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How do!

Something possibly left field. Arguably.

As is widely known, decent sequels, let alone those which excel the original are pretty rare. But I’m a firm believer that not living up to your antecedent isn’t in itself a crime of existence.

Non Geek Media example? In the world of The Scout Movement, my Dad is receiving The Silver Wolf medal next year. Which is the highest award anyone in the Scout Movement can achieve. So rare, I didn’t even know it existed until Dad told me he was getting one.

I am of course immensely proud of Dad’s achievement. And I’m fairly sure I myself will never top that accolade in my own life, from any particular source. But that doesn’t mean my life is therefore entirely without merit.

And, in my usual overly verbose roundabout “oh FFS get to your point if you even have one” style?

I want you, Dear Dakkanauts, to sing the praises of sequels which, whilst not necessarily outdoing thekr progenitor still stand on their own two feet.

No examples this time. The field is wide, and I can’t wait to see your suggestions.

Finally? As ever? No dunking on posts. If you don’t enjoy a given film, good for you. But you telling us so adds nothing to this topic.

My go to film for this category is Terminator Salvation. We all know that the Terminator franchise should probably have been terminated after the second one. Still, I appreciate what Salvation tried to do and would have liked to see the planned trilogy play itself out.


Another sequel which I like is Alien 3. A lot of people like this film, but a lot of other people don't. I think it ended Ripley's contribution to the saga perfectly. Not to say that they shouldn't have made any more Alien films, they just shouldn't have included Ripley.

El Torro wrote:
My go to film for this category is Terminator Salvation. We all know that the Terminator franchise should probably have been terminated after the second one. Still, I appreciate what Salvation tried to do and would have liked to see the planned trilogy play itself out.


Another sequel which I like is Alien 3. A lot of people like this film, but a lot of other people don't. I think it ended Ripley's contribution to the saga perfectly. Not to say that they shouldn't have made any more Alien films, they just shouldn't have included Ripley.

Same initial vein? Terminator Dark Fate.

To my mind, it’s worst crime is being a sequel to two excellent films, and following after some rubbish sequels. Yet…..it’s solid. Despite some dubious things (Carl the Draper), it’s really well made!

Sarah and John stopped Judgement Day. Kinda. Yet, because wibblywobblytimeywimey, John’s Assassin and Sarah both continue into a future unknown and unwritten. Certainly Sarah, John and to be honest, Kyle, collectively stopped a judgement day.

God I wish this had been a Sequel of Latter Day, erm, Sequels (genuine apologies to folk of a religious bent I might’ve insulted for the sake of a cheap joke). As in, T1, T2, Dark Fate. Nowt in between. Because whilst it’s well documented on this very forum I can find enjoyment in pretty much any movie, let alone Terminator Sequel? Dark Fate is so well written, thought out, directed, produced etc? We might’ve had a near perfect trilogy.

Agreed on Alien 3, I vastly prefer it over the original (but that does not mean I don’t value the original, all three are „top tier” S-F).

So, within S-F genre, 2010. Targetting entirely different audience than 2001, so there were, are and always be gakstorms over those, but it’s one of my favourite S-F from my teenage years.

Another one is Dead man chest. It’s main flaw is that it was not a standalone sequel. Otherwise it has even better pace than Pearl, characters are already familiar so they start to grow, and the direction and editing are both better than in Pearl.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Same initial vein? Terminator Dark Fate.

To my mind, it’s worst crime is being a sequel to two excellent films, and following after some rubbish sequels. Yet…..it’s solid. Despite some dubious things (Carl the Draper), it’s really well made!

Sarah and John stopped Judgement Day. Kinda. Yet, because wibblywobblytimeywimey, John’s Assassin and Sarah both continue into a future unknown and unwritten. Certainly Sarah, John and to be honest, Kyle, collectively stopped a judgement day.

God I wish this had been a Sequel of Latter Day, erm, Sequels (genuine apologies to folk of a religious bent I might’ve insulted for the sake of a cheap joke). As in, T1, T2, Dark Fate. Nowt in between. Because whilst it’s well documented on this very forum I can find enjoyment in pretty much any movie, let alone Terminator Sequel? Dark Fate is so well written, thought out, directed, produced etc? We might’ve had a near perfect trilogy.

My thoughts about Dark Fate are a bit conflicted. Bringing back Linda Hamilton and Arnie (yet again) felt like a cheap marketing gimmick. The conflicting part for me is that it was actually done very well, and both Linda and Arnie were on top form, actually adding a lot the film.

