Aliens
this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2025
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While I do not think that Aliens was a bad film at all, I kinda wish it wasn't a sequel to Alien. It's a completely different film, far more action-oriented
Then again my view is probably significantly coloured by the fact that I enjoyed the first one a lot more
That's one of the reasons it's so good. Alien is perfect space horror. Aliens doesn't try to match it but tells a different kind of story with some of the same characters.
I think that's the fun of the movie. It's not trying to recapture the suspense or tension of the original. It's a natural evolution in a world of monsters. In the first movie, the crew are just people trying to survive on a ship in space with a terrifying novel threat. Any other monster movie sequel, they find new victims and run it back, but the characters in Aliens react as one should to a new threat. Gear up and go at them with soldiers and weapons.
It's still terrifying because you and they know what lurks in the wet shadows. They are prepared to fight it which is why it's an action movie, but it's still very much an Alien sequel.
Oh I agree that it is an Alien sequel, I'm just saying I wish it hadn't been. For me, it kinda cuts down on the dread that the xenomorph can create when there are dozens of them charging into a hail of automated machine gun fire and getting slaughtered.
I don't think that they actually executed it very well, but I am far more keen on the ideas brought about in Prometheus and Covenant. That's what I personally want out of Alien sequels. Just ideally with, like... a second look over the script. By anyone.
The same could be said about terminator 2
I'm not sure about that, actually. There's a similar power dynamic involved β Arnie's terminator is unstoppable compared to Kyle Reese, but then the T-1000 is unstoppable compared to Arnie. Worse, it can now be anyone in almost any scene
Terminator 3, on the other hand...
It's a completely different film, far more action-oriented
Terminator 2 is tonally almost completely different from 1. 1's soul is much more a horror movie, complete with a damsel in distress and a heavily uncanny villain. 2 had every chance to lean into that sense of unease, but really doesn't explore that uncomfortable emotion despite the T-1000 being much more threatening on paper.
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Which (IMHO) is the reason it works so well. The first movie can't be topped because we've seen the Alien and the tension can't be repeated (see: the later movies which try this same formula and fail). Aliens takes that and ramps it up in a different way to make the desperation of escaping with firepower on your side still nerve wracking!
The 3rd installment also takes a new twist and different approach but doesn't succeed as well (I still found it enjoyable, and rewatch from time to time.
Everything since then has been a cash grab of hot garbage.
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Game over, man
The correct answer. The perfect duology.
I was about to say no, but you convinced me. They're both phenomenal.
The Empire Strikes Back
Empire Strikes Back.
And if you're into "it's so bad it wraps around and becomes hilarious" films, Troll 2.
People who grew up with the original will probably flay me for this.
Bladerunner 2049 was a better movie than Bladerunner. It took everything that was great about the original and improved upon it.
The original is a masterpiece. That said, I loved the sequel and have rewatched it multiple times. However, I donβt know if it is because I love the film or just anything Ryan Gosling is in π€€π
Drive?
Didnβt catch that one. Any good?
Certainly my favourite Gosling film. It's one of those movies with a lot of ambiance; if you watch it, don't doomscroll at the same time.
The elevator scene is so beautiful.
if you watch it, donβt doomscroll at the same time.
It's sad that you actually felt the need to tell people this in a movies community. What a time we live in.
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Oh wow! Iβll have to give it a go then. βΊοΈ
The first movie I saw with Gosling was Lars and the Real Girl. I didn't get his appeal then, but I do now. I should watch that movie again because as weird as that movie is, I think his performance is stellar.
I agree wholly. Heβs just so handsome and talented to boot.
Knife Guysβ’ is so freaking funny too.
Old school fan here, from the 80s. I'm just dandy with this take.
Probably never been more nervous about a sequel to a beloved movie. I was praying and praying, please god don't let them fuck this up. But how could they possibly follow one of the top 5 most popular science fiction movies of all time?
Well, Villeneuve knocked it out the fucking park. I was sold from the first scene with Bautista. Sold. Enough call backs and fan service to put us in the world without being obvious and ingratiating. Damned fine line to walk.
Entire cast rocked out, too many props to write down. Yes, Leto was a little over-the-top, but he was supposed to be. Richest man in the world, totally disconnected from his humanity, and humans. And they got Olmos and Ford back! Perfect.
