Some Underrated Movie Sequels You May Have Missed or Overlooked...

[TheTickG]

Jaws 2 - captures the feel and tone of the first quite well and the first two movies are pretty good back to back.

Death Wish 2 - ditto.

Young Guns 2 - actually better than Young Guns 1. The score should have been up for an Oscar. The role Emilio Estevez was born to play and the best performance of his career. Not too far from Oscar nomination worthy itself.

Rocky 2 - considered by many the drag of the first four films. Makes a nice four hour movie if paired with the first one...see comments above on tone and feel with respect to Jaws 2 and Death Wish 2. There could have been more acting nominations for this film, including Burgess Meredith.

Die Hard 2 - considered by many the drag of the first three Die Hards. Way better than Die Hard with a Vengeance.

Rocky 5 - it's better and has more virtues than you remember. There also aren't a lot of memorable movies made in that window of a few years to have a contemporary New Jack Swing soundtrack but it's one of them.

Rambo 3 - same thing. The opening stick fight is one of the better character introductions of the decade and character introductions are usually getting way less interesting by the time the protagonist is in the third movie.

Rambo 2 - considered a mindless Reagan actioner, it actually develops the main character and has more nuance in the story than people think or remember. Also co-written by James Cameron, there are some interesting parallels with Aliens from start to finish. Including Co as the proto-female-action-hero, among other things.

Conan the Destroyer - it's pretty respectable, all things considered. A new score that dovetails nicely with the first film.

Predator 2 - it's respectable and looks great now compared to what followed for the next number of years.

The Evening Star - yes, there was a sequel you forgot about to Terms of Endearment. It's not bad.

The Two Jakes - yes, there was a sequel you forgot about to Chinatown. It's not bad.

Well that's twelve anyway. Give em a shot or discuss them or add some that I missed as recommendations or tell me they're crap or whatever you feel like doing my homies.

Young Guns 2 and Rocky 2 are great films.

Rocky 5 is better than most people realize and continues the boxer's life arc pretty well.

Predator 2 is worthy of a repeat watch.

Conan the Destroyer was the first one I saw, so it was a great original from my experience.

I don't know the rest. Maybe I'll check them out some day.

 

[ufcfan4]

Nightmare on Elm Street 4 is also good. Part 2 is pretty bad and pretty gay but I guess barely worth watching. Marshall Bell was pretty good as usual.

Rocky 5 has its virtues if you sit through the parts you don't like to get to them...

I feel NOES 2 is a case where the backstory/context makes it more interesting than it would otherwise be. Bad movie but at least it has some sort of room for analysis which is more than you can say for some slasher films.

One day I have to rewatch that documentary on the NOES series. I remember that being really good.

 

[ufcfan4]

The Hangover 2 and Home Alone 2 are two comedy sequels that play things ultra safe by adhering to the exact same formula of the original. That said, I feel both are entertaining. In the case of Home Alone 2 that seems to be a widely accepted notion but not necessarily the case with The Hangover.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I feel NOES 2 is a case where the backstory/context makes it more interesting than it would otherwise be. Bad movie but at least it has some sort of room for analysis which is more than you can say for some slasher films.

One day I have to rewatch that documentary on the NOES series. I remember that being really good.

Yeah NOES 2 has its place in a run through the series, and the Fonda Rae / Wish song is good...even if it's put to pretty bad use...but it's definitely not a movie that stands that well on its own two feet. A watchable bridge to the next two though.

 

[BisexualMMA]

The Hangover 2 and Home Alone 2 are two comedy sequels that play things ultra safe by adhering to the exact same formula of the original. That said, I feel both are entertaining. In the case of Home Alone 2 that seems to be a widely accepted notion but not necessarily the case with The Hangover.

Yeah sounds about right.

I forgot to mention in the OP that Ghostbusters 2 is a pretty good one that doesn't get a lot of credit.

Fletch Lives is all right but a significant drop down. In the...worth watching...category.

As I recall The French Connection 2 and The Magnificent Seven 2 were all right.

As were They Call Me Mr. Tibbs (In the Heat of the Night 2) and U.S. Marshals (The Fugitive 2).

I think European Vacation is a good one that I completely forgot to include.

