started the Jamie Lloyd arc, and there’s Donald Pleasence being wild as Dr. Loomis, which all equals a solid enough sequel that’s not great but is better than most people give it credit for.
The Marvels (2023)
It’s no secret that the MCU has struggled since Avengers: Endgame. It seems like every good release is followed by something disappointing and they’ve lacked consistency during the 2020s. One of the movies often cited as a low point is The Marvels but that’s not exactly accurate.
As a sequel to Captain Marvel, the film was always going to be divisive at the least, since the first film was review-bombed before it even came out due to its female lead. This film triples down on that with three strong female leads. Those who gave it a fair chance found The Marvels to be a blast of a film.
There are obvious issues like an underdeveloped villain and a rushed runtime, but there’s a lot to like. Iman Vellani steals the show with her immense charisma and she plays so well off her co-stars Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris. It’s not one of the MCU’s best films, but it’s nowhere near the worst as some tend to suggest.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
If there’s one movie that’s impossible to live up to, it’s Jurassic Park. The 1993 film has gone down as one of the biggest blockbusters ever, a beloved fan favorite, one of the better-received Steven Spielberg movies, and as a groundbreaking picture for special effects.
In fact, there have been six sequels released in the three decades since the first arrived and not a single one of them comes close to matching the original. That said, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is the best sequel in the franchise, even if it wasn’t loved upon release.
That’s an understandable reception because it can feel underwhelming next to the iconic original. However, the film does have Spielberg’s style all over it, the cast is actually really good (with Pete Postlethwaite as the standout), and the action set pieces are some of the best in the entire series.
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
The first Mad Max movie is a legitimate classic, while its sequel is widely considered to be a vast improvement, which is saying something. There’s also Mad Max: Fury Road from several decades later, which isn’t just the best Mad Max film, but it’s also one of the greatest action flicks ever made.
The forgotten movie in between is the third installment from 1985, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Although most fans would still agree that it sits at the bottom of the franchise’s ranking, it’s absolutely better than most people seem to give it credit for.
Beyond Thunderdome is a lot of fun thanks to the Thunderdome action sequences and Tina Turner’s performance as Aunty Entity, which won her an NAACP Image Award. The entire setup of Bartertown makes for memorable characters like Master Blaster, and the term “thunderdome” is now a pop culture staple.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)
The Harry Potter franchise is so beloved that it’s difficult to imagine that any entry isn’t considered great. That’s especially true since the films are consistently rewatched by fans all the time and marathons of them air on TV, seemingly monthly.
That said, The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is seen by many as the worst installment. Since the franchise split the final book into two films, the first one features the least action of any movie, giving it a slower-burning feel. However, that’s actually why it’s one of the best.
The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 gives us time to settle in with these characters and makes us feel their sense of hopelessness. That’s needed ahead of the action-packed final film. We truly get to see these actors give their best performances of the franchise. There’s also the gorgeously animated “Tale of the Three Brothers,” which is the franchise’s best scene.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (2023)
It seemed like The Hunger Games franchise was done by the time the 2020s rolled around. Both the books and movies had concluded and told a complete story where nothing new needed to be added. However, Suzanne Collins released The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, injecting new life into the series.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel that centers on a young Coriolanus Snow (the elder villain from the main story) and Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute he must mentor in the Hunger Games. The book was a hit, but the film had the lowest intake and worst reviews of the entire franchise.
It’s hard to see why The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes wasn’t as well-received because it might even be the best installment in the series. The complex love story is engaging, and the action is well done. The cast, led by Rachel Zegler and featuring the likes of Viola Davis and Hunter Schafer, is fantastic, cementing the film’s greatness.
Scream 4 (2011)
The Scream franchise reignited the slasher subgenre and is one of the most consistently good horror movie series in history. That said, there’s still one installment that gets unjustly overlooked when it comes to talking about its high points, and that’s Scream 4.
One problem facing Scream 4 is its placement, as it came out over a decade after Scream 3 and more than a decade before Scream (2022) brought the franchise back. That means the movie is something of an outlier. In truth, it was actually pretty ahead of its time.
Scream 4’s Ghostface being someone who is doing it for the fame was an early look at how an obsession with becoming famous has become such a prominent thing in today’s society. The movie also has the best Scream opening scene since the original and boasts a pretty fantastic cast. Give it a rewatch and appreciate it more this time.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Iron Man 3 was the first non-Avengers movie in the MCU to gross $1 billion, yet it’s still viewed as a disappointment. Due to the success of The Avengers and some thrilling trailers, Iron Man 3 had a ton of hype surrounding it but when it arrived, it featured some aspects that fans didn’t like.
The big one is that the terrifying Mandarin villain from the trailer was revealed to be a goofy actor rather than an actual antagonist. To be fair, the villain issue is still the film’s biggest problem, especially since Aldrich Killian isn’t very engaging on his own. That said, there’s so much good stuff going on in Iron Man 3.
Tony’s dealing with PTSD is gripping, the legion of suits is used well for action sequences, and Shane Black’s action style (and Christmas setting) is a blast. The true highlight is seeing Tony be a hero without the use of his suit. He gets to remind us that he’s a genius and hero who goes beyond his suit of armor.
Predators (2010)
Like many other sequels on this list, Predators is a movie that followed a hugely successful first entry. Predator is an ’80s classic that’s still represented in memes today and is considered one of the best sci-fi action movies in history.
The sequel was met with a tepid response, as was the crossover films with the Alien series, and the 2018 entry was dull. Dan Trachtenberg has rejuvenated the series with Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers but a great, unheralded sequel arrived in 2010 with Predators.