A trivial Saturday morning list.
Making a sequel in Hollywood might be the single most stress-inducing task for cast, crew, director and producer. Why? Because expectations are that the first film was, in all likelihood, well-liked and popular and thus by making a sequel you stand a chance of tarnishing its legacy, if not done right.
I got semi-triggered by some folks proclaiming “Top Gun: Maverick” one of the greatest legacy sequels of all-time. What?! Did they watch the same movie that I did? There have been far worthier sequels over the decades, some eclipsing the whole of ‘Maverick’ with a single sequence.
Most of the time the sequel doesn't come remotely close to the original's freshness, but sometimes, in the case of these classics, it turns out to be a landmark moment. For my money, these are the absolute best sequels ever made:
The Godfather Part II
Toy Story 2 and 3
Aliens
Before Sunset
The Empire Strikes Back
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Dark Knight
Spider-Man 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Skyfall
These are the essentials.
With sequels, you also run the risk of angering a considerably well-built fanbase that will ask for heads on a guillotine if the film fails to meet expectations. Thst’s why most of them are safe and familiar — you need to cuddle up to the mainstream and that means not too much risk-taking.
It gives me no pleasure to report that this is one of the worst films of Schrader’s career. Wooden acting, Jack Huston and Sofia Boutella are badly miscast, the script is dull, the photography is flat; nothing works.