 

[ufcfan4]

Yeah NOES 2 has its place in a run through the series, and the Fonda Rae / Wish song is good...even if it's put to pretty bad use...but it's definitely not a movie that stands that well on its own two feet. A watchable bridge to the next two though.

Well said. Dream Warriors just might be the pinnacle of that series. Original gets extra props for establishing the concept and being pretty damn good but I think you can at least argue that 3 is right on that level. That’s in contrast to, say, Halloween where I don’t think ANY other film really touches the Carpenter original. There’s some good ones in there but the original Halloween stands well above.

 

[ufcfan4]

Yeah sounds about right.

I forgot to mention in the OP that Ghostbusters 2 is a pretty good one that doesn't get a lot of credit.

Fletch Lives is all right but a significant drop down. In the...worth watching...category.

As I recall The French Connection 2 and The Magnificent Seven 2 were all right.

I think European Vacation is a good one that I completely forgot to include.

Ghostbusters 2 looks all the better in context- just like Jaws 2 seems even better when you see where the franchise ultimately went. 2016 ghostbusters was pretty dull and even Afterlife which has its merits and it’s nostalgia is not nearly as good as 2 in my opinion.

Moranis is hilarious in 2 (no surprise there).
“Sure the black out was annoying for everyone. I was stuck in an elevator for two hours and had to make the whole time. But I don’t blame my clients, because once I turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you.”

And Ramis spot on as always with his delivery of the response.

“Very good, Louis. Short yet pointless…”

 

[The Good The Bad The HBK]

Young Guns 2 is great but not better than 1.

I like 2 a lot more than 1.

Emilo as Billy the Kid is the most underrated and overlooked performance in westerns imo he would make my top 5.

2 had the better story and ending imo

 

[BisexualMMA]

Ghostbusters 2 looks all the better in context- just like Jaws 2 seems even better when you see where the franchise ultimately went. 2016 ghostbusters was pretty dull and even Afterlife which has its merits and it’s nostalgia is not nearly as good as 2 in my opinion.

Moranis is hilarious in 2 (no surprise there).
“Sure the black out was annoying for everyone. I was stuck in an elevator for two hours and had to make the whole time. But I don’t blame my clients, because once I turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you.”

And Ramis spot on as always with his delivery of the response.

“Very good, Louis. Short yet pointless…”

Yeah I don't really know what more people could have wanted or expected from Ghosbusters 2 other than maybe a bigger budget for a few of the effects. I thought it delivered on all the other fronts...good villain (Wilhelm von Homburg was great every time he showed up in anything, especially this and Diggstown), good soundtrack or at least a great main song, good comedy, the characters have gone through some stuff since the first one, etc.

 

[revoltub]

Jaws 2 - captures the feel and tone of the first quite well and the first two movies are pretty good back to back.

Death Wish 2 - ditto.

Young Guns 2 - actually better than Young Guns 1. The score should have been up for an Oscar. The role Emilio Estevez was born to play and the best performance of his career. Not too far from Oscar nomination worthy itself.

Rocky 2 - considered by many the drag of the first four films. Makes a nice four hour movie if paired with the first one...see comments above on tone and feel with respect to Jaws 2 and Death Wish 2. There could have been more acting nominations for this film, including Burgess Meredith.

Die Hard 2 - considered by many the drag of the first three Die Hards. Way better than Die Hard with a Vengeance.

Rocky 5 - it's better and has more virtues than you remember. There also aren't a lot of memorable movies made in that window of a few years to have a contemporary New Jack Swing soundtrack but it's one of them.

Rambo 3 - same thing. The opening stick fight is one of the better character introductions of the decade and character introductions are usually getting way less interesting by the time the protagonist is in the third movie.

Rambo 2 - considered a mindless Reagan actioner, it actually develops the main character and has more nuance in the story than people think or remember. Also co-written by James Cameron, there are some interesting parallels with Aliens from start to finish. Including Co as the proto-female-action-hero, among other things.

Conan the Destroyer - it's pretty respectable, all things considered. A new score that dovetails nicely with the first film.

Predator 2 - it's respectable and looks great now compared to what followed for the next number of years.

The Evening Star - yes, there was a sequel you forgot about to Terms of Endearment. It's not bad.

The Two Jakes - yes, there was a sequel you forgot about to Chinatown. It's not bad.

