The makers of The Hangover, one of my favorite movies, are about to release a sequel later this year. In light of this, I want to talk a little about sequels to successful films.
One of the most important laws in Hollywood is that sequels are never as good as the original films. This belief is widely established. I have to admit that it is for the most part true. Sequels rarely live up to the public’s expectations after seeing the first film. Franchises have been severely damaged by poorly made sequels. Rocky, Home Alone, Meet the Parents are just a few examples of this phenomenon.
Despite this, there are some exceptions to the rule. Some sequels do live up to match and even surpass the originals.
The Godfather Part II is an example of this. I really enjoy the first film, especially Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Vito Corleone. However, the second part of the franchise is even better. The sequel was the first film where two of today’s most important actors worked together, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. Part II is actually the first film that made these two actors very famous, and also initiated them among the Hollywood elite. Part II’s script is also better than that of the original film. It allows the audience to better get to know the Corleone family and all the other characters. Therefore, the sequel in this particular case actually ended up being better than the original movie.
The Terminator 2: Judgment Day does the exact same thing. The seven years that separate the original and the sequel were crucial because of the technological advancements that were made in terms of special effects. The difference in the special effects is dramatic. The second film was revolutionary and is still considered one of the landmark films that initiated the move toward CGI in Hollywood. Even Arnold’s acting is better in the second film; the original was his first major film, and his English was even worse than it is now. Judgment Day really turned out to be a much more entertaining movie than the first Terminator.
As such, it is clear that not all sequels are necessarily worse than the originals. The Hollywood law about sequels is not 100% accurate.
Anyway, I sincerely hope that The Hangover 2 isn’t a disappointment. I love the first film way too much to withstand a second one coming in and ruining the franchise. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
