Sequels and Remakes that Outshine the Originals

Originality in Hollywood is becoming a thing of the past. Maybe it’s because there aren’t many ideas left in the think tank that can guarantee satisfying box office receipts. I don’t know. But what I do know is that a lot of the successful franchises of the past are getting remade or rebooted. Some movies are even getting unnecessary sequels. Case in point: Tom Cruise continues to deliver satisfying sequels in his Mission: Impossible franchise, but his attempted reboot of The Mummy did not pan out. And is the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick really necessary? I guess we’ll find out next year.

Men in Black (1997) was an original comedy that became a glimmer of hope for a franchise worth watching, but the sequels didn’t pan out. The franchise still isn’t dead, though (22 years later), since we have Men in Black: International coming out this week.  It looks like the same formula but with new faces, so I don’t think I will be seeing that one.

I often wonder why remakes and reboots are necessary. I suppose studios have quotas they must adhere to and deliver whatever stories they can come up with, regardless of whether they have been done before. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of great, original films are still being made…but they seem to be overshadowed by films with a lack of originality.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are some sequels and remakes that have outshone the original films. After all, there’s an exception to every rule, right?

There is never a dull moment in the original Star Wars saga. But I believe that The Empire Strikes Back (1980) stands lightyears ahead of A New Hope (1977). The action was more eye-popping, the effects were better, and the ending left fans wanting more. I don’t think many people foresaw the decades of entertainment the first film would spawn.

But with The Empire Strikes Back, people already knew the world and the characters. There is a war going on between the Rebels and the Empire. Luke is trying to find his place as a Jedi. Darth Vader is bent on bringing down the Rebels after the Death Star blew up. Once all that was set in motion, then there was little left as far as taking time to set up the story. It continued where it left off. I think fans loved that about the middle chapter in the trilogy – I know I did.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) may have a somewhat cheesy title, but the film was not far from cheesy. The plot was well-thought-out, and it answered more questions than The Terminator (1984).

I will give James Cameron credit for saving these answers for the sequel. The original film was still good on its own, but it was more contained as far as story and substance. Cameron probably wasn’t sure that the film would be a hit and that he would get the opportunity for a sequel. In Judgment Day, he let loose on the action and storytelling.

The effects are more convincing, considering the technological advancements made in the seven-year gap between the two films. I’m also partial to the hero-villain matchup of “machine vs. machine,” as opposed to “human vs. machine” in the original. I think Terminator 2 gives fans more of what they want to see.

I covered this subject before in my article, “The Top 5 Oscar Crimes of All Time”, but True Grit (2010) is far superior to the original. There is so much more to appreciate.

Jeff Bridges’ performance as Rooster Cogburn is better than John Wayne’s (I can hear my wife’s uncle gasping in pain from here). Bridges’ character has a sterner feel, which I think works better in a Western. Nobody can top The Duke as Hollywood’s best cowboy, but I think John Wayne’s performance in the original was a little flat. Even Wayne said his performance wasn’t worthy of an Oscar.

I also loved the locations used for the 2010 film. The cinematography was excellent – they gave the environment a more rugged feel. That worked better than the bright colors seen in the original (granted, some of that may be due to the newness of color video technology).

In summary, better stories, effects, performances, and cinematography can help a sequel or reboot outshine the original films. Some films and stories can be way ahead of their time, and it just may take some time to get them told properly.

Here are some other examples of superior sequels and reboots:

• The Godfather, Part II (1974)
• Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – If looks could kill…my wife would be collecting on my life insurance for this one.
• Spider-Man 2 (2004)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• Dumbo (2019)

Happy watching!