There are few forms of entertainment that have become as unifying and exciting as the experience of movies in a theater. The film industry loves to engage in all sorts of stories, many of which are gigantic spectacles that set the box office on fire and mark the next big franchise that will reign supreme for the next decade. The concept of sequels to movies is nothing new, but it can often be a risky procedure that can potentially taint the original movie’s brand just as easily as it can lead to a hit sequel.
The approach towards movie sequels continues to evolve, but there are an increasing number of films that according to Rotten Tomatoes are sequels that can hold their own against their predecessors.
10 Mission: Impossible - Fallout Proves That The Best Has Yet To Come For Ethan Hunt (97%)
The trajectory of the Mission: Impossible series is truly remarkable and the entertaining action franchise has gone on to become one of the most challenging and visually impressive modern film series. Tom Cruise pushes for a level of intensity and realism with the franchise’s stunts that create cinematic magic.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout, the sixth film in the series, is largely considered to be the apex of this. The action sequences and stunts are unbelievable and it’s extremely rare that such a subsequent sequel can still be so highly regarded.
9 Mad Max: Fury Road Is A Stunning Action Experience That Needs To Be Seen (97%)
George Miller’s Mad Max trilogy were entertaining 1980s action movies, but the level of control that Miller brings to the fourth entry in the series is on a whole other level. Mad Max: Fury Road hits 30 years after the release of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but clearly Miller’s talent has only become heightened in the course of these three decades.
Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the biggest action spectacles of all time and it changes the game for practical effects and stunts. It’s even crazier that this cinematic gem is also the fourth entry in a franchise.
8 Aliens Amplifies The Original’s Horror Into A Thrilling Sci-Fi/Action Hybrid (97%)
The 1970s and '80s are full of extraneous cinematic sequels that often milk good ideas until there’s nothing left. Aliens is a breakthrough movie that helped show audiences that sequels don’t always have to be a step backwards and can even experiment with genre shifts in creative ways.
James Cameron’s Aliens takes the excellent and claustrophobic framework that’s established in Ridley Scott’s predecessor, but then goes for broke with a movie that’s bigger, crazier, and faster in every regard. It’s a sequel that’s just fun on every level and makes use of a simple, but effective, structure.
7 Toy Story 3 Is An Emotional Ride That Sticks Its Landing (98%)
It’s often a risky venture to make a sequel to a successful movie, but that trepidation only grows greater when an effective sequel attempts to continue its story for another installment. Toy Story 2 is regarded as one of Pixar’s greatest achievements, so there was understandable concern over a Toy Story 3.
Miraculously, this sequel finds an emotional story that’s the perfect nostalgic narrative. Toy Story 3 grapples with themes about growing up, moving on, and forging an identity. It beautifully explores these ideas and concludes with a heartbreaking final act that hits hard no matter how many times it's watched.
6 The Bride Of Frankenstein Takes The Original Film’s Themes To Bolder Places (98%)
Universal Pictures has found infinite success with their stable of classic movie monsters, but Frankenstein's Monster is especially iconic. The Bride of Frankenstein is the first sequel to the 1931 classic and it expands upon the themes of the original in brilliant ways.
The Bride of Frankenstein's story is much deeper as it continues Frankenstein's Monster journey of self-discovery, while Dr. Frankenstein is forced into a tense arrangement to reanimate more of the dead. It does everything that a good sequel should do and establishes a new classic monster in the process.
5 Before Midnight Is A Celebration Of Character & Intimacy (98%)
One of the best examples of Richard Linklater’s passion for naturalistic storytelling is Before Sunrise, a patient and raw character study that earnestly allows Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy to open up and get to know each other. Before Sunrise and its follow-up, Before Sunset, are exceptional.
However, the concluding chapter to the story, Before Midnight, is easily the most powerful. Before Midnight benefits from how it's nearly two decades after the first movie, so Hawke and Delpy's characters have two more decades to pull from. It's a stunning look into how people can change, come together, and come apart.
4 Goldfinger Shows Off The Heightened Excellence That The Spy Franchise Can Achieve (99%)
There are now two-dozen movies that chronicle the espionage exploits of James Bond, but it's fascinating to look back to the franchise’s origins in the 1960s. Audiences had no idea what a cultural icon Bond would become.
Goldfinger is the third movie in the series and it marks some of Sean Connery's finest work as the 00 agent. Goldfinger is everything that a James Bond movie should be and it helps establish many of the franchise's staples. There's a strange and compelling villain, fantastic action sequences, and a pulpy story that's Bond at its best.
3 Paddington 2 Is One Of This Generation’s Greatest Films & Is Pure Joy (99%)
It might seem silly that a sequel to a movie about Paddington Bear could be such a cinematic triumph, but it’s almost impossible to watch Paddington 2 without the movie causing sheer happiness. The original Paddington is excellent, but Paul King’s sequel is nearly a perfect film that elegantly understands its voice and purpose.
A sweet, innocent quest for a birthday present lands Paddington in prison, but the bear’s wonder and positivity rubs off on his fellow inmates and triggers an inspirational revolt. There’s just such endless charm and glee in every frame of Paddington 2.
2 Three Colors: Red Provides The Necessary Emotional Relief To A Grueling Saga (100%)
There's something to be said for sequels that continue to develop a story, but there can also be very powerful work that's accomplished through sequels and trilogies that are more thematic. Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy are staggering character studies that explore France, Poland, and Switzerland.
The touching stories that are presented don't initially seem related. But the concluding chapter, Red, connects these dots in a cathartic manner. Three Colors: Blue and White stand on their own, but Three Colors: Red is the necessary Rosetta stone that ties all of this together into something bigger.
1 Toy Story 2 Surpasses The Original & Is A Top-Tier Pixar Sequel (100%)
Toy Story 2 is absolute excellence and it’s proof that a sequel can actually enhance the original and hit greater heights. Toy Story 2 captures the magic and innocence of its predecessor, but it tells an even more emotionally resonant story that pushes Woody to earnestly consider where he belongs.
The idea and new characters that are present in Toy Story 2 are fantastic, but there’s also such a noticeable upgrade in the quality of animation that was honestly amazing back in 1999. It’s also a more mature film that’s allowed to grow older along with its audience.
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