Summary
Horror sequelshave always been notoriously difficult to get right, but looking back on some sequels years later, I’m often shocked by how well some of them hold up. Despite certain franchises being criticized for continuing indefinitely, when I took the time to truly look at individual entries and considered them on their own merits alone, I was consistently surprised by how many hidden gems were way better than I remembered. Certain sequels get a bad reputation that, in hindsight, deserved to get a lot more love.
In my opinion, franchise films have often been unfairly compared to the originals, and despite rehashing many of the same story beats as the first film, they still had a lot to offer. Other sequels, likeHalloween III, were unfairly judged for departing too much from the previously established story structure, and it is only now, looking back, that I can appreciate how well the movie worked as agreat stand-alone horror movieviewing experience. For many reasons,lots of horror sequels were way better than I remembered.
15Jaws 2 (1978)
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc
The firstJawsmovie was a watershed moment in cinematic history that helped usher in the era of the summer blockbuster and established Steven Spielberg as a major Hollywood figure. With this reputation behind it, I always dismissedtheJawssequelsas unnecessary, and that’s why I was pleasantly surprised by how wellJaws 2held up. While it’s true thatJaws 2can be criticized for retreading much of the same plot points as the first film, I believe it still stood out as an effective thriller with great performances, impressive special effects, and an iconic score by John Williams.
Jaws 2
Cast
Released in 1978, Jaws 2 is the sequel to the original named release and the second overall film of the franchise. Written by Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler, with direction from Jeannot Szwarc, the film once again sees a Great White shark terrorizing the citizens of Amity Island.
14Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)
Directed by David Price
Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrificemaintained the eerie atmosphere of Stephen King’s storyand stood as one ofthe best horror sequels of the 1990s. Taking place just two days after the original,Children of the Corn IIfollowed the surviving Gatlin children being taken in by families in a neighboring town, only for the story of He Who Walks Behind the Rows to continue with frightening effect. While I agree this sequel can’t live up to the original, it was way better than I remember and among the best entries in the entire franchise.
Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice
A journalist and his son travel to Nebraska to investigate the mysterious town of Gatlin where, unbeknownst to them, a murderous cult of children are still waiting in the corn fields.
13The Fly II (1989)
Directed by Chris Walas
I’ve always been a big fan of director David Cronenberg’s work, so I was skeptical about the viability of a sequel to his acclaimed sci-fi remake,The Fly. Without Cronenberg or its star, Jeff Goldblum, returning,I always viewedThe Fly IIas an unnecessary follow-up that felt like it shouldn’t have been made. However, returning toThe Fly IImany years later, I discovered a fascinating film just as repulsive, outrageous, and purely entertaining as Creonberg’s version. WhileThe Flywill always be my favorite entry in this series,The Fly IIwas far better than I remembered.
12Bride Of Chucky (1998)
Directed by Ronny Yu
TheChild’s Playfranchise has always been categorized as over-the-top, campy, fun filmmaking that blended horror and comedy with thrilling effect. While I’ve always been a fan of this series, it was not until I revisitedBride of Chuckythat I realized how slept-on this movie was. As the first film that departed from the Andy Barclay storyline and embraced a more self-referential style,Bride of Chuckyreignited the franchise creatively, introduced the character of Tiffany Valentine, and stood as my favorite entry.
Bride of Chucky
Bride of Chucky is the fourth entry in the Child’s Play franchise and marks the first film to drop the franchise name from the title. Chucky returns in this darkly comedic slasher and finds himself revived after his former girlfriend stitches him back together with the hopes of continuing their relationship. When Chucky decides to transfer her soul into a doll, the two aim to take the bodies of two young lovers as they prepare to elope.
