What Every Sequel Should Have

In my last post, I spoke about 10 sequels which were better than the original movie. The movies on the list vary in genres, and what made them better all depended on each movie, such as Mad Max 2: Road Warrior having more action, or The Evil Dead 2 mixing comedy into the horror elements. Despite that, there are things all the films I listed had in common on a substantial level, and what would make sense for a sequel to have in order to be considered a worthy part of a series of films. While reading the list, think about how each of them applied to the listed 10 movies, and can apply to others as well. The list includes:

• expand on what the previous entry established
• not ruin anything the previous movie was praised for
• fix any criticisms the previous movie received
• assume the viewer has seen the previous entry and have the pace match that
• make the plot something fresh and not recycle the previous story
• make sure it can stand on its own merits
• include anything that the creators wanted to put in the first but couldn't should be implemented

While movies don't work on a formulaic level, these tips are ones that were apparent in the previous top 10, and should be applied on any sequel. If not, there is a better chance the movie will be a bust. And no one wants that.

10 Sequels Better than the Original

Sequels are often seen to be cash grabs or uninspired for having to rely on an established film. Many movies which have sequels sometimes have the audience simply ignore the fact that the sequels even exist. Everyone has heard the phrase "only the first one was good". Today I am listing 10 movies which I believe to not only hold up to their predecessor(s), but surpass them to be the best in the series. These sequels are so good that even if you did not like the original you should give the sequel a chance. These films are so good, even if you never watched the original, you should just so you can watch the sequel.

1. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
2. Aliens
3. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
4. Silence of the Lambs (Most people aren't aware that this is a sequel to Manhunter!)
5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
6. The Rescuers Down Under
7. The Bourne Ultimatum
8.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
9. The Evil Dead 2
10. Spiderman 2

Funny thing about this list is that two directors had their work show up more than once,  James Cameron and Sam Raimi. Perhaps they have a knack for working with follow ups?