Day Eighteen

Top Ten Most Disappointing Sequels

Ok, me and Philip are back off the wagon with lists. I mean this is one of those ones that will polarise or bring people together. The only two rules we devised was that when it comes to franchises (i.e. Multiple sequels) only one sequel can be chosen and that it must be a true sequel not just two films made by the same group e.g. Fierce Creatures as a sequel to A Fish Called Wanda .

1.)    Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Hiding in a fridge from a nuclear bomb. Nuff said!

2.)    Alien 3

This really is an attack on the corporate ties that held this film down. Seven and Fight Club have proven what Fincher can do with a script, something he never had with this film. Sure Alien Resurrection was horrible, but after this film it was to be expected.

3.)    Terminator: Salvation

Terminator 2 was just two hours of ILM showing off; three was just rife with problems. This film? Could have been the best of the series.  It had the cast. It had the budget. They just forgot the script and ended with the most banal ending.  Really this film will only be remembered for the deleted nude scene of Moon Bloodgood and Christian Bale freaking out on set.

4.)    Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

What? Not Episode One? No. Episode Two was Lucas’ chance to redeem himself and create his Empire of the new trilogy. Instead he made an episode of Dawson’s Creek in space. Horrible in every way!

5.)    Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow

Two to Six have their moments, this film is just bad!

6.)    The Matrix Reloaded

The first film had everyone asking ‘what is the matrix?’ the second one gave us the answer ‘a good film that should have been left alone!’

7.)    The Godfather Part 3

Really this was just a bad idea from the start. Portraying Michael as a sickly diabetic made him so vulnerable that when he did do his classic Pacino outbursts it was more funny than scary. Just a sad end to what was up until now a perfect example of film making on all levels.

8.)    Robocop 2

Only because it was so bad that they still decided to make another sequel and then a TV show? Will they ever learn?

9.)    Escape from LA

Essentially just Escape from New York... in LA. What’s the point?

10.)  Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

This feels like when a series is being rebooted, however the problem with this film is they had already rebooted the series for the first one. Requiem is just painful to watch and at times (no scratch that ALL THE TIME) makes no goddamn sense! Plus I get that it’s a lot of dark and night scenes, but they could have found ways for me to not squint at the screen all the time. Just horrible to watch.

It’s funny doing this type of list, because you see all the films you would happily watch simply because of the previous one. Was Ghostbusters 2 a great film? Compared to the original? Not at all. Judged on its own merits? It’s fine. I have so many sequels in my collection that really should be in this list: Caddyshack 2, Return of the Living Dead 2, sequels from A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween, Saw 2-5 (Speaking of which I just saw the trailer for Saw 6, looks like they are going to milk this franchise dry until it is a shadow of its former self. Which is a shame!)

But for me... I’d be quite happy if these ten films had never existed.