11Final Destination 5 (2011)
Directed by Steven Quale
I always loved theFinal Destinationseries and thought using the very concept ofDeath itself as its villainwas an ingenious decision that set these movies apart from other more traditional slashers. However, by the time the franchise got to its fifth entry, I had written the series off for being too repetitive and having squandered its incredible potential. But returning toFinal Destination 5, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a film far better than I remembered, as it utilized a 3D style and special effects to deliver one of the franchise’s best entries.
Final Destination 5
Final Destination 5 follows a group of coworkers who narrowly escape a deadly suspension bridge collapse, thanks to one man’s premonition. Unbeknownst to them, they were never meant to survive, and they must confront their fate while attempting to outwit Death’s relentless pursuit.
10Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
Directed by Christopher Landon
Looking back on theParanormal Activityfranchise, I was delighted to realize that the fifth entry,The Marked Ones, was far better than I remembered.Paranormal Activity: The Markedexpanded the franchise’s lore by highlighting the witches’ coven as a sinister presence with untold influence. While it may appear downright incomprehensible at times, I can’t deny thatThe Marked Onesmade for thrilling viewing filled with great performances, plenty of scares, and enough twists and turns that kept the franchise feeling fresh even after so many releases.
9Predator 2 (1990)
Directed by Stephen Hopkins
Predator 2blended action, horror, and science fiction and suffered from a wholly negative reputation, which meant I avoided watching it for far too long. However, looking back onPredator 2decades after it was first released, I was surprised to find a solid action-horror that took the jungle survival setting of the original and expertly translated it into a gritty urban environment. For me, the highlight ofPredator 2came after Lieutenant Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover) made it onboard the Predator’s ship, which expanded upon the series lore andlaid the foundations for its crossover with theAlienfranchise.
8Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace
As the only entry in theHalloweenseries that did not feature the serial killer Michael Myers, I always consideredHalloween III: Season of the Witchto be an anomaly within the series. Because of this, it’s easy to disregardHalloween III, especially as it imbues the series with aspects of witchcraft and science fiction elements. However, when viewed on its own merits alone,Halloween IIIwas a suspenseful and enjoyable cult filmthat, in my opinion, offered a unique insight into an alternative horror history where theHalloweenfranchisewas not always associated with Myers.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Halloween 3: Season of the Witch is a sci-fi horror film that acts as the third film in the original Halloween films that started in the 1970s. The first and only Halloween film not to feature Michael Myers as the villain, Halloween 3 instead focuses on witchcraft. When a man escapes with a strange jack-o-lantern mask while on the run from mysterious men in suits, the truth is that these masks kill children when they put them on. Protagonists Daniel and Ellie decide to discover the truth behind the manufacturer, the Silver Shamrock company, but what awaits them is a confrontation out of this world.
7The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995)
Directed by Kim Henkel
The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas such a flop at the box office that I had always disregarded it as a low point in the series. However, I must admit I couldn’t have been more wrong, as not only did it featureearly career performances from pre-fame Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, but it also included elements of parody, self-referential, and even a secret society subplot.The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas a uniquely campy horror film that paid homage to the franchise’s legacy while adding something new to it.
The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas also released under the titleTexas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation
A group of teenagers get into a car crash in the Texas woods on prom night, and then wander into an old farmhouse that is home to Leatherface (Robert Jacks) and his insane family of cannibalistic psychopaths.
6Scream 4 (2011)
Directed by Wes Craven
TheScreamfranchise has always been among my favorite horror series ever made, and I have always thought of the first three films as an excellent deconstruction of the cliches and tropes of horror trilogies. However, I also felt likeScream 4got left behind, and looking back on it today, it stands as a fantastic look at the cinematic landscape of horror remakes in the 21st century. As the final film by the legendary horror director Wes Craven, I thinkScream 4deserved a lot more love and attention than it got at its release.
Scream 4
Scream 4 marks the return of Sidney Prescott to Woodsboro a decade after the original murders. Having rebuilt her life as an author, her homecoming coincides with a new series of attacks by the Ghostface Killer, challenging both new and old characters within the familiar slasher franchise.
