How badly would it kill the film industry to come up with an original idea? Although the recent success ofBarbieandOppenheimersuggests that audiences might be interested in films that aren’t based on previously existing material, sequels are still Hollywood’s favorite thing to greenlight and produce. A sequel’s quality depends on the thoughtfulness of its creators; for everyTop Gun: MaverickorJohn Wick: Chapter 4, there’s aShazam! Fury of the GodsorHalloween Ends.
With so many sequels coming out every year, it’s logical that some - many, in fact, slip through the cracks and become lost in all the noise. And it’s especially disappointing when worthy sequels underperform with audiences despite having many things in their favor.These sequels are among the most underrated from the past 5 years; they might’ve not lived up to the original’s legacies, but they remain solid entries into their franchises and deserve more love from fans.
10’The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part' (2019)
Director: Mike Mitchell
WhatPhil LordandChris Millerdid withThe Lego Moviefelt like lightning in a bottle; instead of being a 90-minute commercial for LEGO products, the 2014 animated comedy was a thoughtful examination of creative expression and “following the rules.“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Partdidn’t feel quite as fresh but continued the first film’s commentary on genre archetypes by expanding on the relationship between Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) and his hyper-masculine alter ego, Rex Dangervest. The two characters couldn’t be any more different; Emmett is joyous and absent-minded, yet Rex is aggressive and nihilistic.
Unfortunately,The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Partbecame the last film in the franchise afterthe LEGO rights reverted to Universal. The preemptive conclusion of the series might suggestThe LEGO Movie 2: The Second Partwas a disappointment. However, the film had a creative sense of humor that most animated sequels lack.The LEGO Movie: The Second Partproved that combining different properties could be done creatively and without any cynical undertones.
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
Watch on Max
9‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’ (2018)
Director: Stefano Sollima
Denis Villeneuvecreatively explored the cartel war in the 2015 filmSicario, placing the innocent character Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt) in the middle of a violent, dangerous world of crime. The 2018 sequel,Sicario: Day of the Soldado,removes any “audience surrogate” characters altogether and tells a story from the perspective of the first film’s antagonists, Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). By not featuring any inherently heroic characters, the film explores how nuanced the cartel war really is.
Sicario: Day of the Soldadois one of the more misunderstoodfilmsTaylor Sheridanhas written. While the character of Kate Mercer gave the audience a moral center in the first film,Day of the Soldadoacknowledges that each of its characters is malicious. The film takes a different yet equally insightful approach to a delicate subject, and while far less striking than its predecessor,Day of the Soldadoremains a subversive and well-crafted thriller with style to spare.
Sicario: Day Of The Soldado
In Sicario: Day of the Soldado, FBI agent Matt Graver joins forces with assassin Alejandro Gillick when a the war between drug cartels along the US-Mexico border reaches a tipping point. Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin reprise their roles from Denis Villeneuve’s first movie, but Stefano Sollima replaces the original movie’s director.
Watch on Hulu
8’Jay and Silent Bob Reboot' (2019)
Director: Kevin Smith
Jay and Silent Bob Rebootproves that fan service isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the stoners Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith)from 1994’sClerksdidn’t quite need their own spinoff back in 2001, Smith had matured as a filmmaker sinceJay and Silent Bob Strike Back.Jay and Silent Bob Rebootforced the titular stoners to face a truth that Smith himself realized: they’re no longer the main characters. The film found a compelling way to have the two goofballs serve as mentors to a younger, more diverse set of leads.
Smith is often a more mature filmmaker than he is given credit for, andJay and Silent Bob Rebootis much more than a collection of stoner gags and toilet humor. Smith brings back characters from the other films within the “View Askewniverse” and satirizes them in a self-aware, heartfelt addition to a franchise that continues to supersede expectations. While Smith earned praise for the similarly reflectiveClerks III, it’s worth remembering that he did it first withJay and Silent Bob Reboot.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Rent on Amazon
7’Bill & Ted Face The Music' (2020)
Director: Dean Parisot
It made sense that in the midst of theatrical shutdowns in the summer of 2020, the “Wyld Stallyns” returned to save moviegoers from misery. Despite not playing the role of Bill S. Preston and Theodore Logan since 1991’sBill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,Alex WinterandKeanu Reevesdidn’t appear to have aged a day.Bill & Ted Face The Musicallowed them to conclude their journeys by serving as mentors to their daughters, Thea (Samara Weaving) and Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine). With more cameos, musical numbers, and sci-fi action than its predecessors,Bill & Ted Face The Musicwas the most heartfelt installment in the comedy series yet.
While it was great to see Winter and Reeves reprise their roles,Bill & Ted Face The Musicdidn’t just rely on nostalgia. The film acknowledged the characters' ages and surprisingly and naturally transitioned Thea and Billie to the lead roles.Great comedy sequels are few and far between, butBill & Ted Face The Musicproved itself worthy of the franchise’s legacy.
Bill & Ted Face The Music
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6’The Trip To Greece' (2020)
Director: Michael Winterbottom
The Trip to Greeceis a terrific conclusion to one ofthe best comedy movie franchises ever.Michael Winterbottoms’British comedy filmsstarredSteve CooganandRob Brydonas fictionalized versions of themselves as they visited various historical sights on their trips throughout Europe.The Trip to Greeceallowed the duo to add their commentary on Greek mythology and architecture and took a more emotional direction as the fictionalized Coogan dealt with the death of a family member. Ironically,The Trip to Greece’sultimate message was that life is not a vacation.
Elevating what could have been a routine sequel of Coogan and Brydon,The Trip to Greecediverts from its predecessor’s tone, featuring less improvisational sequences and a stronger narrative throughline. Seeing these two hilarious actors interacting would have been enough to make the film entertaining, butThe Trip to Greeceoffers a poignant and rewarding conclusionfor fans of the beloved and unexpectedly emotional series.