The issue as I see it is that we've seen the formula so many times before. T2 Judgement Day got away with it because it was only the second film in the franchise and took what made the first film great and cranked it up to 11. Something most sequels try and do (and don't always succeed). I guess Dark Fate gets away with it to some extent too, being so many years after T2. I don't see the point though in churning out sequels with slight variations of the same story. Many other franchises do it, to much commercial success, but I think it's pretty clear that it doesn't work for the Terminator franchise.

That's what I like about Terminator Salvation. Sure, it has a lot of flaws which I'm aware of, but at least it tried to mix the story up a bit. Thankfully Arnie was busy being the Governator at the time, otherwise I'm sure he would have had a prominent role, to the film's detriment.

Please don’t get me wrong. Whilst Salvation isn’t my favourite in the series? And to be fair it’s my least favourite, it’s still pretty decent, and enjoyable on its own merits.

I just feel Dark Fate would’ve been better received overall had it not being following sequels of mixed reputations.

And I enjoyed Genesys, or whoever it’s spelled!


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Also? Thank you to our faceless and sadly all too often praiseless Moderati that moved this thread after I started in the wrong place.

ALL HAIL!

Just thought of another one: Rogue One A Star Wars Story.

Not sure it really deserves to be considered a bad sequel that some people like. The fanbase seems to be in two large camps over it though: One side thinks it's the best Star Wars film that Disney has made, the other thinks it's the worst.

Personally I think it's a great Star Wars film. Even better than Return of the Jedi.

El Torro wrote:
Just thought of another one: Rogue One A Star Wars Story.

Not sure it really deserves to be considered a bad sequel that some people like. The fanbase seems to be in two large camps over it though: One side thinks it's the best Star Wars film that Disney has made, the other thinks it's the worst.

Personally I think it's a great Star Wars film. Even better than Return of the Jedi.

Here I can appreciate both sides.

On the relative negative? It’s kind of disposable. It doesn’t fundamentally add to anything.

On the absolute positive? It stands on its own two feet, and most importantly, does nothing to detract from ANH. I can argue the same about Solo. And I will. But anyways.

Rogue One is easily my fave of the new canon. And I’ve enjoyed all of it. The Battle of Scariff is still the best space battle Star Wars has ever had. Just everything about it demonstrates the potency of the Rebel Fleet, and shows the flaws in the Imperial combat philosophy. This is best demonstrated when a proper tiny wee and antiquated ship takes advantage of physics and a cripple Star Destroyer to really wreck the enemy.

Currently watching Total Recall, but Rogue One is up next. Because it’s Effing Good!

I'm going to put up for Solo.

No, it wasn't the best Star Wars movie by a good margin. Still, it's decent enough to watch occasionally, which is more than I can say about a lot of much more commercially successful movies. It certainly didn't deserve the axe in the neck it took in the aftermath of the TLJ controversy.

Rec 3

Like all non-sequel sequel cash ins it pilfers the brand name of a decent franchise to push essentially a Shaun of the Dead knock off, an infected guest turns up at a Wedding and zom-com ensues, its a lot of ikky fun slapstick with an comedy homage ending, and still better than 4

The Halloween sequel/ half reboot from a few years back wasn't horrible. It's biggest sin was keeping 1978 Halloween cannon, while erasing the (in my opinion) superior Halloween 2 from the timeline. Should have kept H2 in the story. I do find it funny that the original movie actually has three different official, nonrelated sequels that all star Jamie Lee Curtis.

H20 from 1998 wasn't a bad reboot sequel either. I do find it funny that the reason they reconned parts 4-6 was that if kept in the story would have made Lori Strode the worst mother in history, dumping her daughter as bait for a serial killer while she went on the lamb to save herself.

and yet the best of the franchise, Season of the Witch, doesn't include Ms Curtis or the ongoing Myers storyline

I'm definitely in the Rogue One being best star wars film, possibly ever.

While it tells a story that doesn't; necessarily need to be told to make ANH work, it is a pretty stripped down and slick plot. It doesn't have any rubbish forced romance storyline, the characters drives and motivations are clear and kept to. The Scarif engagement in space and on the ground is just absolutely fantastic. The eye for detail is ace, and they match the uniforms and vehicles and stuff nicely. Also Alan Tudyk.

And, as per Empire, everyone loses!

For my own part, I humbly suggest Ice Age: Collision Course. It brings through all the best bits from the previous films, and all the actors have really got into the swing of their characters.

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and nominate Hellraiser 4-7, then 9 - whatever we’re on now.