Got to see it with my ex-wife, no one else in the theater. What a grand experience. If it ever comes back to the big screen, I'll not skip it.
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Shrek 2
You know what, thread closed. What a perfect movie.
Godfather 2
Evil Dead 2, though itβs arguably a re-telling vs a sequel.
Wrath of Khan
I donβt think thereβs a better movie sequel than Terminator 2. Itβs the reason why itβs still an ongoing franchise today.
Would people still watch the first Terminator if it wasnβt for Terminator 2?
The first one is still a great movie. It's biggest hindrance is the low quality stop frame animation when Arnold is just the skeleton. I wish they would re-release it with the fan made improvements to the stop motion that have been done.
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Mad max 1 was a revenge cop story nobody watched outside Australia
Mad max 2 was the apocalyptic Mad max everybody know
Godfather II. The first is honestly kind of hokey and people are really stupid when they are trying to be clever. GF II has higher levels of tension and the execution of everything is smarter. And Robert DeNiro just slays playing young Marlon Brando.
I can't think of any. It's hard to be a better sequel than the greatest action movie of all time is.
If I had to pick, I would say The Empire Strikes Back.
I was going to say terminator3 but then I realized you were serious.
I'll have to say Escape from L.A. It is not usually mentioned and I think it is better than the first part
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- Empire Strikes Back
- Star Trek II
Nailed it! I'd add Aliens, not as a better movie, but as a worthy sequel.
Toy Story 2? My other answer would be Godfather part II, but it's been so long since I saw it that I don't know if I agree with that commonly-held opinion.
Hate on Michael Bay and his Transformers movies all you want, but there is only one movie with more robots that turn into more things than cars, more explosions, more ridiculous destruction, more awesomeness, more movie than 2007βs Transformers, and that movie is Transformers: Age of Extinction.
A giant robot that turns into a semi-truck painted with red flames, wielding a sword while riding on the back of another giant robot that turns into a flame-breathing T-rex robot. Itβs unparalleled in the stupid dumb action movie genre.
Critters 2
I saw another comment that spurred my thinking. There are (how many?) sequels in the Terminator series that have only been increasingly worse all because Terminator 2 was so good.
The same goes for Star Wars. Empire Strikes Back is a damn good movie by any measure. Iβm confident none of the Star Wars movies since have managed to even come close, and Iβd even say the only ones really worth watching are the first, the second, and the immediate prequel (Rogue One)
Hot shots! Part deux.
I qualify a good sequel as a movie that can be enjoyed without having to watch the previous. Not that the previous isn't important, just not required.
Terminator 2 clearly fits into this category. As do a lot of sequels. Here is my short list:
- Terminator 2
- The Dark Knight
- Finding Dory
- Toy Story 2
- Spider Man 2 (Toby Maguire)
Do Casino Royal or Rogue One count for anyone?
I won't go so far as to say this is better than Terminator 2, but Gremlins 2 is such a great sequel. Some people are turned off by the zaniness, but I love how it's basically a parody of unnecessary sequels and that they just swung for the fences with it.
I really wish they had made a 23 jump street. 22 jumpstreet wasn't as big of a jump in awesomeness like T1 vs T2, but it was still an even funner movie than 21 and I'm sad they didn't milk the franchise for one more film. Especially with all those baller ideas they had at the end of 22. Lol
Dead snow 2. First one was so bad it was good, the second one was actually incredibly.
I'm guessing you don't mean "film better than T2 that also happens to be a sequel," but rather "sequel that is better than the first film by an amount greater than T2 was over T1."
I haven't seen T1 in a while, so I'm not sure how it would hold up. I want to say it was like a 7/10? And T2 a 10/10?
So, is there a sequel that is more than 3/10 better than the first film?
Inside Out and Bladerunner are both better than 7/10 in the first place, thus their sequels cannot be the answer regardless of how you would rate them.
I've never seen the Twilight films, but wasn't the 2nd one said to be a huge upgrade over the 1st?
Same with Shrek. I never made it through the 1st one, it was so bad.
The Two Towers?
cars 2. Nothing better than a spy movie where the protagonist is literally a car
Terminator 3
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