Watch on AMC+
5’Angel Has Fallen' (2019)
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
2013’sOlympus Has Fallenproved to be the bestDie Hardripoff in years, withGerard Butler’sMike Banning serving as the perfect stand-in for John McClane. 2016’sLondon Has Fallenmay have jumped the shark with its unbelievable premise, but 2019’sAngel Has Fallentook the series in a more grounded, serious direction. After being blamed for a drone strike on the new President of the United States (Morgan Freeman), Banning is forced to go on the run and work alongside his estranged father (Nick Nolte) in order to clear his name.
Angel Has Fallenmarked a true evolution within the series. Although Butler’s performance in previous installments was little more than an impersonation of John McClane, he added depth to the role inAngel Has Fallenby fleshing out his backstory. AlthoughOlympus Has FallenandLondon Has Fallenare best viewed as “guilty pleasures,“Angel Has Fallenindicated that the series was taking itself seriously as an action franchise. Alas, theHas Fallenfranchise has never been a box office juggernaut, andAngelis the least acknowledged film in the trilogy, a shame considering its grounded and refreshing approach.
Angel Has Fallen
4’Magic Mike’s Last Dance' (2023)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Magic Mike’s Last Dancemaynot be the end of theMagic Mikefranchise, but it certainly serves as the saga’s most thoughtful entry to date.Steven Soderberghused the third installment in the series to analyze how characters like Mike (Channing Tatum) were adjusting to a post-pandemic world with increasingly minimal economic security. While it’s less joyous and celebratory thanMagic Mike XXL,Magic Mike’s Last Dancefeatures a showstopping musical number that Mike and his new crew of male dancers perform for the demanding socialite Maxine (Salma Hayek).
Despite its thoughtful and unexpectedly heartfelt approach,Magic Mike’s Last Dancedidn’t replicate its predecessors' success. The film’s shift in tone might’ve had something to do with that, as it acknowledged that Mike had aged and dancing no longer provided him with the same joy. While this may not have been a crowd-pleasing direction for the franchise,the more mature approach madeMagic Mike’s Last Dancea stronger film.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance
3’The Souvenir: Part II' (2021)
Director: Joanna Hogg
The Souvenir: Part IIis the second part ofJoanna Hogg’ssemi-autobiographical film series. Hogg reflects on her experiences growing up as a film student through the character Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne). While the first film had primarily focused on Julie’s relationship with her abusive partner Anthony (Tom Burke),The Souvenir: Part IIshows Julie growing into her own as an artist and making a statement as a filmmaker. Amusingly, Julie’s frustration with the studio system (and her male critics) may reflect some of the real issues that Hogg has dealt with in her career.
Focusing on the art of filmmaking, which was barely touched upon in the first film,The Souvenir: Part IIoffers a thoughtful continuation of this compelling and deeply humane story. An ode to creativity and the process behind it,The Souvenir: Part IIis the rare sequel that feels thematically richer, a mature and more assured follow-up to a film few people believed would ever receive a continuation.
Watch on Netflix
2’Mary Poppins Returns' (2018)
Director: Rob Marshall
Disney’s recent live-action films have been somewhat underwhelming, butRob Marshall’s2018 sequelMary Poppins Returnsused nostalgia in a refreshingly thoughtful way. While the film’s visuals were quite similar to those of the original classic, Emily Blunt’s version of the titular nanny isn’t just an impression ofJulie Andrews. The film developed a heartfelt story about Mary returning to save an older Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) from making the same mistakes that his father did. Rather than replicating the first film’s musical numbers,Mary Poppins Returnsfeatured several showstopping new songs; the standout remainsLin-Manuel Miranda’sdelightful performance of “Trip A Little Light Fantastic.”
The ultimate message of the originalMary Poppinswas that the titular nanny was there to save both the adults and children.Mary Poppins Returnsapproaches the material similarly, as the dynamic between Mary and Michael is easily the film’s most compelling. The film underperformed, perhaps because the original is just too beloved and has aged beautifully. Still,Mary Poppins Returnsremains a worthy follow-up and a deserved progression of the Banks' stories.
Mary Poppins Returns
Watch on Disney+
1’The Matrix Resurrections' (2021)
Director: Lana Wachowski
The Matrix Resurrectionsbrought backKeanu Reeves’Neo andCarrie-Anne Moss’Trinity, but not quite in the way that fans of the originalThe Matrixtrilogy may have expected. Rather than serving as a traditional continuation of the saga,The Matrix Resurrectionbroke the fourth wall to analyze how the original film’s popularity affected popular culture. DirectorLana Wachowskireclaimed the franchise as a feminist, anti-authoritarian hero’s journey that celebrates individuality in a time when society is dictated by technology.The Matrix Resurrectionsdefinitively proved why, even after two decades, Neo is still “the One.”
It would have been easy for Wachowski to simply retcon the previous films to streamline the narrative. However,The Matrix Resurrectionsredefines the history ofThe Matrixby taking the series in a more self-referential, emotional direction. As mind-blowing as the action sequences are, the best part ofThe Matrix Resurrectionsis the romance between Neo and Trinity. Fans reacted negatively to this approach, buttime will surely be kind toResurrections, a sequel that remains underrated, largely because it is understood by audiences who were simply expecting something else.
The Matrix Resurrections
To find out if his reality is a physical or mental construct, Mr. Anderson, aka Neo, will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. If he’s learned anything, it’s that choice, while an illusion, is still the only way out of – or into – the Matrix. Neo already knows what he has to do, but what he doesn’t yet know is that the Matrix is stronger, more secure and far more dangerous than ever before.
NEXT:10 Movies That Prove 2017 Was The Greatest Ever Year For Sequels
