It’s become an unwritten rule that with success comes sequels. Any hit film is likely to, if not planned from the beginning, receive some type of continuation in the form of a sequel, whether it be in high demand or met with collective groans upon announcement. Studios will always want to revisit what sells, sometimes creating massively successful franchises, other times failing entirely to capture the creative spark of the original. There are some examples of sequels that stay in the public eye not for their fun continuation of good stories, but rather for halting (and in some instances killing) a franchise’s success all together.
There are few things more disappointing in the world of cinema than witnessing a film you (and critics) may adore receive a less than impressive follow-up. For some, the pitiful quality of the next entry can even spoil the enjoyment of the original film. Let’s shine a light on these disheartening displays and acknowledge these blunders for what they are– some of the most embarrassing and disappointing sequels to the classic movies we all love.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Caddyshack 2
Warner Bros.
Unfortunately for Caddyshack 2, this critically panned continuation of the raunchy 1980 sports comedy seemed doomed from conception. Director Harold Ramis and most of the lead cast from the first movie decided not to return, sans Chevy Chase, who gladly accepted a seven-figure paycheck for minimal participation. The film couldn’t manage to capture the same tone or comedic heights as the original, with more childish humor and a lack of chemistry between its new cast of substitutes. Coming short of making back even half of its budget, the summer flop was ripped apart by critics upon release, with the Chicago Tribune labeling it as “Shoddy, lazy, and numbingly stupid.”
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Paramount Pictures
Nearly 20 years after the release of The Last Crusade, and with lead actor Harrison Ford being 64 at the time of filming, what could go wrong with reviving this classic trilogy of action/adventure films for a new entry? Being stunningly polarizing upon release and to this day, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn’t always miss the mark. Its action choreography can be very impressive, and Harrison does deliver as an older, more jaded version of the titular character, whose screen presence continues to demand attention. However, bogging down the film is a bizarre plot with forgettable new characters and downright silly-looking special effects, not to mention the infamous refrigerator-nuke scene. Things didn’t all add up for this sloppy revisit to the iconic series, though fans remain hopeful that the fifth entry can be a return to form, if it can ever finish development.
7 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Warner Bros. Pictures / Columbia Tri-Stae
The tragic reality for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is that it has the unenviable job of following two of the most iconic and adored sci-fi action films of all time. Released 12 years after the monster hit Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the third entry had enormous shoes to fill, but unfortunately comes nowhere close. Being the first of the franchise to be passed up by director James Cameron, fans of the series couldn’t get behind the overly corny dialogue and lack of any proper follow-up to the story of the second film. Though its action and set pieces were on point, and with star Arnold Schwarzenegger coming back to reprise his lead role, standards were set incredibly high. Unfortunately, instead of being another intense edge-of-your-seat and imposing thriller, it falls more into the “cheesy B-movie” camp of shallow action flicks.
6 Spider-Man 3
Sony Pictures Releasing
Being another third in a successful franchise that fans remain torn on, Spider-Man 3 has become infamous for tanking the hit series of superhero films. Director Sam Raimi had put together two of the most enjoyably campy and memorable movies prior, with adults and children alike clamoring for the next entry in what helped inaugurate the superhero franchise as we know it. What ended up being delivered, however, was a confused, messy and embarrassing continuation that, if it isn’t busy reusing the same story beats between the romantic leads, is wasting time with cringe-inducing dialogue meant to represent the “edgier” side of Peter Parker. There is charm in just how cheesy the film can become, and surprisingly fans have since begun showing their appreciation for the once disgraced third entry, giving it a second-life to be enjoyed.
5 Cars 2
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Subtle themes of self-growth and an appreciation for small-town life is what injected that classic Pixar charm into the original film which, while not the strongest outing from the studio, has remained beloved by families for its memorable story, characters, and settings which all hit that perfect balance between too much and too little. Cars 2, in comparison, strikes out on all accounts and chooses to instead lean heavily on a completely outlandish international spy/mystery plot line, placing Larry the Cable Guy’s Mater in the lead role, boring audiences with overly childish humor and cookie-cutter environmental messages. Being panned upon release and shocking all as being the first ever movie from Pixar to receive bad reviews from audiences and critics alike, the only mystery worth solving regarding this film is how it could’ve possibly gotten the green light.
4 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Warner Bros. and Columbia-Cannon-Warner Distributers
Perhaps the most enjoyable to re-watch for its endless collection of shortcomings, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace has landed on many “worst films of all time” lists for its abysmal plot, pacing, and effects. Being (unfortunately) the last time actor Christopher Reeve portrayed the man of steel, the fourth in the Superman film series drove home an incredibly ham-fisted plot about nuclear disarmament, whilst juggling an incredibly corny and dated love-triangle story that is guaranteed to solicit eye-rolls. The special effects are also astoundingly bad, even for the era, and while the movie feels like it drags as is, it actually had about 45 minutes of screen time shaved off due to poor test screenings. It wasn’t for another 19 years that Superman would return to the big screen, showing that it isn’t just kryptonite that can lay the hero to rest.
3 Jaws: The Revenge
Universal Pictures
Taking less than 9 months in production, Jaws: The Revenge served as the final nail in the coffin for the iconic horror franchise, demonstrating that there’s only so much you can do with a shark as your lead. With each consecutive film getting more and more hackneyed as the years went on, this fourth entry took things a step further, offending audiences with a laughably ridiculous plot featuring a vengeance-seeking shark played entirely straight, and special effects that just don’t cut it. Panned universally by all, with Roger Ebert marking the film as “…not only a bad movie, but a stupid and incompetent one,” the world was ready to lay the franchise to rest, and this time, it was personal.
2 Son of the Mask
New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures
Missing more than just an iconic lead performance by Jim Carrey, the sad truth is that Son of the Mask is a complete and utter embarrassment to not only the franchise it shoe-horns itself into, but to all involved in the production. Managing to miss out entirely on what made the original 1994 film so memorable, the sequel is infested with downright ugly effects and incompetent writing, guaranteed to grate on the nerves of any moviegoer above the age of bare comprehension (and is insulting to even them). Though lead Jamie Kennedy put his all into the film, hoping to stand out from Carrey’s interpretation of the character with his own take, there is nearly nothing to enjoy about this offensively unfunny, nonsensically meandering and visually uncomfortable mess. Audiences and critics ripped it to shreds, leaving behind a financial and critical flop that only served to remind us just how much the original is to be appreciated.
1 The Godfather Part III
Being the final chapter in what is often deemed the best movie franchise of all time, The Godfather Part III had immeasurable pressure to deliver the conclusion to the iconic trilogy. With the original and Part II being nearly perfect movies, anything short of a masterpiece which followed would be considered a failure, and unfortunately, that’s where Part III lands. This may not be an utter failure of a film like the rest on this list, but it personifies the word “disappointing.” Never quite hitting the highs of its predecessors, and with a stiff, awkward and unlikeable performance by director Francis Ford Coppola’s daughter, Sofia Coppola (a brilliant director in her own right), Part III fumbles the ball at the worst possible time. All hope isn’t lost for the movie that could’ve been, though– a re-edit of the film was released that hopes to tidy up its shortcomings, and improve upon where it fell short. However, the damage will always have been done by the underperforming original cut, and will always maintain the stigma of being the most disappointing sequel to some of the greatest films of all time.
