Top 10 Movie Sequels with the Biggest Quality Drops
#10: “The Last Exorcism Part II” (2013)
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The found footage genre was nothing new by the time “The Last Exorcism” came out in 2010, but it surprisingly managed to ratchet up tension with clever camerawork and some truly creepy performances. Ironically, it would prove not to be the last exorcism after all, as “Part II” came out three years later, ditching the found footage format in favor of telling its own story. A fair exchange, but it turns out that story was incredibly trite and uninspired, with its setting of a home for girls being a poor substitute for the first film’s atmospheric farm. Actor Ashley Bell proved she could still pull off the dual nature of a girl possessed, but she deserved far better than this.
#9: “Hannibal” (2001)
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Granted, any follow-up to a movie that won five Oscars like “The Silence of the Lambs” was bound to be a step down, but factor in a change in director, lead character recasting and ten whole years, and you start to get a clearer picture of quality decline. For starters, many felt that the relationship between Clarice Starling and the titular antagonist was an unnecessary departure from what had been established, even if it’s in keeping with Thomas Harris’s novel. Second, the tension becomes much less palpable once Lecter leaves Italy, giving the finale absolutely zero chance of matching its predecessor. And third, while we love Julianne Moore, Clarice Starling is Jodie Foster.
#8: “Grease 2” (1982)
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Was anyone really jonesing to go back to school? The first “Grease” was a smash sensation when it came out in 1978, but you gotta figure a lot of that was due to the mass appeal of stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, who failed to reprise their roles in the sequel. The then-unknown Michelle Pfeiffer more than holds her own as the female lead, but she and her costars are given next to nothing in terms of catchy numbers, trading “Greased Lightnin” for a song about… bowling? We just hope the “Summer Lovin’” prequel can wash the bad taste out of our mouths… or the Paramount+ series, “Rise of the Pink Ladies.” Geez, did nobody learn from “Grease 2?”
#7: “Zoolander 2” (2016)
Just because a movie can be really, really, really, ridiculously funny doesn’t mean it too can’t not suffer from a freak sequel with no good jokes. Wait, what did we just say? In any case, “Zoolander 2” is an assault on all the senses, and its garish color palette and propensity for loud, senseless and downright undisciplined humor will make you think it was made by male models - at least, the dimwitted ones it depicts. Ben Stiller proved himself a triple threat with the first installment, insofar as his writing and directing prowess only amplified his onscreen performance. Here, however, his cadence is thrown all out of sync, making for a follow-up that’s just… well… ugly.
#6: “Basic Instinct 2” (2006)
The first “Basic Instinct” wasn’t exactly high art, but it more or less managed to ride the line between campy eroticism and genuine suspense. “Basic Instinct 2” is hardly even aware such a line exists. It flings Sharon Stone’s Catherine Tramell into another sexually charged cat-and-mouse thriller, but it bafflingly tries to make us question whether she’s the villain, when we definitely know better. And while we’re also fans of David Morrissey, who is a fine actor, missing here is the onscreen chemistry Stone had with Michael Douglas in the previous film. In short, “Basic Instinct 2” more than earned its share of criticism.
#5: “Son of the Mask” (2005)
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What’s even the point of making a sequel to “The Mask” without Jim Carrey? Not to rag on Jamie Kennedy, but he simply can’t match the level of effervescent humor that Carrey brought to the role. Also, his version of the Mask has really weird orange hair. As if that wasn’t a big enough dropoff, “Son of the Mask” possesses some of the worst CGI in a live-action movie, as the mask-driven dog and baby turn cartoon antics into pure nightmare fuel. Essentially, this standalone follow-up took all the visual cues of the first installment and forgot to back them up with much clever writing or memorable characters. Also, was “Son of..” ever a good sequel concept?
#4: “Highlander II: The Quickening” (1991)
Okay, first of all, the original “Highlander” movie has way more to do with the concept of the Quickening than this one does, so… strike one, right out of the gate. Strikes two and three come when this film decides to trade the more fantastical elements for a sci-fi approach, and when it fails to tell a story worthy of its narrative ambitions. Sure, it does better than most on this list by bringing back its biggest star in Sean Connery to once again grace us with his iconic Spanish accent - you know the one - but it also makes it worse seeing these memorable characters in such a dull movie. Man, maybe there really should have been only one.
#3: “Exorcist II: The Heretic” (1977)
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Okay, now we’re really traipsing upon some hallowed ground. While “The Exorcist III” later proved there might be some wiggle room in making a franchise out of it, “The Exorcist” is such a singularly frightening story that it essentially eschews outright the need for a sequel. Yet that didn’t stop them from dragging Linda Blair back to continue the exploits of Regan MacNeil, post-possession. Where the first film found an almost poetic simplicity in its themes of good in the face of evil, “Exorcist II” needlessly complicates the narrative with endless exposition and backstory, thus nullifying the mystery in its mysticism. It kind of is heresy, huh?
#2: “Caddyshack II” (1988)
The hilarious first “Caddyshack” was barely a coherently structured movie, as its scattershot series of sketches came together to form only the semblance of a narrative. But that’s kind of what we love about it, as side characters like Bill Murray’s groundskeeper steal scenes at a moment’s notice. “Caddyshack II,” on the other hand, has trouble replacing those memorable characters, as is perhaps best exemplified by an incessantly annoying caricature from Dan Aykroyd. Look, this movie takes a big swing, and we can’t fault it for that, but what we can fault it for is lunacy for lunacy’s sake, without any comedic tempo whatsoever. We’d give it a mulligan, but let’s face it, we don’t want to forgive. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Legend of Zorro” (2005) Put a Damper on the Notion of a Healthy Franchise Starring Antonio Banderas “Next Friday” (2000) Why’d They Make a Sequel Without Chris Tucker, Let Alone Two? “Paranormal Activity 4” (2012) Found Footage Angle Seemed Lame All of a Sudden “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000) A Meta Sequel That Should Never Have Been Made “A Good Day to Die Hard” (2013) The Franchise Quality Died Pretty Easily
#1: “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (1997)
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Let’s just do some simple math. The first “Speed” involves a bus on a busy highway that will explode if it goes below 50 miles per hour. “Speed 2” involves a cruise ship that can’t stop going about 24 miles per hour… in open water. So, multiply by pi… carry the two… yeah, it’s bad. In all fairness, this sequel does try its hardest to conjure up a series of scenarios whereby exciting action might be had, but in all its flailing efforts, it just becomes exhausting. Honestly, there are more pure thrills to be had at the shuffleboard court on the deck of a seniors cruise. This movie doesn’t just make us seasick, it makes us “Speed”-sick. Yeah, we said it.
