It's convention for a sequel to play upon some of the themes and beats of its predecessor while progressing the story of its characters further. Yet not every sequel manages to capture the essence of the first installment, for better or worse. Sometimes these sequels feel as if they are from a completely different franchise.
The reason for this may be that the director and creative team took a risk with the direction in which they wanted to take the. It could be that the original was outdated, and its concepts required some kind of modernization. Of course, in many cases it was that the sequel's script simply isn't as good.
Honorable Mention: 21 Jump Street (2012)
21 Jump Street started as a serialized TV show which tonally felt very different from what the movies produced. While the original was a sincere take that delved into a coming-of-age narrative featuring guest stars and smaller action sequences, the film version portrayed a meta-universe with huge blockbuster moments.
Both boast a lot of heart and the stars of the original do make a cameo confirming that this is a canon sequel. But the wackiness of the situations and the humor of the script has been turned up to 11. There's still debate if the third installment to this franchise is even better.
Logan (2017)
Wolverine has become a superhero of epic proportions in mainstream media, as this gritty Mutant continued to be one of the standout characters within the X-Men. Although the vigilante has received a number of solo movies, Logan is extremely different.
Set in the far future and based on the Old Man Logan comics, this really sees the mutant at the end of the line. It's darkly realistic in a way the other movies aren't and it's far from a traditional superhero film. It's a lot smaller in scale and focuses really on a father and daughter bond.
This Is 40 (2012)
This Is 40 takes a left turn and focuses on this ing duo.
While once they were background characters, they are suddenly at the forefront, with the truth of their lives laid bare. It's a continuous struggle as they attempt to keep their marriage afloat and look after their kids. Tonally its different, but there are some narrative threads still present from the first film.
The Return To Oz (1985)
Return To Oz, lacks its charm and humor, instead taking a darker tone for a horrifying reunion with a familiar setting.
Parts of the film are likely to give kids nightmares, with the strange creative choices building up to a crescendo of bizarreness. Successive movies have tried to bring back audiences to Oz again and again, but none have come close to capturing the spirit of Dorothy stepping on to the yellow brick road for the first time.
Home Alone 3 (1997)
The original Home Alone 3 failed on all s.
With a change of cast the tone of the first two was immediately lost. A rehash of the same idea wasn't going to help the situation and the relatable throughline was really lost in all of the chaos. It's fair to say that progressive sequels have gotten further and further away from what the initial two stood for.
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)
The Indiana Jones saga is a cinematic marvel, taking the adventure genre to new heights and ultimately delivering some of the most well-renown blockbusters of all time. But its latest sequel failed to deliver in the same way, turning from fantasy to science fiction.
With an aging cast, a surprise son, and the backdrop of alien enemies, Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull has almost abandoned the fun and mystical features that the series started out with. Its storytelling might be bold, but it doesn't exactly stand up compared to its predecessors.
Son Of The Mask (2005)
The Mask is built around an exciting premise that only works because of its lead. It's goofy at times but it's also so self-aware. It's funny because of its ridiculous visuals and Jim Carrey's ability to morph into so many different characters, all within one scene.
Son Of The Mask gets rid of the cast that endeared the original to audiences but keeps the premise. Yet, in doing so it also es Loki's famous mask onto increasingly worst hosts, each of which provides very little potential for great comedy. It's cheesy at the best of times and can't seem to get the tone quite right.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
The first Kingsman movie capitalized on the spy genre, acting as a meta-comedy with unique action sequences and a story about a young man fighting to reconnect with the legacy of his father. It's about class and the corruption of institutions. It sets up a promising franchise full of talented agents.
The Golden Circle immediately strips back the whole of the Kingsman, forgets about those core themes, and instead moves to America. It's the same series but plays like a lower-quality spin-off than a sequel with genuine stakes and a relatable thread. Harry's return in particular feels like it breaks the rules of the original.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
The original Cloverfield film saw a huge kaiju wreck havoc on civilization, getting pushed back before it could continue its path of destruction. It was solely focused on its unique portrayal of the beast and the impact it may have on everyday people.
The sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane takes place mostly in a bunker, with those hiding beneath the ground unclear of exactly what's happening above them. With a post-apocalyptic tone and a tension that runs through the piece thanks to the human interactions, despite its quality, it is by no means a recognizable sequel to the original.
Batman And Robin (1997)
The Batman series has had so many installments but one really stands out compared to the rest. Batman And Robin is a strange film, that turns up the cheesiness, replaces the majority of the well-known cast, and includes some of the worst costumes seen in the franchise.
The overall portrayal of these characters seems distant from what audiences may have previously seen. It stands up today as a fascinating study in a completely-out there graphic novel movie and has become a bit of a cult classic, but it by no means feels like a direct sequel to any Batman movie.
