Underrated sequels

I liked Lethal Weapon 4 better than the first three. I spent the whole movie going “Who is that awesome kung fu guy?”

A few that I’ll add:

The Pirates of the Caribbean sequels all seemed to be basically similar in tone, plot, and quality as the first movie. I didn’t go gaga for the first movie, but I think that those who did, did so less because the first movie was amaaaaazing and the latter movies were laaaaaame, but rather just the zeitgeist of the time was ready for a movie just like that, when the first one came out, and while the latter movies could create the same everything, it couldn’t return the viewers back to the same, pirate-romp-lacking movie goers that they had been when the first movie came out.

I’d say the same thing for Matrix and its sequels. The latter ones were worse. The fight scenes were too long and repetitive and the music was worse. But neither of those was a significant change from the first film. Most of what changed was the viewers, not the quality of the series.

I would further comment that I found the prequels (you know what I’m talking about) to be roughly the same as the original movies. They weren’t worse, you just got older and Hollywood cinema advanced, while they hadn’t.

But so in all of these cases, I would say that there’s no significant reason to not like the sequels just as much you liked the first one. If you want to see a series go into a quick downspin, try watching the progression of The Highlander series.

Lethal Weapon 4 was a lot more light-toned than the first three movies. On the whole, it was a pretty different beast. But I’d agree with you that the hand-to-hand fighting is a lot better and I did like it perfectly well.

Agreed. Bill Sadler as the Reaper was genius.

Hot Shots is a fairly funny movie but I think Hot Shots Part Deux is a little bit funnier.

Bogus Journey did not occur to me as underrated, but you all might be right. It’s way better than the original.

“No, Death. You’re a really great guy.”

:Bill snickers:

Yeah, I was just saying in another thread that he’d be ideal casting to play Putin in an updated version of The Great Dictator.

Though 2001 is my favorite movie ever, 2010 is quite good, and the only pure Arthur C. Clarke movie there is. Larry King thinks it is better than 2001, but that’s Larry King.

I like Return of the Jedi better than most people. I didn’t find the Ewoks all that annoying, the sand barge scene was great the first time I saw it, and the ultimate Luke/Vader/Palpatine battle was both exciting and demonstrated all the stuff that had been said before about what being a Jedi meant.

As it just finished on TV, I don’t think people give enough credit to Jurassic Park 3.

I firmly believe 2 was crap, but I rather enjoy 3 and will watch it whenever it’s on cable

The jokes in Airplane II are just as funny as the jokes in Airplane!, in my opinion.

That would be incorrect because there was no Star Trek I. The Trek movies began with TWOK and that’s all there is to that!

I liked ST:IV - The Voyage Home

A lot of fans I know personally tend to diminish it because of its comedic elements. But, it’s a very good story, with some very deep ideas (that they do fail to fully take advantage of), and a great look at the Kirk/Spock/Bones relationship.

I like it more than TUC.

III (TSFS) is also very good, and an essential bridge to the later movies.