Sequels
This week I would like to talk about sequels specifically what is the decision process of making a sequel. Also I would like to run through some good sequels or what I consider good sequels and bad sequels. What I do not understand is what directors or writers are thinking when they write for sequels. Maybe they do not care what they write because the first movie made a lot of money so it does not matter what they write about. Maybe sequels are rushed so they do not get as much thought put into them. I do not understand how some sequels are just as good as the first movie and then there are some sequels that make you feel like you wasted part of your life. For example: Bad Boy is a great movie, but I have to say that Bad Boys II is better. That is a great sequel, but then you have movies like Next Friday and Friday After Next, these movies are not that good. Grant it that Friday was not that good, but given that the producers and writers should have stopped there.
Now let us talk about epic movies that should not have sequels but end up having them. Shrek, that has to be one my favorite Disney movies, but it should not have had a sequel. The first one was too grand to have a sequel. Another example would be The Mask, which is a great movie and funny, maybe a little over played, but still good. What were the writers thinking though when they decided to make The Son of the Mask? I do not understand what was going through their head that made them think that was going to be a good song. Now this is a big one; Grease 2. Now that was an epic fail. The first Grease was great and I am not ashamed to say that I like it, but I can never force myself to push pass the first fifteen minutes of Grease 2. I think that writers and producers should let the “people” vote if there is a sequel or not, or run the sequel story line through a select few hundred people.
Moving on to movies that have good sequels what at least descent sequels to lighten the frustrated mood I am now in. I am going back to the Bad Boys example. Both of the movies were good, they did not connect to each other, but they did not have need to, to be as good as they were. I think that Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were good movies and there was nothing wrong with having a sequel to the first one. I also think that the Aladdin movies were well written and did not get worse with the sequels. The Pirates of the Caribbean movies were pretty good. I know that a lot of people do not like the sequels to the first one, but I think all the movies are good. I also think that The Matrix movies were good. The sequels had a purpose and were finishing the story. I think it is fine to have sequels if the sequels are answering questions to the first movie.
I do not know if movies are considered sequels if they are based on books, but if they are I have to say I like those sequels. The Harry Potter movies are good and I like that, in my opinion, the movies are better than the books. I feel like I cannot bash The Lord of the Rings just because so many people love those movies, but personally I think they are long and boring. I also like the Bourne Identity movies, and I like that they finally give you all the answers at the end of the third movie.
I would just like for the people in charge of sequels to put more thought into what movies should have sequels and what movies should not have sequels. I understand that there are going to be duds and not everyone is going to like every move that comes out, but all that is need is a little more effort and thought. If I have missed any disastrous sequels please let me know. I feel like this is a good topic to get frustrated with and not cause any stress to yourself and others.