Now these are in themselves not Good Films. At all. But….each, apart from the deliberately omitted Hellworld, take the central premise of Hellraiser and run to new and at least interesting places with it.

Hellraiser V - Inferno, is probably my favourite of the direct to the video efforts. I’m actually going to do spoiler tags for this, despite the movie benign umpteen years old, because I suspect few folk have seen it.

I would normally catch hell for this, but am shielded from the thread rules. Which I'm sure will be lifted for me having the gall to say this one...



Star Trek: Into Darkness

My only problem with Into Darkness was, having not seen the film in the cinema and working to avoid spoilers, getting the character twist spoiled for me by the Blu-Ray packaging!

 Dysartes wrote:
My only problem with Into Darkness was, having not seen the film in the cinema and working to avoid spoilers, getting the character twist spoiled for me by the Blu-Ray packaging!

I had it spoiled by an idiot on Facebook.

El Torro wrote:
My go to film for this category is Terminator Salvation. We all know that the Terminator franchise should probably have been terminated after the second one. Still, I appreciate what Salvation tried to do and would have liked to see the planned trilogy play itself out.

Mine too, I love that movie. It's the only Terminator movie set into the future, which is something I desperately wanted to see since I was a kid and watched the first Terminator. But I like everything about that movie, I never understood why it's considered so bad.


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 Just Tony wrote:
I would normally catch hell for this, but am shielded from the thread rules. Which I'm sure will be lifted for me having the gall to say this one...



Star Trek: Into Darkness

It's the best episode of the JJ's trilogy, which I love and is actually the only Star Trek thing I've ever liked, so yeah good one.


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 Flinty wrote:
I'm definitely in the Rogue One being best star wars film, possibly ever.

Another good one. Maybe not ever, but IMHO it's definitely the best SW ever released after return of the jedi.

Is this limited to films? Because the sequel that stands out for me is DoW2- particularly the Space Marine campaign in the base game and Chaos Rising. I appreciate the replayability is not great, but those campaigns come the closest to encapsulating the Astartes style of war in game form to my mind. So many little touches I love.

I like DoW1 too, but DoW2 is the better game to me.

Er, I should point out I don't play multiplayer on either much.

I certainly enjoyed DoW 2, but I think I was more taken by the Dark Crusade campaign style. Arguably Dark Crusade is a sequel as well

For me, Soulstorm changed the formula from Dark Crusade just enough to annoy me

Ah not limited to films? Baldur's gate 2, still my favorite game behind Mass Effect trilogy. BG1 was good, really good but the sequel? Absolute perfection, I still start (and finish 100%) a new career every 4-5 years.

Games? Two antiques from me: TFTD had vastly better gameplay and mood than Enemy Unknown. And of course, Fallout 2 vs Fallout 1

City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold is not only better than the original, it's possibly the best film ever made.

I'm gonna say Tremors 2: Aftershocks. Everything that made the first movie great is there, and they add to the story in a satisfying way. The other Tremors sequels...well, we'd best not talk about those, for the most part.

Not sure if this fits the rules but I am going to say The Thing (2011).

Technically it's a prequel, but it's also a reboot at the same time, and came out after....

I actually really enjoyed it. Loved that it was very faithful to the original but, despite being an obvious reboot, did actually bring new stuff to the original.

My only gripe is the last minute decision to replace all of the practical effects for CGI. Apparently there is a full edit with the practical effects that I would love to see.

I'm not all that hot on Rogue One personally outside of the outstanding third act. It kind of bounces around introducing a bunch of characters and ideas but never really feels committed to an idea that leaves me very bored with most of it on rewatch and honestly, even a little bored in the third act when we cut away from the large scale battle stuff back to the characters of the actual film. It's still a pretty great film mind you, but more often than not I just skip to act 3 and watch that rather than the whole thing.

I say this as somebody who really loves Rogue One: It's basically the worlds best cut scene.

for me, it's probably Clerks 2. A movie that should have been terrible, and is, instead, the last Kevin Smith movie I've bothered to watch.

 Polonius wrote:
I say this as somebody who really loves Rogue One: It's basically the worlds best cut scene.

for me, it's probably Clerks 2. A movie that should have been terrible, and is, instead, the last Kevin Smith movie I've bothered to watch.

That is a fantastic description.

Clerks 2 is way better than it has any right to be.

Ironman 3 is better than Ironman
Evil Dead 3 is better than Evil Dead
Blade Trinity is better than Blade 2

40k 2nd edition is better than Rogue Trader

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army has a great villain and they really let Guillermo loose to explore fairytale creatures and settings, I love it.