# Sequels as good as or better than the original film
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 30, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882 "2005-04-30T19:51:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/1 "2005-04-30T19:51:39Z")
Though we all know that most sequels can’t hold a candle to the original film, I’m curious to hear some opinions on sequels that matched or surpassed the original. And, as a safeguard against repetition, let’s eliminate any Star Wars films, Indiana Jones films, or Wrath of Khan. My personal favorite is 2010. Better plot, better acting, better ending.
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/2 "2005-04-30T19:53:45Z")
**Aliens** was better than **Alien**.
**T2** was better than **The Terminator**
Although I haven’t seen it yet, I’ve heard that **Shrek 2** was better than **Shrek**.
Most critics felt that **Spiderman 2** was better than **Spiderman**.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/3 "2005-04-30T19:55:54Z")
The Godfather Part II was arguably better than the original. They were, of course, both Best Picture winners.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/4 "2005-04-30T19:56:46Z")
Superman 2
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/5 "2005-04-30T20:09:30Z")
I thought _Come Back, Charleston Blue_ was more entertaining than _Cotton Comes to Harlem_.
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### Author:  [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/6 "2005-04-30T20:26:39Z")
_Gremlins 2_ and _X-Men 2_.
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### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/7 "2005-04-30T20:30:57Z")
**Dawn of the Dead** was better than **Night of the Living dead of the Dead**.
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### Author:  [@ZeroGyro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZeroGyro)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/8 "2005-04-30T20:31:34Z")
I think **A Shot in the Dark** is better than **The Pink Panther**. And how about **Bride of Frankenstein** over **Frankenstein**? Also, **Drunken Master 2** is superior to **Drunken Master**.
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### Author:  [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/9 "2005-04-30T20:34:52Z")
Aliens
Terminator 2
X Men 2
Spider-Man 2
Oh, and despite your ground-rules, The Wrath of Khan. 😃
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### Author:  [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/10 "2005-04-30T20:42:53Z")
Back to the Future 2 was better than the first or the third, IMHO.
Same for Austin Powers 2
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### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/11 "2005-04-30T21:35:25Z")
Some might disagree, but I thought that _Babe: Pig in the City_ was better than _Babe_. Loved both of 'em, though.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/12 "2005-04-30T21:38:15Z")
**Toy Story 2**.
I adored _Toy Story_, and _TS2_ blew me away.
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/13 "2005-04-30T22:00:59Z")
Army of Darkness (technically Evil Dead 3) is way better than Evil Dead 1 or 2, and 2 is better than 1.
I agree on X-Men 2 and Spider-Man 2, and I’d also like to add Blade 2–so far superior to the original.
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### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/14 "2005-04-30T22:04:48Z")
Just about everyone agrees that _The Road Warrior_ is a much better movie than _Mad Max_.
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### Author:  [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/15 "2005-05-01T05:07:50Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#):
>
> Just about everyone agrees that _The Road Warrior_ is a much better movie than _Mad Max_.
Well, I for one don’t agree - but that’s an Australian thing and I am part of that generation fo young australian men for whom _Mad Max_ was a rite of passage, a religious artefact.
Back to the OP, I think _The Two Jakes_ was better than _Chinatown_. Once again, I’m probably in a club of one :)…
mm
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/16 "2005-05-01T05:55:23Z")
> [@Nunavut Boy](#):
>
> Back to the Future 2 was better than the first or the third, IMHO.
I dunno if I’d say it was better, but **BTTF2** definitely kept the same level of quality from the other movies, IMO.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/17 "2005-05-01T06:10:51Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#):
>
> **Aliens** was better than **Alien**.
>
> **T2** was better than **The Terminator**
>
> Although I haven’t seen it yet, I’ve heard that **Shrek 2** was better than **Shrek**.
>
> Most critics felt that **Spiderman 2** was better than **Spiderman**.
I pretty much agree with you.
You must see Shrek 2. Watch for the pepper grinders - it’s hysterical.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/18 "2005-05-01T06:14:23Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#):
>
> Just about everyone agrees that _The Road Warrior_ is a much better movie than _Mad Max_.
I don’t know about “just about everyone”, but to this guy, _The Road Warrior_ is iconic (if I am using that term correctly).
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### Author:  [@klintypooh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klintypooh)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/19 "2005-05-01T12:45:59Z")
Personally I thought the best Rocky was number 4 so that is better than 3 of its predecessors. Rocky 5 sucked shit.
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequels-as-good-as-or-better-than-the-original-film/301882/20 "2005-05-01T15:36:13Z")
> [@mamboman](#):
>
> Back to the OP, I think _The Two Jakes_ was better than _Chinatown_. Once again, I’m probably in a club of one :)…
>
> mm
For what it’s worth, comic book writer James Robinson agrees with you on that.
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