Ten Movie Sequels that Were Better Than the Originals

Most of the time, sequels get a bum rap. And most of the time they deserve it - for example, any sequel with the word Jaws in it. While most sequels are merely a blatant attempt to cash in on the success of the original, here are ten movie sequels that exceeded the movies that spawned them.

10. Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987) Directed by Sam Raimi

This one falls in the nebulous world between a remake and a sequel, but either way, this second installment in the Evil Dead series is better across the board than the original Evil Dead - better acting, script, special effects, you name it. Evil Dead II is simply more fun than the original.

9. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) Directed by George Miller

This sequel to 1979's Mad Max ramps up the action, ramps up the excitement and really distills the Mad Max premise into a first-rate action movie with enough of a story to make it seem almost meaningful. For its release in the United States, the film was simply entitled The Road Warrior. Mad Max had a very limited North American release, so people in the United States would not have realized they were watching a sequel. This was America's first real taste of Mel Gibson, and it was a powerful one.

8. Superman II (1981) Directed by Richard Lester

Superman was a movie that was shot with a sequel in mind. The plan for Superman II was to shoot much of its footage while making the original Superman. Richard Donner, director of the first Superman, had already shot about 75% of Superman II, while filming the first movie. However, a dispute arose between Donner and the Salkinds (producers of Superman). Donner, who was supposed to direct Superman II, was fired and replaced by Richard Lester, who promptly got rid of much of Donner's footage (about 25% remains in the finished film). Still, with the focus more on action, while blending in the budding romance between Clark and Lois, Superman II is a faster-paced, fun sequel that is less serious than the original.

7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Directed by Nicholas Meyer

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold in this superior sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Reportedly after the first Trek movie, Leonard Nimoy was so upset with the film's quality that he asked to be killed off in the sequel. After seeing how good the sequel was, he changed his mind. The first Star Trek movie was a leaden exercise in beautiful special effects photography. The second installment returns the franchise to its roots with a fast-paced action story mixed with an intelligent examination of growing old.

6. Army of Darkness (1992) Directed by Sam Raimi

Okay, so this is a sequel of a sequel, but still, this one is so fun it had to make the list. Taking a twist from the original Evil Dead series, this third installment finds Ash back in medieval times. Losing much of the horror and going for campy laughs, Army of Darkness really set a trend for the horror-comedies than blossomed in the 1990s. In terms of movie quotability, this movie is the Casablanca of cheesy horror flicks, with some of the best quotes in modern movies.

5. Christmas Vacation (1989) Directed by Jeremiah Chechik

This was a tough one. If it was a horse race, Christmas Vacation would be the original Vacation by a nose. In looking at the two, I think Vacation is funnier, but Christmas Vacation somehow makes me laugh more. We won't mention the second installment for purposes of this discussion.

4. The Godfather: Part II (1974) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

So how do you follow up one of the biggest, most critically acclaimed movies of all time? You make a sequel that's even better. If The Godfather made Coppola's career, this sequel sent it into the stratosphere. Terrific performances, terrific cinematography, almost perfectly woven together by Coppola, The Godfather: Part II is one of those rare films that's greater than the sum of its parts. And when some of those parts are Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and Coppola behind the camera, you have quite an achievement on your hands.

3. Aliens (1986) Directed by James Cameron

Producers of the first Alien movie, David Giler and Walter Hill were eager to work with James Cameron after reading his script for The Terminator. Cameron went to a meeting with them and pitched several ideas, none of which they were interested in. As Cameron was leaving, they casually mentioned that they were interested in doing a sequel to Alien. Cameron was interested immediately. Cameron submitted a treatment to Giler and Hill for what he would do with the sequel. The treatment borrowed heavily from another script Cameron was working on at the time called "Mother." The rest is history. Both Alien and Aliens are great movies for different reasons, but for me, the relentless tension, action, and suspense in Aliens tops the original.

2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Directed by Irvin Kershner

Expectations were impossibly high after the massive success of Star Wars. This movie met and exceeded them. 'Nuff said.

1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Directed by Jonathon Demme

The question as to whether or not this movie is a sequel is indeed open. In the legal sense, the movie is not technically the sequel to 1986's Manhunter. Although if you were to ask the characters of Jack Crawford, Dr. Chilton and Hannibal Lector (spelled Lecktor in Manhunter), they may wonder why they appear in both movies, and yet the movies are not considered sequels. Maybe it's the fact that the stories are written by the same person, Thomas Harris, which prevents these movies from being sequels. Perhaps it's the similarity in storylines. Legally, this movie is not a sequel, but for all practical purposes it is, and it's one of the most suspenseful, intense movies to come out in the last 20 years.

While most sequels are money-grabbing schlock, as you can see, not all of them are. In some cases the sequels are even better than the movies that inspired them.