Sequels are a mixed bag, and there are far more missed marks than there are bullseyes. This is a shame, because when done right, a sequel can elevate the source material and create a strong, bountiful franchise that pays dividends both for the studio and the audience. While many sequels are either shameless cash grabs or duds created by directors who bit off more than they could chew, others are bonafide masterpieces.
They're a rarity to be sure, but there are many great sequels out there, notably within the sci-fi realm. This genre is notorious for jumping the shark, but these ten sequels serve as proof that lightning can strike twice, in the same place.
Logan (2017) - 93%
By the time Logan debuted in 2017, the X-Men film franchise had become so convoluted, contradictory and fragmented that it lost all semblance of direction. The decision was made to axe the original lineup in favor of the younger characters introduced in New Class, but that didn't fare very well, either.
Amidst the drudgery was this dystopian film that lifted elements from the Old Man Logan comics, and adapted it into something completely new. It's essentially a human drama piece interspersed with blood-soaked R-rated graphic violence and coarse language, but it works. Logan sent Hugh Jackman out with a bang, thanks to an ending that truly hit audiences right in the feels.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - 93%
The first Thor movie introduced casual audiences to a new kind of Marvel character, and it took them a bit to warm up to him. The MCU crew was wise to intersperse plenty of goofball comedy in to make Thor accessible for everyone.
The second film was unnecessarily plodding, but Thor: Ragnarok managed to turn that all around, thanks to the witty direction of Taika Waititi. It was as over-the-top hilarious as it was wondrous and action-packed. Ragnarok hit every right note in the book, with only a mild stumble or two along the way.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) - 93%
Agree or disagree, but Rotten Tomatoes' critics surely felt that the first chapter in the Disney Star Wars sequel trilogy was a stroke of genius. It's hard to agree after the Phantom Menace effect has long since worn off, and audiences see it for what it was; an almost shot-for-shot remake of A New Hope.
Nevertheless, it was good to see Star Wars back on the big screen again, after audiences thought the saga was over and done with. There are some snippets of good in the film, and it's easily the most digestible of the three, but unfortunately the wheels would come off with The Last Jedi.
The Dark Knight (2008) - 94%
Batman Begins was a real-world take on the Dark Knight's origin story, set in a plausible and believable setting. Christopher Nolan eschewed much of the Gotham City caricatures in favor of something more modern and immediate, and it wasn't long before audiences warmed to the idea. Part of the charm was the behind-the-scenes look at how Batman becomes the hero he is, which would carry into the next film.
The Dark Knight is almost the perfect sequel. It's stereotypically dark, as any middle act of a trilogy should be, and the performances are flat-out fantastic. Nolan managed to introduce several villains in one film without falling victim to the Batman & Robin trap, and it worked. The result is a masterfully constructed narrative with heart-stopping action sequences galore.
War For The Planet Of The Apes (2016) - 94%
The soft-rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise decided to take the prequel route to show just how humanity falls to their less-developed biological cousins. By focusing the narrative on the character of Caesar, audiences were given a bridge between both the ape and human worlds, and it worked like a charm.
The third film in the franchise is easily the best. It's the final arc in Caesar's story, with stakes that have never been higher. It also ties directly into the classic Planet of the Apes films in a smart and effective way that feels seamless and correct, thanks to a dynamite narrative build-up that leads into a great third act.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) - 94%
The MCU had been steadily building towards the iconic super-event known as the Infinity War, and audiences were salivating at the thought. By the time Thanos had acquired the Infinity Gauntlet and began piling on the stones, comic book fans were on the edge of their seat. The final scene of Infinity War left jaws on the floor that required cranes to pick up, weeks after the credits rolled.
Endgame had a lot of responsibility to tie up the universe-shattering cliffhanger in a clever way, and for the most part, it succeeded. It's an artistic and triumphant final act to the original MCU story arc, and it pays off in a big way. It isn't perfect, and it stumbles along the way as it tries so hard to circumvent expectations, but it's doubtful anyone could have done a better job of it.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - 94%
The Empire Strikes Back continues to stand the test of time as a virtual blueprint for how to do Star Wars right. With a masterful script by George Lucas, and the keen directorial eye of Irvin Kirshner, Empire amped up Star Wars frenzy to a new level in the 1980s, and beyond. It's got everything a perfect sequel needs, from spectacular action, to gripping drama, sweeping romance, and a character arc that has kept the crown to this day.
Part of what makes Empire Strikes Back work is a combination of relentless pacing, mixed with a more mature storyline. While the first Star Wars was essentially a carefree adventure through space, Empire brought real consequences for the characters to endure. It wasn't all fun and games in a galaxy far, far away, but audiences couldn't get enough.
Aliens (1986) - 97%
Ridley Scott broke new ground in 1979 when he debuted the horror sci-fi masterpiece Alien. For the first time, audiences had something to be truly scared of. While most men-in-rubber-suit movies were designed to make audiences marvel, Alien was designed to terrify. It felt like a real scenario, set in a real universe, with real characters.
James Cameron took the Alien franchise over in 1986, and built upon Scott's foundation by taking all the best elements, and applying them to a much different genre: a combat film. The resulting film pays respectful homage to the original Alien, without ripping it off. Aliens feels like a natural extension that picks up where the first film left off, which is no easy feat. It was bigger, badder and more terrifying than its predecessor, but it didn't try to reinvent the wheel.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 97%
Mad Max took a hiatus for quite a few years before original director George Miller decided to revisit his old universe. It was obvious Mel Gibson probably wasn't the best fit for the role of Max, so the acting duties went to Tom Hardy instead. Miller ended up crafting one of the most superb sci-fi sequels ever created, and it isn't close.
Fury Road is a visual and auditory feast. The cinematography, frantic action and dazzling art designs are simply overwhelming. This is a post-apocalyptic world that feels more like Conan the Barbarian, but it works nonetheless. It's hard to accurately describe just how much of a masterwork Fury Road is, and it's a testament to the fact that they simply don't make movies like this anymore.
The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) - 98%
Of all the sci-fi sequel hits here this one seems to have received the most love. The original Frankenstein scored a perfect 100% with Rotten Tomatoes, and it seemed unlikely any sequel could match that. Yet, the Bride of Frankenstein managed to do just that. Boris Karloff returned as the titular monster in search of companionship, and although the premise sounds a bit absurd, it still works.
It's an interesting combination of comedy, horror and tension mixed in perfect quantities, and brought to life by director James Whale. Though not as frightening as the first, the use of black-and-white film mixed with heavily contrasted tones still manages to give the movie some effective creep factor to play off of.