Thegun's 50 Worst Sequels Ever Made (#15)

[Ethan Hunt]

8 minutes ago, Daniel Dylan Davis said:

 

I enjoy it myself, but it's a fairly disliked sequel, so it wouldn't surprise me if it showed-up on here. 

I mean to be fair I really don't like any of the four, I just dislike TLW the least

[Fancyarcher]

3 minutes ago, Ethan Hunt said:

I mean to be fair I really don't like any of the four, I just dislike TLW the least

 

I actually think I'm kinda aware of that already. Regardless, I expect to see at least one JP sequel on here. 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Daniel Dylan Davis

[junkshop36]

The Matrix Reloaded isn't a bad movie in and of itself. BUT it's a terrible, and worst of all, pointless sequel. 

 

 

I  don't think TLW is all that bad really. It was enjoyable enough. 

[Thegun]

43. National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)

 

1983's Vacation is regarded as one of the funniest films ever made.  89's Christmas Vacation has grown to be one of the films everyone watches around Christmas.  1997's Vegas Vacation is without a doubt a step down in quality from two greater films, but there is some "watch on a rainy afternoon" fun to it.  But then there was 1985.  A year that gave us, not one, not two, but three Chevy Chase comedies.  The harmless Spies Like Us that still benefited from the freshness of John Landis and Dan Akyroyd, and of course perhaps Chase's defining title role in Fletch.  In addition you had a sequel to his most successful film to date, and to say it's a disappointment is an understatement.  Perhaps it's an unfair inclusion.  Chase, DeAngelo, director Amy Heckling and returning writer John Hughes are funny enough when they want to be, and even there worst jokes might still evoke a smile.  In fact there might be plenty of comedy sequels that are more deserving.  It's just so lazy.  You expect Vegas Vacation to not be the best, because they are all past their prime.  This is Chase in his best, and he just is weak here.  There are some chuckles to be had, and to be honest a lot are just from the European setting, to why they recast the kids (A joke to recur even in a recent Old Navy commercial.)  It's not as fresh, and relies on what worked before.  It's a decent rehash ruined by the studio system.  I mean why on earth would you limit them to a PG-13 film when the first film was comfortably R.  Another sequel that just missed my list was Major League II which is guilty of the same thing. The Expendables franchise did it as well.  You're watering down the stuff that made you popular to begin with. Thankfully Christmas and even to an extent Vegas figured that concept only goes too far, you actually have to try.

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by Thegun

[Fancyarcher]

I actually heard that John Hughes had little to do with European Vacation. Apparently a lot of the script was rewritten by Robert Klein, a writer who's a fan of more slapsticky bumbling type humor (he wrote the Weekend At Bernie's films). Still, I don't despise it, it's just kind of there. 

[Plain Old Tele]

15 minutes ago, junkshop36 said:

The Matrix Reloaded isn't a bad movie in and of itself. BUT it's a terrible, and worst of all, pointless sequel.

 

I don't think it's a terrible sequel or a pointless one. In terms of pointless, by that logic any movie in the 80s or 90s that didn't have a sequel planned for the get-go is "pointless". In terms of being a terrible sequel, I think it's just the opposite: it expands upon the original universe in interesting and intriguing ways, it forces characters to confront new truths about their reality, and it has really cool action (still some of the best stuff put out in movies in the last 15 years). And it has a legit great twist/reveal at the end that sets up all sorts of dramatic complications for the next movie. 

[Plain Old Tele]

I'll be quiet now, @Thegun.  

[junkshop36]

16 minutes ago, NuTella Lover of Sky Beams said:

 

I don't think it's a terrible sequel or a pointless one. In terms of pointless, by that logic any movie in the 80s or 90s that didn't have a sequel planned for the get-go is "pointless". In terms of being a terrible sequel, I think it's just the opposite: it expands upon the original universe in interesting and intriguing ways, it forces characters to confront new truths about their reality, and it has really cool action (still some of the best stuff put out in movies in the last 15 years). And it has a legit great twist/reveal at the end that sets up all sorts of dramatic complications for the next movie. 