Well that's twelve anyway. Give em a shot or discuss them or add some that I missed as recommendations or tell me they're crap or whatever you feel like doing my homies.

Jaws 2 - saw some of it when I was younger but cant remember much. I'll probably rewatch it soon.

Death wish 2 - didn't see it yet but loved the first.

Young guns 2 - yeah I might get to it.

Rocky 2 - great movie, more tonally compatible with one (cough rocky saga movie) than 3 or 4.

Die hard 2 - really enjoyed it.

Rocky 5 - worst of the original 5 but I'm with you its not terrible and reverts back to the feel of 1 and 2. Great street fight.

Rambo 3 - havent seen it yet.

Rambo 2 - another one I really enjoyed maybe as much as the first. The Murdock one liner rambo says is awesome.

Conan the destroyer - might check it out even though I wasnt big on the first.

Predator 2 - not bad but honestly wasnt a big fan of it.

Evening star - havent seen it or terms of endearment.

The two Jake's - came really close to watching it after I watched chinatown but never did. Will probably check it out cause I really enjoyed chinatown.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I like 2 a lot more than 1.

Emilo as Billy the Kid is the most underrated and overlooked performance in westerns imo he would make my top 5.

2 had the better story and ending imo

Yeah like I said Emilio wasn't far from Best Actor nomination caliber in Young Guns 2 and I don't think he ever came close to that level of acting before or since. Young Guns 1 was probably the closest. He was that character. He was born to play Billy the Kid and I don't know who else could have done it the same way.

Everyone else was very good in the movie as well. Kiefer, Lou Diamond, Viggo, Petersen, Coburn. And like I said Christian Slater did his homework...you knew what Arkansas Dave was all about very quickly.

 

[Prutfis]

I like 2 a lot more than 1.

Emilo as Billy the Kid is the most underrated and overlooked performance in westerns imo he would make my top 5.

2 had the better story and ending imo

Agree on Emilio.. Think 1 has better story and ending

 

[BisexualMMA]

Agree on Emilio.. Think 1 has better story and ending

I think 1 might have the better ending as well. The slow motion and the townhouse massacre is great stuff. Everything down that sound effect they use right before any bullet hits one of the Young Guns. Billy's pitched down roar when he opens the chest... Nice details.

 

[BisexualMMA]

the dumb shit these movies do.

Yeah it didn't get great reviews but I liked it and I thought The Raft was the best episode in both movies.

 

[The Good The Bad The HBK]

Agree on Emilio.. Think 1 has better story and ending

Story? Possibly. But the ending for 1 fell a little flat to me.

 

[ufcfan4]

Oh Godfather III for sure for me. Always felt like it got a bad rap. The notion that it was terrible always struck me as people just looking at it compared to the exceptional predecessors. But taken on its own merits, I really like the story with Michael’s quest for redemption, the shady clergymen/bankers and Immobiliare.

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

Well said. Dream Warriors just might be the pinnacle of that series. Original gets extra props for establishing the concept and being pretty damn good but I think you can at least argue that 3 is right on that level. That’s in contrast to, say, Halloween where I don’t think ANY other film really touches the Carpenter original. There’s some good ones in there but the original Halloween stands well above.

I enjoy Halloween 2, especially the use of the security camera footage to add some suspense. but yeah after the second one quality really fell off

 

[Fedorgasm]

Evil dead 2 is light years better than the first one.

In fact I usually recommend people skip the first one altogether since you don't need to watch it to get the story.

 

[Starman]

Yeah I don't really know what more people could have wanted or expected from Ghosbusters 2 other than maybe a bigger budget for a few of the effects. I thought it delivered on all the other fronts...good villain (Wilhelm von Homburg was great every time he showed up in anything, especially this and Diggstown), good soundtrack or at least a great main song, good comedy, the characters have gone through some stuff since the first one, etc.

The biggest problem with GB2 is it was competing against one of the greatest films of all time.

Ghostbusters is one of the few films on my list of “perfect” films. A sequel was never going to top the original, and of course it didn’t, and indeed, fell far short of the original. That doesn’t mean it was a shit movie. It’s better than almost anything being put out today. There were just unreal expectations for it. The original really was lightening in abottle.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Critters 2 is the greatest sequel of all time, with the most gratuitous rated PG set of Playboy centerfold boobs you'll ever see.

RIP Roxanne Kernohan.