Sequels are hard to sell on their best day. Most of the time, creative vision falls to the wayside while Hollywood studios put profit concerns above all else. The result is a film that capitalizes on what made the original so great while throwing shade on its artistic vision. On the other hand, the world gets a fantastic sequel that trumps the original, such as Aliens or Terminator 2.
Most of the time though, sci-fi sequels are nothing but a nosedive. Still, there are some who caught flack for the wrong reasons, while others deserved criticism, even if it was a bit too heavy-handed. Many sci-fi sequels got a bad rap, but they're actually not as bad as people have been led to believe.
Terminator: Salvation (2009)
Yes, Terminator: Salvation was a misstep, but its heart was in the right place. It shelved the idea of a modern-day time travel movie in favor of a narrative set after the events of Judgment Day, and that was fertile ground for some excellent storytelling. The problems centered around a half-cocked script, and some questionable narrative decisions.
The rest, however, wasn't bad, and certainly not worthy of the scorn that followed. No, it won't win any awards for being the best Terminator film, but getting to see 600-series Terminators and other SkyNET nasties slugging it out with Tech-Com soldiers was enough to sweeten the sour taste of Marcus Wright's silly character arc, at least somewhat.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
The Ghostbusters franchise was all the rage in the 1980s, which makes it all the more confusing as to why the second film got trampled on by critics. The two films are as different as they are alike, and that's part of the fun. There's a different antagonist at work, both on the spiritual realm, and City Hall, as well.
As such, Ghostbusters II is a story about a group of down-on-their-luck former heroes having to get their mojo back by tackling the disembodied spirit of a notorious mass murderer. There's a ton of laughs along the way for good measure, and the cast is clearly having a good time. Critics were possibly too involved in the honeymoon phase with the original film to give this one its proper dues.
Blade II (2002)
Guillermo del Toro got his mitts on the Blade franchise, cranking out this 2002 sequel that expanded on the cool-guy vampire-killing universe glimpsed in the original. Once again, Wesley Snipes returned as the titular Blade, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid with a seething hatred of the latter, and the weapons to show just how much.
Though critics blasted it, Blade II was imperfectly spectacular. The fight scenes were amazing, the pacing was fun, and the concept of Blade teaming up with his arch-foes to combat an even deadlier threat was a novel idea. It's certainly not without a few blemishes (including some goofy CGI), but Blade II did not deserve the shade thrown at it.
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Trilogy third acts are a tough sell, and there's a lot of pressure on directors and producers to keep the momentum going while wrapping things up with a bow. Obviously, this did not happen with The Matrix Revolutions, and it took a massive burly brawl beating as a result. Still, there's a good movie amidst all the chaos.
The film was the least action-packed of the bunch, preferring to spend its time philosophizing and what-iffing about how the last pocket of humanity was going to prevent an incoming catastrophe. The deaths of Trinity and Neo were sour grapes to fans who expected smiles and fireworks before the credits rolled, especially for people who wanted an emotional pick-me-up. Yes, the ending was bittersweet but purposeful, and there's a beauty in the messaging that fans might uncover if they give it another watch.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
A number of things worked against the second Jurassic Park film, notably the absence of key actors Sam Neill and Laura Dern. Luckily, Jeff Goldblum was there to save the day, and Steven Spielberg gave him the freedom to expand his eccentric character while making him a little more human in the process.
On the technical side, The Lost World is a triumph. It might not have the same impact that sucked the breath out of people's lungs during the first film, but it expands on the familiar formula with a new, altogether different adventure where dinos become the prey.
Justice League (2017/2021)
This one isn't the fault of the critics, nor the fans, but a mixture of bad timing, tragic events, studio malfeasance, and controversial directorial duties by Joss Whedon. The result was a recipe for total disaster, and Justice League got absolutely shellacked as a result. It was considered by many to be the worst DCEU film up to that point.
Then, something amazing happened. The strong voice of the fandom cried out for the long-rumored, but never confirmed Snyder Cut of the film. That version dropped four years after the theatrical release, to explosive applause and fanfare. It wasn't a perfect film, but it managed to turn it into a cinematic victory. At four hours long, the Zack Snyder Cut is not an easy watch, but break it up over the course of two nights, and it works.
RoboCop 2 (1990)
It's hard to figure out where the hatred for RoboCop 2 comes from. In essence, it has everything that made the original so great, minus director Paul Verhoeven. In his place, Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner took a crack at the formula and hit it pretty close to the mark.
Sure, it's hard to duplicate Verhoeven's signature satire, but RoboCop 2 more than makes up for it with an entertaining story, incredibly unique characters, and a little more personality in its titular character. Plus, nobody can seriously deny how cool it was to see Murphy square off against his monstrous successor in that final battle sequence. It's ugly, nihilistic, and wicked, but it's also great fun.
The Thing (2011)
The 2011 soft-reboot of The Thing was technically a prequel that fed directly into the events of the classic John Carpenter 1982 film starring Kurt Russell. It attempts to build a bridge between the two films, but critics and fans weren't feeling it, which is unfortunate given that it's not as terrible as some proclaim.
If The Thing is guilty of one singular crime, it's an attempt to build on its predecessor, brick-for-brick. This was probably done on purpose to maintain consistency. The film gets props for doing some inventive new things with the alien creature, while still maintaining a level of fear and dread, even if it can't match the 1982 original. It's still worth a watch a decade later.
Predator 2 (1990)
Long-time Predator might realize that the main reason they hated Predator 2 is that Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't in it. In the 1990s, Arnie was the most popular action star in the world. Stripping away the fact that he decided not to return, Predator 2 is actually a pretty solid sequel.
Besides taking on a similar, yet altogether unique formula, Predator 2 expanded on the Yautja creature by showcasing new weapons, behavioral patterns, and cultural references. It's dirty fun at its best.
Alien 3 (1992)
While it's true that Alien 3 debuted to disastrous critical and commercial ratings in 1992, it has since gone on to become something of an underappreciated cult classic. Fan uproar over the deaths of Newt and Hicks at the start of the film was a major reason for the hate, and studio interference didn't make anything better.
While the theatrical version is a dud, Alien 3 is a surprisingly good sequel if watched in its "Assembly Cut" form, which has been floating around on Alien box sets and releases for years now. Entirely new scenes and subplots are added to the film that flesh out the story, turning frustrating sequel into a respectable watch. It's never going to be perfect, but the Assembly Cut is actually quite cool.