Successful films get sequels, it’s a fact of life. Most film series also get worse as time goes on, sometimes drastically so, sometimes even destroying the goodwill created by the original. What film is most diminished by it’s sequels? I would pick Rocky. The sequels utterly ignore the whole point of the original.
I think you can add the Matrix to the list. It’s better to view it as a stand alone film. I don’t think the sequels were that great; they really over-explained everything and just were a jumbled mess.
Anything which makes fans say “X sequel doesn’t exist!”
For me, the Star Wars prequels made Darth Vader lame. Darth Vader isn’t supposed to be lame. He’s supposed to be a badass. Picturing him as a petulant teen kinda ruined that for me. Time appears to be helping, though.
Aliens.
The best line in the original Rocky was Apollo Creed saying “…ain’t gonna be no rematch” and the whole point of the film wasn’t Rocky being triumphant, but simply lasting to the very end.
Highlander.
Totally agree on Rocky.
I’ll add Jaws.
mmm
Agreed. Not only do they miss the point, but the overly cartoony Mr. T/Ivan Drago sequels make people forget the first one was a really good movie, and that Rocky loses the fight! (Network still deserved Best Picture though)
Speaking of Stallone, First Blood is a pretty good action film, with just a little suspension of belief needed. Nothing at all like the hilariously over-the-top testosterone-fest sequels with “Rambo” in the title, which cause people who haven’t seen it to dismiss First Blood as just another dumb Rambo movie.
I think that Rocky and Star Trek are in opposite camps. With Rocky, you have a brilliant first film, followed by a bunch of pulpy fun that kind of diminishes the first film. With Star Trek, you have a super weird overreaching mess, followed by a bunch of pulpy fun that helps you ignore the first film.
Absolutely agree. Fantastic movie followed by sequels where each one was cheesier than the other. Even the post Rocky V movies were a problem. Not all that good in my opinion, but even if you like them you have to realize how they were tainted by their predecessors.
After the original Rocky I don’t think he redeemed himself until Cop Land.
The Mummywas a great popcorn flick.
The Mummy Returns does not exist.
It had no sequels.
IT HAD NO SEQUELS!!
Robot Arm’s Law of the Emasculated Sci-Fi Badass: Science fiction franchises excel at creating cool, popular villains, but attempts to explain and humanize them only serve to diminish the popularity and coolness.
Robot Arm’s First Law of Sports Movies: The best ones are those where the result of the Big Game at the end goes against the expectation of the movie.
The Directors cut of Highlander2 isnt bad, and some of the others.
Highlander was a mess. It’s premise had holes in it. It needed a bigger budget. It needed a true Scotsman (heh). The ending didn’t make sense. I loved it. Yes the fall from the original to the sequels was huge but not as bad as Rocky. Rocky is a great film.
I like The Mummy Returns better (though I think I saw it first). Now, when it comes to the Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro - yeesh, there’s a sequel to pretend doesn’t exist.
The easiest movies to pick are big-budget films with direct-to-video sequels (especially common with children’s films), but that almost feels like cheating. I mean how many The Land Before Time movies are there now?
I also think The Neverending Story had terrible sequels, but I don’t think anyone remembers them.
Star Trek is sort of it’s own case.
The first one can’t be diminished by the sequels. It’s not the worst movie ever made (not even the worst ST movie) but it is not good.
But 3-10 were, with a few exceptions, pretty bad. All in all, I would say there are 2 1/2 good star trek movies. They are like the SW prequels - they are there, the really can’t be ignored completely, but they really diminish the franchise. Both worlds would be immensely improved if they had never been made.
But V diminishes the entire franchise, if you believe it is cannon. I pretend it doesn’t exist.
The Matrix is one of the first things to pop into my mind. I believed in the Wachowski brothers after watching the first one. I remember thinking, “Well, Lucas blew it with the Phantom Menace this year. At least the movie gods gave us a new great franchise in the Matrix.”
I was stunned when the sequels were a mess. The third movie is an all time terrible movie. Turns out the Wachowskis are not that great.
Remember, the question isn’t about bad sequels. It was about sequels that diminished their original movie the most.
I can still watch Highlander and pretend the ending is sequel-proof. I don’t feel it is diminished because it setup nothing to continue.
No, all the sequels are terrible. Beyond terrible. Highlander 2 and 5 should be made illegal.
Did you watch the Directors cut? Because all that crap about aliens and stuff is gone.
Matrix gets my vote, I didnt even watch the third.
Jaws is the runner up.