 

I should have been more specific. I find the fight scenes involving Neo to be pointless because he's the One and doesn't actually need to fight anyone, AT ALL. 

 

I'm not gonna go into any more detail. I don't want to derail the thread. Guess we'll just have to disagree on that one Tele. 

[75Live]

good list so far, I may disagree with one or two, but I understand why they are on the list  

[Thegun]

42. The Evening Star (1996)

 

This is one boring film.  For those that have no idea what this even is.  In 1983 a film called Terms of Endearment starring Shirley McClaine, Jack Nicholson, and Debra Winger came out.  A very subtle film about family life and heart ache.  It was a huge hit, and won 5 Academy Awards after being nominated for 11.  It's the kind of film that would have happily fit on Baumer's film list that most have never seen.  Well that was a 100+ million grossing Best Picture Winner.  Well like every bad idea, 13 years later they decided to make a sequel, and took away the interesting characters, and the returning characters simple do more of the same for an entire film that was wrapped nicely in the original. If you've never seen it, there honestly is no point to its existence.  This is the type of film that belongs on lifetime where it would be rightfully ignored.  Do yourself a favor and watch the original instead, it's a great film competently directed by Simpsons Co Creator James Brooks who would go on to direct other greats like Broadcast News and As Good as it Gets.  But this is The Evening Star. This film is useless. This might very well be some of the worst drop in quality on this list, but it's such a slight film and completely forgettable that I can't justify it going lower.  

 

Best Moment:  You have Jack Nicholson reprising his Oscar Winning role (But in this case he seems to just be ad-libbing for his few minutes of screen time)  but hey Jack stops by, and pumps the only jolt into the film.

 

 

 

[filmlover]

lol The Evening Star was such a bad sequel. And I'm not even a big fan of Terms of Endearment in the first place.

[The Stingray]

Rambo 3 is a guilty pleasure and better than part 2, imo.

 

Matrix Reloaded is solid.
 

[4815162342]

Matrix Reloaded is about 2 deleted scenes and 2-3 substantially trimmed scenes from being a very good movie.

[Thegun]

41. Pirate's of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

 

Granted, At World's End and Stranger Tides are equally unimpressive films but they were following this Thanksgiving Turkey: A true disaster that even watching the fun original almost gets ruined.  On a personal note, this would have been much higher for me.  I absolutely hated this film when it came out, and even worst was being on the forums listening to people praise it, its opening weekend record, and better than expected legs, thanks to such a weak summer.  Thankfully as a decade has passed more and more people coming back to the right side. It's overblown, overstuffed, and horribly concluded, by nothing more than a weak cliffhanger, and emotions never earned.  Orlando Bloom and Knightley are not the Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia we thought they could be in future films.  Even Depp is poorly used in this film and the trend would unfortunately continue on.  Stupid villains, save Davey Jones, who unfortunately wouldn't completely wasted until the third film.  Even still none as interesting or fun as Rush in the film first.  He ironically is probably the best part of the film (with a single line trying to trick you into the next film) but his twist of character motivations too prove that much worse is still to come.  The first film is the one that broke the tradition: A good pirate film, and even more so it's based on a ride at Disney World.  It should have never worked.  Unfortunately the sequels corrected it, none ever coming close to the Curse of the Black Pearl living comfortably in mediocrity. 

 

 

 

[The Stingray]

I kinda like Dead Man's Chest. In fact, I think I prefer it over the original.
 

[Water Bottle]

I liked Dead Man's Chest. Granted I haven't seen it in years but...

[Plain Old Tele]

 

 

(I think DMC's better than POTC).  

[75Live]

I don't mind DMC but it's pretty bad when compared to the original so I get why it's in the list.

[BourneFan #1]

I put Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest on the same level.

[baumer]

Rambo III is not as good as the other three but it's far from bad Imo.