Support NeoGAF

[Boss Doggie]

Is it really common a thing? Anyway, share what sequel films you think that are superior to the first (or earlier) film.

Recently in my head are these three.

This is my favorite among the trilogy and I feel is the strongest. It just had perfect stuff in it. It has establishing moments of Sauron's control, Saruman's power, the whole struggle, everything. While RotK felt like it had two longwinded fights and FotR was more about establishing stuff, this one manages to get both and do with them flawlessly.

Personally this one trumps the first. Better, more fluid fight and action (goddamn Lord Shen is a magnificent bastard and he's not even a fighter!), I think has a much better villain (Lord Shen is more of a psychological villain), has better character moments, and honestly managed to make a "let go" and "origins" story meld together. Which is why I fear for the 3rd movie.

Living proof that you don't need relatable characters to tell a good story. I easily find this one of the best Pixar films because of its unique character conflict, the whole outlook of the toys and their future (again, relatability blown the fuck out), and well, on the technical side, it made Toy Story look really good.

 

[Chuckie]

An obvious one.

 

[Mushroomer25]

Home Alone 2 - Better atmosphere, better gags, more ambitious traps - it's just a better movie.

 

[Platy]

Bill & Ted 2, Terminator 2 and Back to the Future 2.

Time travel is awesome for sequels

And Captain America Winter Soldier

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Yep. Actually the only Star Wars film I've truly enjoyed.

Die Hard With a Vengeance is the best movie in that franchise. Also, sometimes I like Lethal Weapon 2 more than the original.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Terminator was great and all, but T2 was a damn masterpiece.

 

[SL128]

I've not seen either of them, but I've got a good feeling about this one.

 

[TheFlow]

Lion king 2- the bad guys had legit reasons, better songs, and a better final battle.

 

[DJ_Lae]

Came in here to say Toy Story 2 and Empire Strikes back but they've been (rightfully) covered.

So X-men 2. Superior story, handles the characters better, and no goddamn lightning frog line.

 

[farisr]

Rush Hour 2
Terminator 2
Spiderman 2 (Tobey)
Xmen 2

 

[AlexBasch]

Yeah, Kung Fu Panda is a bit tough to rewatch, but I'm down for 2 anytime.

The bad guy is a lot better, Po's background story and the last battle, hnngh.

 

[triplestation]

T2 thread

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

I've not seen either of them, but I've got a good feeling about this one.

Greatest movie just for giving us "[blank] 2: Electric Boogaloo"

 

[ryan299]

Dark Knight, Spiderman 2, Godfather 2, Cap 2, BttF 2, T2, Return of the King, Superman 2 (Donner cut).

 

[Oersted]

Vote for a another Dreamworks animation movie

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Terminator was great and all, but T2 was a damn masterpiece.

This. Even though T2 was a retread in many ways it was better in almost every way.

T1 was like a good appetizer for the main course.

 

[WonkyPanda]

 

[darkwing-buck]

 

[MMarston]

nuff said

 

[Data West]

Home Alone 2 - Better atmosphere, better gags, more ambitious traps - it's just a better movie.

More like a ton of the same gags.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Hellboy 2 > Hellboy

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

Pusher 2 and Pusher 3 are both fantastic!

 

[Gravidee]

The first Hellboy was enjoyable, if a little dull. Not to mention you could tell they were on a tight budget with pretty much only one creature throughout the entire movie. The sequel on the other hand, I was blown away by. Much more colorful, good humor with characters, great variety of creatures whether they were made up of CG or practical effects. Amazing action scenes too. It's one of those movies that I will never be bored by.

 

[Armoured Priest]

 

[gutter_trash]

 

[uncelestial]

Yeah yeah, the original is all "atmospheric." Oooh, ahh. Know what I say to that?

 

[Reverend Funk]

Evil Dead 2

 

[rootbeerafloat]

Guyver 2.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Home Alone 2 - Better atmosphere, better gags, more ambitious traps - it's just a better movie.

You cannot convince me that HA2 is not filled with psychosexual suggestion. You can tell a lot about a person based on how many times he's seen it.

 

[8-Bit Sunset]

Terminator was great and all, but T2 was a damn masterpiece.

It's all down to personal choice but Terminator (1984) was the best.

 

[kurahador]

Mad Max 2
Spiderman 2

 

[Megadragon15]

Captain America The Winter Soldier.

 

[Alphahawk]

Tron Legacy;

 

[Wanderer5]

Quite a few already mention I that agree with. I also remember enjoying this one more than the first.

 

[Sojgat]

 

[gutter_trash]

Came in here to say Toy Story 2 and Empire Strikes back but they've been (rightfully) covered.

So X-men 2. Superior story, handles the characters better, and no goddamn lightning frog line.

but they fight humans and Storm again does not use her full potential

 

[Double Donut]

You cannot convince me that HA2 is not filled with psychosexual suggestion. You can tell a lot about a person based on how many times he's seen it.

I... what?

How?

 

[Boss Doggie]

Home Alone 2 - Better atmosphere, better gags, more ambitious traps - it's just a better movie.

Oh cool, glad I'm not the only one who thinks this.

HA1 gets a classic "shield" but I also think HA2 is much better. It got the Christmas tones much better and integrated into the story much more. There was a far stronger sense of being alone and far away.

Yeah, Kung Fu Panda is a bit tough to rewatch, but I'm down for 2 anytime.

The bad guy is a lot better, Po's background story and the last battle, hnngh.

I feel like while KFP2 is a better film, you wouldn't get it without watching the first.

 

[PopeReal]

Yeah yeah, the original is all "atmospheric." Oooh, ahh. Know what I say to that?

Hell yeah. Alien is great but Aliens is just fucking awesome.

 

[Jeffolation]

Wrath of Khan is a really good answer.

 

[Wanderer5]

I feel like while KFP2 is a better film, you wouldn't get it without watching the first.

The first one is still fine to this day really, but yeah #2 was just the bomb heh. Going to be hard for 3rd to matched probably, but I hope it will be great either way (that Chinese trailer sure got me hype heh).

 

[Anth0ny]

Empire Strikes Back
The Dark Knight
Spider-Man 2
Cap 2
X-Men 2

 

[To Far Away Times]

I agree with the most of the posts in this thread.

T2
Rescuers down Under
Xmen 2
Dark Knight
Toy Story 2
Empire Strikes Back
Aliens

and probably a few more.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I almost said House 2, but I dunno, man. I'm a little torn on those two masterpieces of cinema.

 

[Livingskeletons]

Yeah yeah, the original is all "atmospheric." Oooh, ahh. Know what I say to that?

Preach.

 

[MMarston]

Also, this kinda counts to an extent.

(only talking about the films here btw)

 

[Dicer]

A true masterpiece...

 

[TheRedSnifit]

I... what?

How?

Oh, just the idea of these grown men chasing a young boy about, and then him responding with increasingly sadistic violence. Like I said, it really says more about the droves of people who watched it again and again than it does the people who actually made the movie.

 

[Livingskeletons]

Vote for a another Dreamworks animation movie

What?



Anyway fully agree on Two Towers OP, its my favorite of the trilogy as well.

So many great moments Sauraman's speech, Helms Deep charge, Gandalf's return, Sam's speech at the end gets me every time.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Oh, just the idea of these grown men chasing a young boy about, and then him responding with increasingly sadistic violence. Like I said, it really says more about the droves of people who watched it again and again than it does the people who actually made the movie.

You came out of Psych 101 as that guy, didn't you?