My Top 10 Superior Sequels

   Well, since Halloween is later this week, I should probably do a horror-related list, but I haven't yet been able to compile one in any appropriate category. I am going to do my first movie list, though. :)
   When are we going to learn, folks, that sequels just kind of suck? Many of them are just half-assed cash-ins made to bank on the original's name, not offering anything new besides maybe copying the original formula and amplifying it.
   Of course, there are exceptions. Every once in a while, a sequel comes along that's a worthy follow-up. It's not quite as good as the original, but it still continues the story well and it's enjoyable in its own right. Back to the Future Part II, Iron Man 2 and The Godfather: Part II, for example.
   But very rarely do we see a sequel that is actually better than the original. And that's the theme of today's list.
   These are the sequels that I think surpass their predecessors, be they cleverer or just all-around more interesting.
   These are my picks for the top ten sequels that are better than the original.

#10 = Mad Max 2 (1981)

I'm not a fan of the first Mad Max; I think it's unnecessarily longwinded. The sequel, however, has much better control over its pacing; it's a much more solid movie. The original film took place in a society where law and order had only begun to break down, but in the sequel, society has crumbled altogether, producing a much harsher environment, summed up in the war over resources that's the main focus. Plus it features some of the best action scenes from the 80s – it's an all-around A+ action flick – and it is the movie that made Mel Gibson a star in the United States.


#9 = Evil Dead II (1987)

The original Evil Dead isn't bad, but this sequel completely supersedes it. Evil Dead II is a horror comedy masterpiece that's relentlessly entertaining and funny. The one scene that everyone remembers is when Ash is fighting his own demon-possessed hand, eventually cutting it off with a chainsaw. Then he traps that (still mobile) hand under a bucket, and weighs the bucket down with a couple of books including A Farewell to Arms! :D That scene alone makes this movie better than the original! But on top of that, he replaces his hand with a chainsaw for the third act! Now, that's badass! :)

#8 = Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek 2 is not only one of the best sequels of all time: it's one of the best comedies of all time. The jokes are nonstop, and almost all of them hit their mark. The original is no dud, but the sequel easily trumps it in the joke department. It continues the same hilarious trend of modernising fairytales, like turning Far Far Away into Beverly Hills. The characters are great, particularly Puss in Boots with a Zorro persona. It doesn't make me laugh out loud all that much, but every joke is still well worked out and at least makes me smile.



#7 = Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

This is an unusual case, because The Wrath of Khan is not a sequel to the first Star Trek movie, but rather the episode Space Seed from the original TV series. It involves Khan out for revenge on Captain Kirk for his long-ago actions in that episode. It's one of the best tales of revenge ever told, rich in extremely quotable lines and themes of old age and obsession. It's basically Moby Dick in space. I don't think anyone denies that this movie is far superior to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but I think it also surpasses the episode it's based on.


#6 = Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Spider-Man 2 is one of the best superhero movies I've ever seen. Firstly, it irons over many of the flaws from the first movie: the effects are much better, and there's nowhere near as much melodramatic dialogue. And it simply delivers everything you could ask for. The villain, Doctor Octopus, is amazing, especially in how sympathetic he is. The action scenes are outstanding, particularly the runaway train. And the story may not be too profound, but it still delivers the goods dramatically. Everything about this film is just right on. It's just too bad the third film went on to get it so wrong!

#5 = Aliens (1986)

I almost didn't include this, because it's probably not actually better than Alien. I'd say both films are equally good. But they're very different films, and I find Aliens to be much more inventive and exciting. Whereas Alien is a wonderfully atmospheric horror movie, Aliens is a fantastically intense action movie. The action scenes are frequent but never brainless; they're there to help move the story forward. Although you could argue that the stakes are higher in Alien because the characters aren't armed, Aliens adds a ticking clock that leads to white-knuckle tension in the climax, and by the end you're exhilarated.

#4 = Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Raiders of the Lost Ark is the pinnacle of popcorn entertainment: it's simple but it's great fun. However, Last Crusade easily beats it out for me. It has a much more complicated and interesting story, in which Indy has to rescue his father and then help him to find the Holy Grail. I especially love the father/son relationship: Indy and his father make a hysterical comedic double-act. To top it all off, the action scenes are still some of the best ever shot, especially the tank chase, and the climax involving the brain-teasing death traps is nail-biting stuff. It's an all-around fantastic adventure.

#3 = Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

This is one of those rare sequels that truly tops the original on every front. The first Terminator, also directed by James Cameron, was a much bleaker, lower-key movie about a normal woman targeted for termination by a time-travelling robot. The sequel repeats this premise, but with a few twists. It's a bigger, more intricate and much more exciting movie. The plot is among the most profound in the action genre, actually posing questions about what it means to be human. What is morally permissible to avoid genocide? And it ends on the wonderful idea that the future's unwritten: you can always change it.

#2 = The Dark Knight (2008)

Batman Begins is a great movie. Christopher Nolan proved that he was the first Batman director to truly understand the character. But with his follow-up, The Dark Knight, he upped the ante to indescribable heights by creating a movie where the goal of the villain is not to destroy the hero, but to corrupt him. The Joker challenges Batman's way of thinking to prove that all of humanity is only a couple of nudges away from murderous insanity. It's one of the best-reviewed superhero movies of all time, confronting issues like morality, anarchy and personal responsibilities all in one intense, exciting package.

And my #1 superior sequel is… Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The original Star Wars (no, I'm not going to call it Episode IV – A New Hope!) is basically a classic adventure story brought into space. Much like Last Crusade did with Raiders, Empire Strikes Back surpasses it by coming up with a much more intriguing story. It's divided into two parallel plotlines: Luke gets much deeper into his Jedi training, while his friends are chased by the Empire. The scope of the movie is just huge, and every single character and location leaves an impression. But what especially sticks in my head is how there's so much blue in the colour scheme, which makes the visual style as a whole most appealing to the eye. :) It's the best-acted and most emotionally strong of the Star Wars series, and one of the most epic movies ever made.